Well, that’s a wrap.

It feels anticlimactic for the Teen Advisory Board of 2021/22 to sign off this way, given the incredible highs we’ve had these past few months. From meeting acclaimed authors to attending book launches, there’s been such an amazing array of activities on offer, it scarcely seems possible to identify the highlights.

Our first meeting was a blur, meeting each other for the first time and learning all about everyone’s likes and dislikes, the things that make books good. Whilst it was initially challenging to break down barriers on Zoom, we soon rose to the occasion, learning to appreciate our monthly sessions throughout prolonged lockdowns and quarantines, providing some much-needed stability in an otherwise turbulent year. We were then sent our first package of books, including The Gaps, whose author, Leanne Hall, we met during the following panel. The insights that Leanne provided – deepening the novel’s emotional basis – were highly informative, a fascinating introduction to the world of the writing. This was complemented by guests including Gabrielle Williams, Danielle Binks, Mark Smith, Poppy Nwuso and Lynette Noni, whose similarities and differences as writers broadly illustrated the diversity of the industry.

But we didn’t just hear from authors. Lucie Dess, Gene Smith, Tony Palmer, Chris Gordon, and Carmen de la Rue all shared their expertise in other aspects of the book industry, such as social media, marketing, typesetting, event-planning, and graphic design. Learning from industry professionals has enabled all of us to broaden our horizons in terms of the ways we think about books and, for some of us, has allowed us to shift our career aspirations in a new, bookish direction. We know that we speak for everyone when we say that, by hearing from such a breadth of experts, our understanding of books has been irreparably changed and our appreciation for books has grown as a result.

But we weren’t just learning. It was through the charm of our lovely guests – and each other – that we were able to have some of our most valuable experiences (and probably the most fun!). The connections that we developed during our time with the Advisory Board have allowed us to develop stronger bonds not just amongst each other, but with reading and the book industry. We hope that this has been illustrated in our contributions to the Readings Blog, which were a lot of fun to write, and our own monthly recommendations to each other.

And there’s one person who made it all possible – Angela, whose tireless work, whose dedication and passion, made this board worthwhile. Despite the daunting task of running monthly webinars, Angela was always there with a smile on her face, even on the most claustrophobic of lockdown days, always ready to entertain and educate, to keep us social and keep us learning. Without Angela, this amazing experience simply wouldn’t have occurred. And I’m sure everyone concurs when we express our deepest thanks for mentorship, her books, and her support.

That’s all from us. Teen Advisory Board, over and out –

– mic drop – (subtle)

David Dodson and Imogen Piening, outgoing Teen Advisory Board representatives