New Kids and YA books for book clubs
We are delighted to have many recent children’s books that are richly imagined and would be perfect for study by book clubs and in classrooms. Here are some of our favourites.
AGES 5 AND UP
My Strange Shrinking Parents by Zeno Sworder
With humour and pathos, Sworder reflects on the strange nature of giving and receiving love and celebrates those parents who embrace a hard life for themselves in the hope of a better life for their children.
Themes include:
- love
- migration
- multiculturalism
- coming of age
Explore the full teacher’s notes here.
Farmhouse by Sophie Blackall
Sophie Blackall takes readers on an enchanting visit to a farmhouse across time, to witness the way that history spins stories.
Themes include:
- history & memories
- the seasons
- farming life
Explore the full teacher’s notes here.
AGES 9 AND UP
No Words by Maryam Master
The story of a 12-year-old refugee who’s trying to establish a new life in Australia, grapple with his past and, most importantly, find his voice.
Themes include:
- language and words
- bullying
- neurodivergence
- refugees
Explores the full teacher’s notes here.
The Goodbye Year by Emily Gale
This story explores all the trickiness and confusion of the end of primary school and a new stage of life that looms with all of its uncertainties and possibilities.
Themes include:
- fear
- family
- times of crisis
- history
Explore the full teacher’s notes here.
AGES 11 AND UP
A Walk in the Dark by Jane Godwin
Set in the lush rainforest of Victoria’s Otway Ranges over the course of one night, this story is a compulsively readable, suspense-filled adventure.
Themes include:
- friendship
- trust
- identity
- consent
Explore the full teacher’s notes here.
Where You Left Us by Rhiannon Wilde
A story about healing, home and how to pick up the pieces when you feel left behind.
Themes include:
- family and sibling dynamics
- depression and grief
- love and sexuality
- ghosts and hauntings
Explore the full teacher’s notes here.
Did you know Readings runs book clubs for young people (and adults) at our Doncaster store? You can find more information here.
