Suggested readings
Here's our recommended reading lists
Western Sydney Young Adult
By on
“One Thousand Hills is beautifully and insightfully co-authored by Roy and Zihabamwe, the latter having lived through the events of 1994 in Rwanda.”
WINNER NSW PREMIER’S LITERARY AWARDS: 2016
YOUNG PEOPLE’S HISTORY AWARD
2017 ETHEL TURNER PRIZE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE'S LITERATURE
Felicity Castagna The Incredible Here and Now
“…Castagna allows much bigger things – like grief, love and growing up – to shine in a way that is all too rare in many young adult novels.” —Victoria Nugent, Rochford Street Review
Winner of the 2014 Prime Minister's Literary Award for Young Adult Fiction
Shortlisted for the Children's Book Council of Australia and NSW Premier's Literary Award
Deb Abela Grimsdon Trilogy; Book One: Grimsdon, Book Two: New City, Book Three: Final Storm
“Wow. The world that Deb Abela has created here is amazing - a flooded city where kids are left to fend for themselves against unscrupulous adults and the threat of sea monsters. I loved every minute of this book - the lovely, strong, cheeky characters, the settings, the mysteries waiting to be unraveled. ” - Holly Harper, Goodreads
SHORTLISTED AUREALIS AWARDS
REAL AWARDS
SPEECH PATHOLOGY AWARDS & KIDS BOOK REVIEW
HONOUR BOOK YABBA AWARDS
SHORTLISTED KOALA AND KROC
Ember and Ash by Pamela Freeman
“a satisfying diversion from formula-based fantasy." - Adelaide Advertiser
Winner Best Fantasy Novel, Aurealis Awards
“Scot Gardner’s descriptions of both the life of a homeless child, so close to a life behind bars, and the wilderness of the Kimberley meant I read most of this book with my heart alternating between sinking and then leaping into my throat with terror with each new chapter.” — Dani Solomon, Readings
Named a Children's Book Council of Australia
Notable for 2018 in the Older Readers category
Shortlisted for the 2018 Queensland Literary Awards for the Griffiths University Young Adult Award
“This is an incredible story of love, hope and growing up and offers a remarkable insight into such tough circumstances and the different ways that people cope...this novel is an instant Australian young adult classic.” Lamont Books
Winner, 2014 Ethel Turner Prize, NSW Premier's Literary Award
Winner, 2014 SCBWI Crystal Kite Award (Australia/NZ)
Winner, Text Prize, 2012
Shortlisted, Queensland Literary Award, 2014
Shortlisted, WAYBRA awards, 2014
Shortlisted, Dioraphte Prize, Netherlands, 2015
Shortlisted, Buxtehuder Bulle Award, Germany, 2014
Longlisted, Gold Inky Award, 2014
“…this is a dystopian world where climate change has wreaked havoc on lives and landscapes.” — Angela Crocombe, Readings
2013 Shortlisted Aurealis Awards for Excellence in Australian Speculative Fiction—Young Adult Division—Best Novel
2014 Shortlisted for NSW Premier’s Literary Awards, Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children’s Book
Isobelle Carmody — Kingdom of the Lost Book 3: The Ice Maze
“The Ice Maze is the much anticipated third part in Isobelle Carmody’s The Kingdom of the Lost, and continues the story of brothers Bily and Zluty as they make their way across unknown lands, encountering strange sights and new creatures as they seek help for their friend the Monster, and a new place to call home.” —Christian Price, CBCA Reading Time
“Image by image, glimpse by glimpse, by the river collects its narrative fragments and vivid impressionistic slivers as ‘the big river’ that ‘rolls past our town’ collects and influences the stories of the people it circles and observes.” —Felicity Plunkett, Australian Book Review
Malla Nunn — When the Ground is Hard
“The suspense is irresistible, and the mystery sustains itself well. This is a wonderfully effective addition to Nunn’s already masterful series of novels. A highly recommended novel.” —Historical Novel Society
Winner of the 2019 Los Angeles Times Book Prize for young-adult literature
Melina Marchetta — Tell the Truth, Shame the Devil
‘A novel of great scope, of past and present, and above all, the Marchetta trademark of a fierce and loving heart.’ – MARKUS ZUSAK
'Highly readable, richly characterised, beautifully written...The tension ratchets up and never dissipates.' * Australian Book Review *
Winner, Novel category, Australian Shadow Awards, 2019
Longlisted, Booktopia Favourite Australian Book, 2020
Longlisted, Davitt Crime Awards, 2020
Shortlisted, Colin Roderick Award, 2020
Randa Abdel-Fattah — When Michael Met Mina
"When Michael Met Mina is cutting and hilarious; powerful but warm; diverse but not didactic; fierce and encouraging. It is young adult fiction at its finest: unique and challenging, written well, and without condescension. Australian teens should read this book, then pass it on to their parents." Maxine Beneba Clarke, author of The Hate Race, Foreign Soil and Carrying The World
Long-listed for Gold Inky Award 2017
Winner for Victorian Premier's Literary Awards People's Choice Award 2017
Long-listed for Indie Book Awards Young Adult 2017
Winner for Victorian Premier's Literary Awards Prize for Writing for Young Adults 2017