In this Meet the Bookseller blog, we chat with Tamuz Ellazam, the new manager at Readings Kids in Carlton. She tells us how she got into bookselling, what she loves about the job, her book recommendations and more.
What is your favourite part about working in a shop dedicated to children’s books?
It’s an even split between the staff and the customers... the Readings Kids team are so unbelievably knowledgeable, patient, welcoming and generous (with our customers and each other) and of course, our wonderful young (and young-at-heart!) customers, who delight us every day with their incredibly niche queries, their enthusiasm and the trust they place in us.
What do you think makes a good children’s bookshop?
A calm, joyful space that gives children permission (and access) to follow their interests and find things that delight them. Staff that really know their stuff and are practiced in the challenging art of serving the child and the caregiver or educator. Relationships – authors and illustrators, publishers, fellow booksellers, schools, libraries and the local community.
And then there’s the stock: I’ve always been in awe of the variety at Readings Kids – meeting even the most niche query with half a dozen titles for that issue and age is such a huge achievement!
Why did you want to specialise in children’s books?
My mum is an artist and an ex-bookseller herself, so she always made sure I had books that were both beautiful and interesting, but growing up in Australia in the ‘90s, we were pretty limited in terms of being able to find stories that looked anything like our life – even the very best bookshops can only stock what is being published, after all!
My primary school had a tradition where students wrote and illustrated a picture book to keep every year, except in grade 6, when they wrote a parting gift featuring their prep buddy. On the very last day of prep, I got to see a character who looked like me for the very first time, and it had a huge impact. Now I get to do that every day – put books into the hands of kids who get to see themselves, their families and their community in books, from their first board book all the way to YA and beyond!
What are some of your go-to recommendations for reluctant young readers?
There’s no magic book that appeals to every reader, sadly! But I’m a big believer that there is something for everyone. It’s kind of like with a picky eater, they might hate vegetables forever if you force them to eat steamed sprouts... and if that’s the case with reading, it’s a tragedy! So many adults have negative associations with reading, and feel huge shame, and I think if we have a more flexible and personalised approach early on, we can help children discover, develop and maintain a long-term love of reading.
Kids have so many demands on their time and attention, so I try to find a way to integrate reading into what they already identify as entertainment and relaxation to build that positive association. So whether it’s a movie whose sequel hasn’t come out yet (Wild Robot) or a graphic novel which is being adapted from novels (Wings of Fire) or a mystery (Murder Most Unladylike), I try to find a title that they’re already slightly familiar with, or has a twist, a mystery or a hook that speaks to their existing interests, and if they want to find out what happens, they’ll just have to read the book!
What were your favourite books growing up?
The first book I ever read by myself (more from memory probably than actual reading!) was Pamela Allen’s The Lion in the Night, which is still in print and still an absolute banger! I also adored The Bunyip of Berkeley’s Creek – the story of seeking identity in the wrong places and finding it within yourself and your community really spoke to me, and the illustrations are unlike anything else. I’m a real picture book nerd, and my collection had hit 200+ before I even started at Readings Kids!
Space is at a real premium so the rest of the library is condensed now to just the absolute necessities: my (almost complete!) Diana Wynne Jones collection, the Song of the Lioness and Protector of the Small series from Tamora Pierce, and my dad’s absolutely trashed (first edition!) copy of James and the Giant Peach.
It was almost definitely at Readings Kids (back when it was still part of Readings Carlton) where I first discovered how incredible Australian writers are – not just at presenting our unique context and culture, but that Aussie storytelling that’s unlike anything else. Elizabeth Honey’s iconic 45 & 47 Stella Street and the late great John Marsden’s The Tomorrow series were super formative!
Do you have any questions that you particular love from customers?
I love nothing more than when a parent comes to the counter and shyly says 'this is a super weird question, but do you have any books about...', 9 times out of 10 it’ll be something we get asked for every day like bugs! Or Titanic! Or WWII for middle grade readers, and we get to reassure them that their child is exhibiting perfectly normal curiosity.
But sometimes... it is actually something we’ve not been asked for before, and that’s always such a fun challenge, and we love meeting the kid behind the obsession too – they're always SO happy to get their book, and we learn so many facts about whatever it is they love.
