Young Adult

Review of ‘Welcome to Consent’

By Megan Daley | Aug 30, 2021
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Title: ‘Welcome to Consent’Author: Yumi Stynes and Dr Melissa Kang Publisher: Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing Age Range: 10+ years old Themes: Personal boundaries, sex, interpreting signals, speaking up and being firm, guarding…

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Review of ‘The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling’

By Megan Daley | Jun 1, 2021
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Title: ‘The Surprising Power Of A Good Dumpling’Author: Wai ChimPublisher: Allen & Unwin (2019)Awards: Shortlisted Best Young Adult Literature, Prime Minister’s Literary Awards 2020 AU; Shortlisted Readings Young Adult Book Prize 2020…

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Jazzy Reviews: ‘Happy (& other ridiculous aspirations)’

By Megan Daley | Apr 29, 2021
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Jazzy has been reviewing for me for several years now and I always love seeing her emails pop into my inbox as her reviews are thoughtful and insightful and it’s so nice…

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Jazzy Reviews: ‘Starworld’

By Megan Daley | Feb 4, 2021
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Another fab review from Jazzy! Jazzy is one of the most sophisticated young readers I know and I really value her insights on the latest book she’s been reading. Today she’s reviewing…

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Review of ‘Looking for Alibrandi’

By Megan Daley | Jan 21, 2021
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Title: Looking for AlibrandiAuthor: Melina MarchettaPublisher: Penguin Australia (published 1992)Age Range: Young adult, AdultsThemes: Feeling Like an Outsider, Pressure, Immigration, Family Ties, Community and Tradition, Cultural Differences and Racism, Self-discovery Sophie Fu…

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Review of Untwisted: the story of my life

By Megan Daley | Oct 22, 2020
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Title: Untwisted: the story of my lifeAuthor + Illustrator: Paul Jennings Publisher: Allen and Unwin Age Range: YA – Adult Themes: Themes: autobiography, memoir, non fiction, writing, children’s writer, teaching, speech pathology,…

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Jazzy Reviews: ‘The Fault in Our Stars’

By Megan Daley | Apr 30, 2020
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This bestselling novel by John Green was published in 2012 and has since been made into successful movie. There is something truly remarkable about the pull of ‘The Fault in our Stars’,…

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Review of ‘Ghost’

By Megan Daley | Mar 31, 2020
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Book Boy Jr has *almost* inspired me to read a book about running with this review…almost. Actually I am hooked on the idea of this book and think it would be perfect…

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Jazzy Reviews: ‘Small Spaces’

By | Jan 9, 2020
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‘Small Spaces’ has been in my pile of TBR books on my bedside table for some time now. I’ve heard so many great things about it and everytime I think ‘oh that…

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Jazzy Reviews: ‘It Sounded Better in my Head’

By | Nov 5, 2019
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Jazzy today reviews a novel that I devoured and adored, ‘It Sounded Better in my Head’ by Nina Kenwood. This is a beautifully gentle coming-of-age story about friendships, self-image and first love…

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Review of ‘White Bird’

By Megan Daley | Oct 9, 2019
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Title: ‘White Bird’ Author: R. J. Palacio Publisher: Penguin Books Australia Age Range: middle grade*, YA Themes: bravery, kindness, courage, World War II, survival, family, found family, friends. Inspired by her blockbuster phenomenon…

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Review of ‘Monuments’

By Megan Daley | Oct 1, 2019
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Title: ‘Monuments’ Author: Will Kostakis Publisher: Hachette Age Range: young adult Themes: fantasy, adventure, Greek mythology, contemporary fiction, sexuality, friendship, family, grief, coming of age Greek Australian, Indigenous, romance, diversity, humour. Teachers’…

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Review + Teachers’ Notes: ‘Lenny’s Book of Everything’

By Megan Daley | Aug 12, 2019
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‘Sometimes rain made me want to cry, like there was something deep inside of me – the sadness flower that opened up when rainy days came, and blossomed inside of me until…

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Jazzy Reviews: ‘The Last Time We Say Goodbye’

By Megan Daley | Jul 31, 2019
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Jazzy is one of the most sophisticated young readers I know and she always stretches herself to read outside of her comfort zone. Her latest book has been, in her own words,…

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What to Read After Harry Potter and Percy Jackson

By Megan Daley | Jun 27, 2019
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It’s a question yelled into cyberspace regularly, and to be honest even as a teacher-librarian I’ve struggled with this question. Where does a reader go when they feel like they’ve read the…

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Review of ‘Detention’

By Megan Daley | Jun 20, 2019
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A daring escape. A school lockdown. A thrillingchase. What would you risk to save a life? Title: ‘Detention’Author: Tristan BancksPublisher: Penguin Random HouseAge Range: middle gradeThemes: refugees, immigration, asylum seekers, displaced persons,…

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Jazzy Reviews: ‘Everless’

By Megan Daley | May 9, 2019
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Once again Jazzy of ‘Jazzy’s Bookshelf’ has beat me to reading and reviewing a book which has been sitting on my bedside table for quite some time. Anyways…for a YA novel it’s…

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Jazzy Reviews: ‘Dry’

By Megan Daley | Mar 31, 2019
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There are some young adult (YA) novels that seem to take the world by storm, and ‘Dry’ is one of them  and it is currently being adapted for film. Neil Shusterman is…

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The Children’s Book Council of Australia 2019 Book of the Year Shortlist

By Megan Daley | Mar 28, 2019
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The Children’s Book Council of Australia 2019 Book of the Year Shortlist was announced this week and of course it has ruffled some feathers and made some book creators weep with joy…

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Review of ‘Catch a Falling Star’

By Megan Daley | Feb 25, 2019
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Multiple-award-winning author Meg McKinlay’s latest middle grade novel places the reader at that tricky intersection where logic and science meet magic and hope, a place where many of us find ourselves when…

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