What I Read in September 2024

October 2, 2024 by Sally

September has come and gone, and I managed to read 9 books. I’m not reading at pace these days, but I am enjoying what I read, which is key. Here’s what I read.

Books for Young Readers

1. The War that Saved My Life, by Kimberley Brubaker Bradley (Puffin, 2016). I listened to the audio version of this one and couldn’t stop listening when I got out of the car – which is always a sign that a book has drawn me right in. Set in WW2, the story follows Ada, a girl whose very difficult life in London is replaced by a life of hope and healing when she joins other London children sent to the country for safety.
2. The War I Finally Won, by Kimberley Brubaker Bradley (Text Publishing, 2017) And, since I had already fallen in love with young Ada, I had to read the sequel straight away. Really satisfying.
3. The Sky in Silver Lace, by Robin Klein (Text Classics, 2017). This is the third book of a trilogy, the other two of which I read a year or so ago, with this one sitting in my to-read pile till now. I love robin Klein’s writing, and this is no exception – a poignant slice of life of the Melling sisters, struggling against poverty as they move to the city in the late 1940s.

Books for Young Adults

One Night, by Margaret Wild (Allen & Unwin, 2003). Being one of the first verse novels I ever read, I love to keep going back and rereading this one – the first time in a few years, and still really powerful.

Books for Adults

The Ghosts of Roebuck Bay, by Ian W. Shaw (Pan Macmillan, 2014) . I have spent much of this year delving into WW2 history, and this was part of that exploration, telling the story of the bombing of Broome in 1942, a tragedy I knew only a little about.
Sometimes the Magic Works: Lessons from a Writing Life, by Terry Brooks (Ballantine Books, 2003). I picked this up second hand in London earlier this year, and finally got round to reading it. An excellent blend of memoir and writing advice.
Iris is More than Okay, by Natalie Cooper (Audible,2024). Every now and then a contemporary romance is what I need, and this one, recommended to me by Audible, fitted the bill. I thought it was going to be predictable and, being a romance, there was some of that, but there was also a twist I didn’t see coming.
How to Keep House While Drowning: A gentle approach to cleaning and organising, by KC Davis (Cornerstone Press, 2022). Not sure why it took me so long to read this – I bought it after hearing the author on a podcast – I can’t even remember which one – and falling in love with her attitude. Key takeaway, for me: having a messy house is not a moral failing.
Best Wishes, by Richard Glover (ABC Books, 2023). I really enjoyed this one – witty in some places, serious in others, as Glover makes, and explains, a series of wishes to make the world a less annoying place – from banning pre-ripped jeans, to wanting the ‘debate’ over climate change to end.

That brings my total for the year to date to 90. What have you been reading?

What I Read in February 2023

March 2, 2023 by Sally

February is over so it’s time to share my reading for the month. A shorter month, and a super busy one, but I read 11 books in amongst that busyness – some on audio on some long drives but most in hard copy. My favourite? A verse novel – Grace Notes by Karen Comer.

Here’s what else I read:

Children’s Books

1. 1. Cop and Robber by Tristan Bancks (Puffin, 2022). For middle grade readers, this is part action adventure, and part moral dilemma. Nash has to balance his love and loyalty to his dad, who wants Nash to help him commit a robbery, and his mum, who is a local cop.
  2. Waiting for the Storks, by Katrina Nannestad (ABC Books, 2022). I would read a shopping list written by Katrina! She has very quickly become of my favourite writers, even though her books have the capacity to break my heart. The story of Zofia, a Polish girl taken by German soldiers because of her blonde hair and blue eyes. Challenging, because it is set during WW2, but still just beautiful.
  3. Bad Grammar: A School for Gentlemen, by Nathan Luff Being a wordsmith, I first thought this would be a book about language (lol) but quickly realised it was about that other kind of grammar – a school. Marcus is packed off to a school for bad boys – or misfits. And he’s not happy about it. A fun adventure.

Books for Young Adults

1. Grace Notes, by Karen Comer (Lothian, 2023). Verse novels are my favourite kind of novels – narrative wrapped up in poetry is a perfect means to covey a vast range of themes and emotions. So as soon as I hear about this one I raced off and bought it – and wasn’t disappointed. The dual stories of Grace, a violinist whose parents don’t approve of her goal to be a professional musician, and Crux, who wants to be a street artist but has promised his Dad he’ll wait till he’s finished school. When Crux paints a mural of Grace, they meet, and together they navigate their parental pressures, as well as the unfolding Covid 19 pandemic. Moving and beautifully told.

Books for Adults

1. 1. Why Does It Still Hurt?: how the power of knowledge can overcome chronic pain, by Paul Biegler (Scribe, 2022). I found this a useful insight into chronic pain, its causes and the connection between our brain and pain in the rest of our body. I’m on a bit of a quest for such information this year, so you might see quite a few health type books popping up in my monthly reads.
  2. The Beekeeper of Aleppo , by Christy Lefteri (Bonnier, 2020). Wow. I have been meaning to get around to this book for a very long time. Glad I finally did. You should read it too.
  3. A Grief Observed, by C.S. Lewis. I can’t remember who recommended this book to me, but it’s been there waiting to be read for some time, and now I’ve read it. Didn’t love it, but interesting to learn about Lewis’s experience of grief.
  4. Dracula: Popular Penguins, by Bram Stoker. I listened tot he Audible version of this classic, which I hadn’t read before. Really interesting story telling. I love how it is woven.
  5. Divergent Mind: Thriving in a World That Wasn’t Designed for You, by Jenara Nerenberg(Harper One, 2021). Oh gosh I felt so very seen reading this book. The title says it all – this is a book all about neurodivergence, especially in women, and I learnt a lot.
  6. Looking for Eden, by Caroline Overington (Audible original). this was a fairly easy listen – an audio-only book with some mystery, some family issues and twists and turns.
  7. Miss Potter: The Novel, by Richard Maltby (F. Warne & Co, 2006). What is special about this book is that I found it! On a bench in the local park. AND it was left there deliberately – as a Book Crossing Book. I have always always wanted to find a Book Crossing Book and, now that I’ve found and read one, I will leave it somewhere else, very soon – and leave some other books places too. I love Bookcrossing!

So that brings my total for the year to 23. I’m not aiming for a specific total this year, but suspect the number will be highish at this rate. What have you been reading.

What I Read in September

October 4, 2022 by Sally

September has flown past, but I did manage some reading – 11 books in total. I read some beauties, mostly the children’s books, but also some really grim reads for adults which left me wondering about the terrible things people are capable of. Not a great way to start my reading update, but rest assured that grimness does not mean bad writing.

Anyway, here’s what I read.

Books for Children

Little Tales of Hedgehog and Goat, by Paula Green, illustrated by Kimberly Andrews (Puffin, 2022). This was just a delightful way to start my reading for the month. Look at the cover and you will get a feel for just what a whimsical, happy book this is.
All Four Quarters of the Moon, by Shirley Marr (Puffin Books, 2022). I loved this gorgeous tale of change, family and friendship. Peijing and her family move to Australia from Singapore – and it seems everything is different. Possibly the most different thing of all is that her beloved Ah Ma seems to be forgetting who she is. Even though there are some difficult topics explored – including a subplot involving childhood neglect – they are handled deftly.

3. How to Be a Wonder Hunter, by Josh Langley (Big Sky, 2022). Josh is a friend and a wonderful person, so I was delighted to pop in and see him and buy a copy of this little book at a recent local event. It’s a gorgeous book about being curious and creative, and open to discovering wonders.

4. The Travelling Bookshop: Mim and the Woeful Wedding, by Katrina Nannestad. Oh how enchanting! I already loved Katrina Nannestad’s work, but hadn’t read her junior fiction – but lucky me got to meet Katrina at the recent Scribblers Festival and then celebrated by buying this book. Mim, her brother and father and assorted animals travel the world in a magical bookshop which decides where it is needed. In this instalment they arrive at a Greek island where a wedding is about to take place – but Mim is sure that the bride and groom are not going to be happy.

5. The Last Bear, by Hannah Gold (Harper Collins, 2021). The cover is divine and the book is too. The story of a lonely child who finds herself living with only her mother on a remote island in the Arctic, where she befriends a lost polar bear. It’s beautiful.

6. The Good Bye Year, by Emily Gale (Text, 2022). This is the story of Harper, who finds that her final, year of primary school is not at all what she imagined it might be. There are just too many changes: her friends become school leaders and seem to busy for her, her parents head off overseas for work, leaving her with a grandmother she barely knows, and a pandemic hits. But worst of all – Harper is being haunted by a mysterious ghost.

Books for Young Adults

All the Best Liars, by Amelia Kahaney (Walker, 2022). I really enjoyed this psychological thriller – which I must confess I didn’t expect. Cleverly woven so that you get to know the three teens who grew up close but are no longer so, before you start to discover what went wrong, and the terrible consequences.

Books for Adults

The Brink, by Holden Sheppard (Text Publishing, 2022). Wow! What a ride this book took me on. A group of school leavers head off on their leavers week – but have to change plans and end up on a remote island, where things unravel. A really compelling read, with a thought-provoking insight into masculinity, sexuality, and peer dynamics.

2. Batavia, by Peter Fitzsimons (Random House, 2012). I think a mistake reading this one. I knew a bit about the history of the Batavia, shipwrecked off the coast of Geraldton in the 1600s, so after I visited Geraldton I decided to read the story. My mistake was forgetting what a grim, blood curdling horrid piece of history it is. The book is well written, but the details of what happened after the ship was wrecked are just horrible. This is not fiction, so every death, at the hands of other survivors, the treatment of the women and children, and more, based on the truth, is just terrible. Maybe I read it at the wrong time. I do believe we need to know about bad history so that we can work to change it – I guess my upset was that I am not sure humanity has moved on far enough.

3. Follow the Rabbit Proof Fence, by Doris Pilkington Garimara and Nugi Garimara (UQP, 2002). After reading Batavia, I decided my next book would be happier. And this one was, in places. This is the book which inspired the film of the same name – and is the true story of three girls stolen from their family and taken south to be educated at Moore river. They famously escaped and walked all the way home by following the rabbit proof fence. What a wonderful story of courage, family, and determination. Sadly, it is also a reminder of the terrible treatment of the stolen generation, and a reminder of the impacts white Australians have had on the traditional owners of this country. So, while I am glad I read this I was left again saddened by what happened – and how little has changed really.

4. The Hitchhiker, by Gabriel Bergmoser (Audible Australia, 2022). In my quest to stop reading things that made me so sad about humanity I opened a free audiobook from Audible. Oops. This was a psychological thriller which featured a lot of horrible acts committed by a psychopath. Cleverly told, but I finished my month determined to read more happier books in October.

That brings my total for the year to 128 books for the year and, as I said, also brings me a determination to do more uplifting reading in October. Not sure how I’ll go – but, spoiler alert, I have started October with a romance novel.

What I Read in July

August 1, 2022 by Sally

It’s a new month which means time to share what I read last month. July was cold, and a bit lazy – I took a week’s annual leave from my day job, and read a lot. And then I had Covid, with a week of enforced rest – and read a lot more. So I was not so surprised to realised I had managed 23 books in the month. And some good ones too! Here’s what I got through:

Books for Kids

Alex and the Alpacas Ride Again, by Kathryn Lefroy (Fremantle Press, 2022). This is the sequel to Alex and the Alpacas Save the World, which I read when it was released, and has been rereleased so that new readers can enjoy them both. It was great to get to see what happens next to Alex – who thought she’d saved the world (with some help from her grandpa and his alpacas) , but now discovers that the job was only half done. Set in Melbourne, with plenty of action and a dash of humour, this is a gripping read.
Zadie Ma and the dog who chased the moon, by Gabrielle Wang (Penguin,2022). Zadie’s life isn’t always easy – her father has shell shock from fighting in the war, and her mother seems to love Zadie’s little brother Teddy, but not Zadie. To escape, Zadie writes stories – but when she discovers that her stories have a way of coming true, she decides to write the story of a dog, in hopes she will end up owning that dog. Whimsical, and lovely.
The Lost Child of Chernobyl, by Helen Bates (Otter Barry Books, 2021). This was in my to-read pile for a while, and I think must have been sent as a review copy. A graphic novel, inspired by the real events of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster of 1986. Although the child’s story is fictitious, the real events and the message of healing and of humankind’s impact on the world, is very real.
Cat Problems, by Jory John, illustrated by Lane Smith (Walker Books, 2021). Another one from my review pile (can you tell I’ve been having a clean out?), this is a humorous tale of one cat’s day, which is filled with problems – moving sunbeams, noisy household machines, and even another cat who is ALWAYS in the way.
The Way of Dog, by Zana Fraillon ((UQP, 2022). You know I love pretty much every verse novel ever, so it will be no surprise when I say how much I loved this offering. Written in the voice of the dog, Scruffity, there’s some humour but also lots of feelings, as Scruffity and the people he meets have some big life challenges. I may have cried, but that’s also no surprise..
August and Jones, by Pip Harry (Lothian, 2022). Jones isn’t happy about moving to the city, but August is happy when he is chosen as her buddy, to show her around the school. The two quickly become friends, and support each other through some really tough times. Pip Harry is an amazing writer, and this one’s another winner.
Across the Risen Sea, by Bren Macdibble (Allen & Unwin, 2020). Not sure why I hadn’t read this book yet, given that Bren’s one of my favourite writers for middle grade, and an all round lovely person, too. But I realised I didn’t have it, and bought a copy from a lovely bookshop in Dunsborough, and then read it in a day, because I couldn’t pout it down. Set is a post apocalyptic world, with two young friends drawn in drama and adventure involving dangerous trip across the inland sea which global warming has created, evading pirates, giant sharks and crocodiles, in a quest to save their peace-loving village. What’s not love?
A Clue for Clara, by Lian Tanner (Allen & Unwin, 2020). I bought this after listening to Lian speak at the recent CBCA National Conference. She is a clever, funny speaker, and I was not at all surprised that this translates into her writing as well. Clara is a chicken who has decided she wants to be a detective, just like the one’s she has seen on the Boss’s television. But she’s a small scruffy chicken and not even the other chickens take her seriously – so how can she convince the humans? Fortunately she meets Olive, the daughter of the local policeman. Lots of fun and adventure ensue.
Tilda, by Sue Whiting (Walker Books, 2022). I have been looking forward to this one for quite a while, since Sue told me the piece of her own family history which inspired the beginnings of Tilda’s story. So I was delighted to receive a review copy ahead of its September release, and read it in two sittings. Set at the turn of the twentieth century in a fictional orphanage, where Tilda is left by her father when he goes to serve in the Boer War. Tilda is mistreated by the dreadful Sister Agatha, and must use all her courage – and some resourceful friends – to survive. A wonderful read.
Rita’s Revenge, by Lian Tanner (Allen & Unwin, 2022). Having adored Clara, I was delighted to see there was a sequel and, of course, I had to read it. What’s funnier that a chicken detective? A duck out for revenge on that chicken! Just like the first book, this is clever, funny and exciting in equal measure.
Ella and the Useless Day, by Meg McKinlay & Karen Blair (Walker Books, 2002). Another review copy, and another one I have been waiting for excitedly. I wasn’t disappointed. Far from being useless, Ella’s day is very rewarding, as she and her dad clear out all the items clogging their house that they deem useless – and discover that these very items may indeed be useful for other people. Such a fun book, with a subtly lovely message.
I am Susannah, by Libby Gleeson (Angus & Roberston, 1987). I’m really enjoying dipping into some of the Australian authors I deeply admire. Frist published in the 80s, this one still holds up . Susie’s best friend has moved away, and this devastates her. Now she is navigating issues of peer pressure, friendship and independence, with no one close who understands, least of all her mum.
Miss Penny Dreadful & the Midnight Kittens, by Allison Rushby, with illustrations by Bronte Rose Marando (Walker Books, 2022). A fun new series, set in 1872, with the main character, Penny, finding herself travelling with her famous authoress aunt and caught up in the mystery of apparently bewitched kittens. The ending hints at the next mystery, and I look forward to reading it.
Dreaming by Starlight, by Siobhan Curham (Walker Books, 2022). A middle grade story about friendship and fitting in. The main character, Jazz, has moved to England from Australia and is having trouble settling down until her older cousin tells her about a secret club she used to run called the Midnight Dreamers (who featured in earlier books by the same author, although this one stands alone, too). Jazz follows the same steps and finds three new friends, each with their own set of challenges.

15. The Boy Who Met a Whale, by Nizrana Farook (Nosy Crow, 2021). I bought this on the basis of its amazing cover. and really enjoyed it – a blend of adventure, resilience, facing up to fears and more. And yes, there are whales!

16. Rabbit, Soldier, Angel, Thief, by Katrina Nannestad (ABC Books, 2021). Another beautiful cover, and another beautiful book. Set in Russia in 142 as a six year old Sasha is orphaned and finds himself travelling with the army, sheltering but also providing comfort and support to his new friends.

Fiction for Young Adults

The Hidden Girl, by Louise Bassett (Walker Books, 2022). Another review copy. I enjoyed this debut novel , set in Melbourne and Indonesia. Mel has a chequered past at school but has tried to keep her head down at her new school. When she discovers a diary with a coded cry for help, she finds it increasingly difficult to stay out of trouble and do the right thing.

Fiction for Adults

Cotillion, by Georgette Heyer (Heinemann, 1953). When my mother downsized late last year, I was gifted her collection of Heyer’s books, which I had loved in my late teens but not delved into since. I finally made time to read one – Cotillion. Regency romance, with an heiress who will only inherit if she marries one of her benefactor’s great nephews. Amusing, and an easy read, just right for a cold winter evenings. I’ll be reading more, when I have time.
The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes, by Arthur Conan Doyle. It’s taken a while, but having finished this one I’ve now listened tot he entire collection of Sherlock Holmes books. Nice tor each the end because it’s an achievement, but will miss the writing and the voice of Stephen Fry, who has beenr eading them to me for months and months, in between other audiobooks.
Benang, by Kim Scott (Fremantle Arts Centre Press, 1999). I hadn’t read this before, though had long meant to. Now I have I wonder why I took so long, but also how many rereadings the book will need before I have unravelled its complexity. There is a lot going on – and that confusion for the reader is deliberate, because the subject matter is complex, and deep and also the narrator’s unravelling of his family’s history is just as confusing for him. Harley is a Noongyar man who is trying to work through the truth of this fact, with the knowledge that his grandfather, a white man, believes he has ‘bred’ Harely to be the frist white Noongyar – ie that he has bred the Noongyar out of him. A disturbing premise, but not as disturbing as knowing that this work is rooted deeply in the history of Western Australia and colonial policies.

Poetry

Adultolescence, by Gabbie Hanna (Simon & Schuster, 2017). I picked this one up because of its title, and enjoyed the sometimes irreverent, often funny and very real poetry it contained, dealing with love, life and adulthood in all its guises.

Nonfiction for Adults

The Art of Storytelling: From Parents to Professionals, by Hannah B. Harvey (Audible, 2012). I got a lot out of this. Aimed at those who want to tell stories – either professionally or more informally, I found that it had a lot to offer a writer as well and, because I use oral storytelling in my sessions, I picked up lots of tips there, too.
Bedtime Story, by Chloe Hooper, illustrated by Anna Walker (Scribner, 2022). Oh gosh! This is the most beautiful, heartbreakingly honest book. I cried in the first chapter, and several times afterwards. A letter from the author to her son as the family navigates a journey through i9llness. Hooper searches for a children’s book to help, and the book delves into children’s literature, and at he lives of children’s authors, along with issues of life, death, honesty and so much more. With stunning illustrations by the amazing Anna Walker, this is truly a beautiful book

That brings my total for the year (so far) to 104 books, creeping closer to my target of matching last year’s 153. We’ll see – 49 more seems doable, but it’s been a year of busyness so we shall see.

What have you been reading?

What I Read in June

July 1, 2021 by Sally

Another month down and we are halfway through 2021. Time flies! That means it’s time to take stock of what I read in June. I can report that after struggling to read in May, in June I got back on track and read 14 books, though some were picture books (I only include picture books in my total if it’s the first time I’ve read them, and if I take the time to really examine them). Some good ones here, but I think my favourite was Poems That Do not Sleep, because I am still thinking about it, long after I put it down. Isn’t that what poetry is supposed to do?

Books for Kids

Our Home, Our Heartbeat, by Briggs, with illustrations by Kate Moon & Rachel Sarra. (Hardie Grant, 2020). How wonderful to come across this picture book adaption of Briggs’ song The Children Came Back. A celebration of Aboriginal legends from history, sport, music and more. A must have for every classroom and home.
Dragonfly Song, by Wendy Orr (Allen & Unwin, 2016). I love Wendy Orr’s writing, so am not sure why it has taken me so long to get to this one, but I am really glad I finally picked it up. A mythic story set in the Bronze Age, with action, twists and turns and featuring a resilient main character, Aissa.
Common Wealth, by Gregg Dreise (Scholastic, 2021).
Hello and Welcome, by Gregg Dreise (Penguin, 2021)
My Culture and Me, by Gregg Dreise (Penguin, 2019) You might notice a theme emerging in my picture book reads this month. I went looking for the voices of more First Nations poets because I felt there was a gap in my reading, and perhaps in publishing, too. I was heartened to find three books by Dreise, as well as the Briggs book above. Each very different, and all books that I will be sharing with my education students and recommending widely.
Paws, by Kate Foster (Walker Books, 2021). A charming story of friendship, dogs and coping with change. Max, the main character, lives with autism, and is trying to navigate the challenges of his final year of primary school, and his desire to make friends.
Wednesday Weeks and the Tower of Shadows , by Denis Knight & Cristy Burne (Lothian, 2021). This is the first in a series, and i am already looking forward to the second. Wednesday Weeks isn’t super keen on being a sorcerer’s apprentice but when her grandpa (the sorcerer) is kidnapped. Wednesday has to find a way to rescue him, along with the help of her best friend Alfie. Lots of magic and a satisfying mix of science too.
A Boat of Stars, edited by Margaret Connolly & Natalie Jane Prior (ABC Books, 2018). Not my first read of this beautiful anthology, and I have dipped in and out of it many times, but a great pleasure to take the time to reread from cover to cover. The world needs more beautiful poetry books – and Australia needs more such books produced by Australian creators.

Books for Young Adults

The Gathering, by Isobelle Carmody (Puffin Books, 1993). I had read this last year, after picking it up in an op shop, but somehow it went back into my to be read pile, and so I read it again. This is a gripping young adult story, about how Nat, and a group of other seemingly misfit teens find the way to tackle the dark force which is taking over their school and their town.
We Were Wolves, by Jason Cockcroft. I have to confess to not enjoying this one, which says nothing about the quality of the writing and more about the events of the book. It was grim at the start, grim in the middle and grim at the end. Although there were glimmers of hope, I wasn’t sure the boy (he didn’t even have a name) was left any better off.

Books for Adults

The Little Boat on Trusting Lane, by Mel Hall (Fremantle Press, 2021). The author of this one guest blogged on Aussiereviews earlier this month, inspiring me to pick up a read the book. I really enjoyed this book, though it’s hard to explain – it’s a gentle satire about religion, and new aged healing, and coping with pain. And, if you know Fremantle, the settings will resonate with you, as they did for me.
The Emporium of Imagination, by Tabitha Bird. I raced off to buy this when I read an article about it in the paper in May, then had to wait a while to read it, because I was in the midst of grief and wondered if a book about grief was the best thing for me. I needn’t have worried – yes, this book has its sadness, but it also uplifting and even in places humorous. I loved it.
The Night Village, by Zoe Deleuil (Fremantle Press, 2021). From my review pile (and actually not released until August), I enjoyed this, reading it over two evenings. Dealing with the realties of early motherhood – the birth experience, the impact of sleeplessness, the isolation and so on, against the backdrop of an air of threat/mystery.

Non Fiction Books

The Way of Integrity, by Martha Beck (Audible). I found this one through a recommendation on Audible, and really enjoyed the messages of this book, as well as the easy to listen to narration, by the author. Clear messages about being true to yourself – ie living in integrity – if you want to be truly happy.

Poetry

Poems That Do not Sleep, by Hassan Al Nawwab (Fremantle Press, 2021). I picked this one late one evening from my to read pile, and then couldn’t go to bed until I had read every poem. Easy to read, in their accessibility, but sometimes hard to digest because they deal with such real, difficult experiences. The poet is a former Iraqi soldier and refugee. the title should have been enough hint to me of their challenge, but I am very glad I read them, and will do so again.

That brings my total to the year to 81. Not bad when I consider just how busy I really am. What have you been reading lately? I’d love to hear.

What I Read in May

June 5, 2021 by Sally

In April I was surprised to have read only 12 books. In May I am surprised that I managed to get through 6. What a month May was! My darling Dad passed away, my work was chaotic with deadlines, and I worked through grief and day job stuff to try to meet a writing deadline for my poetry resource which will be published later this year. So yes, I’m not surprised to tally my reads and find only 6 – but 6 is better than none. And there are some goodies in this list.

Books for Children (an adults too!)

Aster’s Good, Right Things, by Kate Gordon (Riveted Press, 2020). I love everything Kate Gordon writes, and this is no exception. A really touching story about a girl who believes that if she does enough good things then her life will turn around. When she makes friends with a boy who lives next door to her school, but doesn’t got o school himself, things gradually shift. Hard to explain this book – you just need to read it to see how lovely it is.
We Are Wolves, by Katrina Nannestad (ABC Books, 2020). Wow. Sometimes I read a book that is just so perfect I have no words. This is one such book. Set in Germany and East Prussia at the close of World War II, it tells the story of Liesel and her siblings as they flee the advancing Russian Army and struggle for survival and to be reunited with their mother. heart wrenching but also beautiful.

Books for Young Adult Readers

Displaced, by Cristina Sanders (Walker Books, 2021). I love historical fiction, and this one took me into a slice of history I was unfamiliar with – new Zealand in the late 19th century. the main character, Eloise, emigrates from Cornwall with her family, but nothing goes to plan and she finds herself increasingly needing to hold her family together in ways she could never have foreseen.

2. Game Changer, by Neal Shusterman (Walker Books, 2021). this one took me a while to get into, but that is perhaps more about my interrupted month than about the book. Ash is a high school football player who gets a knock on the head which knocks him into an alternate universe. Only he knows that things are changing and, as weeks progress, he is catapulted into increasingly shifted versions of reality. He has to try to figure out a way to get everything back to where it was.

3. One of Us is Lying, by Karen M. McManus (Penguin, 2017). I picked this one up on a remainders table and then it sat in my pile for a while. part murder-mystery, part thriller, and an exploration of the ways teens interact with each other and with social media. I really enjoyed this one.

Nonfiction

A Year of Loving Kindness to Myself & Other Essays, by Brigid Lowry. This little gem of a book was a soothing balm in a period when I was grieving and unsettled. Lowry writes with wisdom, honesty and wonder. A lovely book. Brigid also guest blogged at Aussiereviews last month, which you can read here.

This brings my total for the year to 67 books, which isn’t too shabby, and June is looking a little more laid back, so hopefully I can at least crack double digits again. What have you been reading? I’d love to hear.