Readings SLV recommends
Our team at the State Library Victoria shop, also known as SLV, have some great recommendations for your next read! You can always get expert advice on your TBR by visiting the shop in the State Library and asking our lovely booksellers, but in the meantime here's a curated guide to some of the their favourite titles.
📖Fiction
Holly recommends:
Foster by Claire Keegan
'All of Keegan's books are brilliantly written, with not a word outside of necessity. Foster was a charming and devastating read that lingered with me long after I put the book down – and that is exactly what I loved.'
Nicole recommends:
Mongrel by Hanako Footman
'Mongrel is a beautiful debut novel that captivated me from start to finish. With lyrical prose and masterful characterisation, Footman weaves a story that explores themes of heritage, identity and hope.'
Alex recommends:
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
'This is not just another post-apocalyptic novel. Told across two timelines during and after a devastating global pandemic – this is a precisely painted mural of people living in extreme circumstances.'
Nicole recommends:
The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang
'A historical fantasy series with a rich world based on modern Chinese history and characters you won't soon forget. This is one of my all time favourite series!
Be aware that this is also a series that focuses on war and involves some heavy topics – please check the content warnings if you're unsure if it's right for you.'
Tracy recommends:
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
'To tell you anything about this novel would ruin the experience of reading it, but I will say that Piranesi completely upended my notions of what a book could be. It's a quietly sinister, masterfully executed and wholly singular novel that should be on everyone's reading list.'
Emma recommends:
A Shining by Jon Fosse, translated by Damion Searls
'Jon Fosse is a writer who gives the silhouette of a feeling, engaging with the spirituality of the banal to expose the bone of consciousness.'
Alex recommends:
I Am a Cat by Soseki Natsume, translated by Aiko Ito
'Follow the adventures of a Meiji-Era tom cat as he observes and judges the humans around him. This is one of my favourite books!'
Emma recommends:
By Night in Chile by Roberto Bolaño, translated by Chris Andrews
'Roberto Bolaño will teach you what a good novel is. His work is a deluge I would happily drown in. This is one of my closely held favourites.'
🎈Kids
Alex recommends:
What We'll Build by Oliver Jeffers
'There's a reason Oliver Jeffers is the MVP of picture books. He strikes that perfect balance between enjoyable for kids and parents. His stories might seem simple but using a dynamic mix of materials and a lot of heart, all of his work has incredible depth.'
Claire recommends:
Gymnastica Fantastica! by Briony Stewart
'This is a joy to read. The rhyming text and boisterous, colourful imagery help to express the enthusiasm and liveliness of any child as new abilities emerge.'
Alex recommends:
The Lipstick by Laura Dockrill, illustrated by Maria Karipidou
'A fun, funny and uplifting tale of a wilful stick of lipstick and its young accomplice . . . It's full of beautiful illustrations, guaranteed to make you smile.'
Nicole recommends:
The Puppets of Spelhorst by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Julie Morstad
'This is such a charming story with beautiful illustrations. Reads like an old fairy tale and teaches you how to have courage to do the things that seem scary. Highly recommend!'
