SLAV Online Bookclub – November 14th 2024 – Desert Island Reads

Posted on by
Reply

Desert Island Reads

Our thanks to those who were able to join us for our SLAV online Book Club on Thursday October 14th, 2024, to discuss the topic: Desert Island Reads.

We asked our members to share their favorite Desert Island Reads. Contributed titles are split into Picture Books, Middle Grade Fiction, Young Adult Fiction, and Adult Fiction.

Many thanks to Deb at The Younger Sun  who is an invaluable resource, providing many recommendations. The staff at The Younger Sun are incredibly knowledgeable, and would be happy to help you with any book-buying needs!

Disclaimer: The lists generated as a result of Book Club discussions are not, by any means, an exhaustive list of all titles or authors for each genre/category discussed. Nor will all titles be suitable for all libraries. We advise staff discretion when referencing these lists, to properly confirm individual title suitability for individual libraries, school and student’s needs. These are suggested titles only, shared by our members and inclusion on, or exclusion from, a list does not suggest SLAV endorsement or rejection of a title.

Picture Books

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Animalia – Graeme Base

Middle Grade Books

The Midwatch – Judith Rossell

Landovel series – Emily Rodda

The 113th Assistant Librarian – Stuart Wilson

When we were very young –  A A Milne 

 

Young Adult Books

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Daughter of Smoke and Bone Trilogy – Laini Taylor

Any book by Terri Terry

Adult Books

Juice – Tim Winton

The Season – Helen Garner

The Burrow – Melanie Cheng

Spark of the Everflame – Penn Cole

The Girl With All The Gifts by M.R. Carey

I Am Scrooge : A Zombie Story for Christmas – Adam Roberts

Playground – Richard Powers

The Red Tent – Anita Diamant

Bleak House by Charles Dickens

The Dune series – Frank Herbet

The Lord of the Rings Series – J R R Tolkien

Remembrance of things past – Marcel Proust

Les Miserables – Victor Hugo

Books by Edward Rutherfurd

 

Non-Fiction Books

The Australia Survival Guide – George Ivanoff

Strife – Mia Freeman (previously published a Work Strife Balance)

Australian Gospel – Lech Blaine

Car Crash – Lech Blaine

A Place For Everything : The Curious History of Alphabetic Order – Judith Flanders

An Atlas

The Know-It-All: One Man’s Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World by A. J Jacobs

The Dreaming Path: Indigenous Thinking to Change Your Life – Paul Callaghan

 

 

 

SLAV Online Book Club – October 10th 2024 – Historical Fiction

Posted on by
Reply

Historical Fiction

Our thanks to those who were able to join us for our SLAV online Book Club on Thursday October 10th, 2024, to discuss the topic: Historical Fiction.

We asked our members to share their favorite Historical Fiction books. Contributed titles are split into Picture Books, Middle Grade Fiction, Young Adult Fiction, and Adult Fiction.

Many thanks to Deb at The Younger Sun  who is an invaluable resource, providing many recommendations. The staff at The Younger Sun are incredibly knowledgeable, and would be happy to help you with any book-buying needs!

Disclaimer: The lists generated as a result of Book Club discussions are not, by any means, an exhaustive list of all titles or authors for each genre/category discussed. Nor will all titles be suitable for all libraries. We advise staff discretion when referencing these lists, to properly confirm individual title suitability for individual libraries, school and student’s needs. These are suggested titles only, shared by our members and inclusion on, or exclusion from, a list does not suggest SLAV endorsement or rejection of a title.

Picture Books

Shearer by Neridah McMullin, Michael Tomkins.

Alfred’s War by Rachel Bin Salleh

Freedom Day : Vincent Lingiari and the story of he Wave Hill walk-off by Rosie Smiler, Thomas Mayor, Samantha Campbell.

Eat My Dust! By Neridah McMullin, Lucia Masciullo

Drover by Neriday McMullin, Sarah Anthony

Tearaway Coach by Neriday McMullin, Andrew McLean

The Hidden Hat by Phil Cummings, Jennifer Goldsmith

Votes for women! : The story of Nelly, Rose and Mary by Mark Wilson

Home by Karen Hendriks, Alisa Knatko

One Minute’s Silence by David Metzenthen, Michael Camilleri

Middle Grade

The Midwatch by Judith Rossell

11 Ruby Road : 1900 by Charlotte Barkla

11 Ruby Road : 1925 by Charlotte Barkla

Wolf Road by Alice Roberts

We Are Wolves by Katrina Nannestad

Rabbit, Soldier, Angel, Thief by Katrina Nannestad

The Houdini Inheritance by Emma Carroll

Marion and the forty thieves by Sarah Luke

Tigg and the Bandicoot Bushranger by Jackie French

Playing Beatie Bow by Ruth Park

When the war came home by Lesley Parr

The key to Rome by Sophie Masson

Yoko’s Diary edited by Paul Ham

The boy who stepped through time by Anna Ciddor

The great escape by Felice Arena

Our castle by the sea by Lucy Strange

Showerland series by Nat Amoore

Freedom Finders series by Emily Conolan (choose your own destiny books)

Runner by Robert Newton

Forgotten Pearl by Belinda Murrell

The I Survived graphic novel series

The Unstoppable Flying Flanagan by Felice Arena (plus other Felice Arena books)

The Wearing of the Green by Claire Saxby

Jackie French books

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase  by Joan Aiken

Our Australian Girls series

Do You Dare series

My Australian Stories series

My Story series

My Royal Story series

The Royal Diaries series

Princess series

Outlaw Girls by Emily Gale and Nova Weetman

Elsewhere Girls by Emily Gale and Nova Weetman

The Bookshop of Dust and Dreams by Mindy Thompson

Deadly Waters by Helen Chapman

Escape from East Berlin by Andy Marino

The Mud Puddlers by Pamela Rushby

Pony by R.J. Palacio

Until the Road Ends by Phil Earle

Michael Morpurgo books

Miss Penny Dreadful series by Allison Rushby

Murder Most Unladylike series by Robin Stevens

Father of the Lost Boys – Young Readers Edition by Yuot A.  Alaak

Young Adult

Silver Linings by Katrina Nannestad

Waiting for the storks by Katrina Nannestad

All the beautiful things by Katrina Nannestad

I must betray you by Ruta Sepetys

Dragonfly Song by Wendy Orr

Levithian trilogy by Scott Westerfield

Westfallen by Ann Brashares

The Breadwinner series by Deborah Ellis

The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

The War I finally won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Every Falling Star by Sungju Lee

Ground Zero by Allan Gratz

Grenade by Allan Gratz

Refugee by Allan Gratz

Hero by Allan Gratz

Prisoner B-3087 by Allan Gratz

Allies by Allan Gratz

Code of Honour by Allan Gratz

Tattooist of Auschwitz (YA Edition) by Heather Morris

The Pagan Chronicles series by Catherine Jinks

The Once series by Morris Gleitzman

Suzy Zail books

Ruta Sepetys books

When we flew away by Alice Hoffman

Two sparrowhawks in a lonely sky by Rebecca Lim

Yours From the Tower by Sally  Nicholls

Stateless by Elizabeth Wein

1914 by Sophie Masson

52 Mondays by Anna Ciddor

Briar Rose by Jane Yolen

Cloud and Wallfish by Anne Nesbet

The Divine Wind by Garry Disher

The Door of No Return by Kwame Alexander

Freedom ride by Sue Lawson

Freedom Swimmer by Wai Chim

Haywire by Claire Saxby

Interned by Pamela Rushby

Those Girls by Pamela Rushby

Orphan Monster Spy by Matt Killeen

Our race for Reconciliation by Anita Heiss

Through My Eyes – Natural Disaster Zones series

Through My Eyes – Australian Disaster Zones series

One by One They Disappear by Mike Lucas

A Cruel Twist of Fate by H. F.  Askwith

The Lady Helen series by Alison Goodman

Senior Fiction

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Juice by Tim Winton

The island of missing trees by Elif Shafak

There are rivers in the sky by Elif Shafak

The Prophet song by Paul Lynch

The one hundred year old man who climbed out of the window by Jonas Jonasson

Our London Lives by Christine Dwyer Hickey

The Narrow Land by Christine Dwyer Hickey

There are rivers in the sky by Elif Shafak

10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World by Elif Shafak

At the foot of the cherry tree by Allie Parker

Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens by Shankari Chandran

The Seven Sisters series by Lucinda Riley

Books by Kristin Hannah

Books by Fiona McIntosh

James by Percival Everett

Rapture by Emily Maguire

Cafe Scheherazade by Arnold Zable

The Kite Runner by Khaled  Hosseini

Dirrayawadha: Rise Up by Anita Heiss

Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray: River of Dreams by Anita Heiss

Barbed Wire and Cherry Blossoms by Anita Heiss

The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SLAV Online Book Club – August 7th, 2024 – Bookshops and Libraries

Posted on by
Reply

Our thanks to those who were able to join us for our SLAV online Book Club on Wednesday August 7th, 2024, to discuss the topic: Bookshops and Libraries. This is a topic close to every reader’s heart, so we were eager to dive into everyone’s recommendations.

We asked our members to share their favorite Fiction and Non-Fiction titles to do with bookstores and libraries. Contributed titles are split into Adult, Books for Students (covering Middle Grade and Young Adult, with additional info provided) and Picture Books.

Many thanks to Deb at The Younger Sun  who is an invaluable resource, providing many recommendations. The staff at The Younger Sun are incredibly knowledgeable, and would be happy to help you with any book-buying needs!

Penguin Books supported this session! They sent three new books (in this meeting’s theme) to one lucky school who participated in the event. A massive thanks to everyone at Penguin Books for helping us encourage reading!

Disclaimer: The lists generated as a result of Book Club discussions are not, by any means, an exhaustive list of all titles or authors for each genre/category discussed. Nor will all titles be suitable for all libraries. We advise staff discretion when referencing these lists, to properly confirm individual title suitability for individual libraries, school and student’s needs. These are suggested titles only, shared by our members and inclusion on, or exclusion from, a list does not suggest SLAV endorsement or rejection of a title.

New Titles shared by Deb from the Younger Sun 

 

Adult

The Yield – Tara June Winch

Possession – A S Byatt.

The Little Paris Bookshop – Nina George

The Library Book – Susan Orleans

The Giver of Stars – Jojo Moyes

The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians – James Patterson

Cloud Cuckoo Land – Anthony Doer

Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop – Bo-reum Hwang

The Secret, Book and Scone Society – Ellery Adams

The Diary of a Bookseller – Shaun Bythell

Dictionary of Lost Words – Pip Williams

The Midnight Library – Matt Haig

The Cracked Spine – Paige Shelton

The Librarianist – Patrick deWitt

The Diary of a Bookseller – Shaun Bythell

The Book of Form and Emptiness – Ruth Ozeki

The Eyre Affair – Jasper Fforde

Dewey – Vicki Myron

That Librarian – Amanda Jones

The Library Book – Susan Orlean

The Librarian: a Memoir – Allie Morgan.

 

 

Books for Students

What You are Looking For is in the Library – Michiko Aoyama (Year 9 up)

113th Assistant Librarian – Stuart Wilson (Coming out in November!)

Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares – Rachel Cohn and David Levithan (Young Adult)

The Lost Book of Magic – Amelia Mellor (Coming out in October!)

Land of L – Emily Rodda

The Book that Wouldn’t Burn – Mark Lawrence  (Year 10 upwards)

The Book that No One Wanted to Read – Richard O (Middle Fiction)

The Library Fish – Alyssa Satin Capucilli (Junior)

The Evil Librarian – Michelle Knudsen

Lirael – Garth Nix (Young Adult)

The Phantom Tollbooth – Norton Juster

The Littlest Library – Poppy Alexander

Hooray, Hooray it’s Library Day – Julie Grasso

The Little Street Library – Amy Adeny

I Will Judge You by Your Bookshelf – Grant Snider (Graphic Novel)

Left Handed Booksellers of London – Garth Nix (Young Adult)

Mr Lemoncello’s Library series – Chris Grabenstein

Carlo and the Really Nice Librarian – Jessica Spanyol

Library Mouse – Daniel Kirk

Alcatraz vs the Evil Librarians – Brandon Sanderson

Rondo – Emily Rodda

Pages and Co – Anna James

The Lost Library – Rebecca Stead

The Secret Library of Hummingbird House – Julianne Negri

The Medoran Chronicles – Lynette Noni

Words in Deep Blue – Cath Crowley

A Library of Lemons – Jo Cotterill

The Bookshop Girl – Sylvia Bishop

The Moonlight Dreamers – Siobhan Curham (Young Adult)

Strange the dreamer by Lani Taylor (Young Adult)

Luna Loves Library Day – Joseph Coelho

Ink and Bone – Roxanne Conrad (Young Adult)

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke (Young Adult)

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The Librarian of Auschwitz – Antoni Hurbe (Young Adult)

Suggested Reading – Dave Connis (Young Adult)

The Travelling Bookshop – Katrina Nannestad

Fairy Tale Fan Club – Richard Ayoade (New)

Whisperwicks – Jordan Lee (New)

 

Picture Books

The Dictionary Story – Oliver Jeffers (New!)

Books Make Good Friends – Jane Mount

Parsely Rabbit – Frances Watts and David Legge

The Little Street Library – Amy Adeney

Dewey – Vicki Myron

The Librarian of Basra – Antonio Iturbe

Librarian – Busy People series – Ando Twin and Lucy M George

The Librarian’s Stories – Lucy Falcone and Anna Wilson

It’s A Book – Lane Smith

Help Wanted Must Love Books – Janet Sumner Johnson and Courtney Dawson

The Lost Library – Jess McGeachin

Midnight at the Library – Ursula Dubosarsky and Ron Brooks

Our Library – Donna Rawlins

 

Thanks again to everybody who joined and gave us so many great recommendations.

SLAV Online Book Club – June 20th, 2024 – STEM

Posted on by
Reply

Our thanks to those who were able to join us for our SLAV online Book Club on Thursday June 20th, 2024, to discuss the topic: STEM. We often view STEM and reading as separate disciplines, but how, where and why do they cross over?

We asked our members to share their favorite Fiction and Non-Fiction titles that relate to STEM topics. As always, you had so many wonderful contributions to share with us and we had a great deal of fun! We anticipated a bit of a struggle for people to find interesting STEM-related books, but fortunately we were completely mistaken and we ended up with a very long list! We also had quite a few recommendations that involved quite complex language or explored difficult concepts, so we have split the Young Adult section into two: VCE and above, and 12+, for more clarity around suiting titles to the appropriate students!

Many thanks to Deb at The Younger Sun  who is an invaluable resource, providing many recommendations. The staff at The Younger Sun are incredibly knowledgeable, and would be happy to help you with any book-buying needs!

Disclaimer: The lists generated as a result of Book Club discussions are not, by any means, an exhaustive list of all titles or authors for each genre/category discussed. Nor will all titles be suitable for all libraries. We advise staff discretion when referencing these lists, to properly confirm individual title suitability for individual libraries, school and student’s needs. These are suggested titles only, shared by our members and inclusion on, or exclusion from, a list does not suggest SLAV endorsement or rejection of a title.

New Titles shared by Deb from the Younger Sun 

 

VCE and above

White Holes – Carlo Rovelli

The Housekeeper and the Professor – Yoko Ogawa

Parable of the Sower – Octavia Butler

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow – Gabrielle Zevin

Sea of Tranquility – Emily St. John Mandel

Galileo’s Daughter; Longitude – Dava Sobel

Radium Girls – Kate Moore

Before the Coffee Gets Cold – Toshikazu Kawaguchi

 

12+

The Wild Robot – Peter Brown

Inside out and Outside In – Maria Snyder

Lifel1k3 – Jay Kristoff

Footprints on the Moon – Lorraine Marwood

Lance Balchin – Botanica and Aquatica

Catch a Falling Star – Meg McKinlay

Two Can Play That Game – Leanne Yong

The Lab – Jack Heath

Moondust – Gemma Fowler

Money run – Jack Heath

 

Middle Grade

George’s Secret Key to the Universe – Lucy and Steven Hawking

Mysterious Benedict Society – Trenton Lee Stewart

Dragon Pearl – Yoon Ha Lee

Wednesday Weeks – Cristy Burne

Axel and Beast – Adrian Bott

Mortal Engines – Philip Reeve

The Achemist War – John Seven

The Balloon girls – Darrell Pitt

Counting by Sevens – Holly Goldberg Stone

How to Bee – Bren MacDibble

Hi From Outer Space – Fiona Katauskas

The Raven’s Song – Bren McDibble and Zana Fraillon

Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World – Rachel Ignotofsky

 

Junior 

The Rosie Revere series

The Wonder of Winsome – Kat Murdoch

Life On Us – Emma & Tim Flannery

Professor Branestawm – Norman Hunter

 

Picture Books

How to Measure the Ocean – Inda Ahmad Zahri

Tree – Claire Saxby

The Beehive – Megan Daley

Seed to Sky: Life in the Daintree – Pamela Freeman

 

Pets and Animals

Posted on by
Reply

Huge thanks to everyone who joined us for our SLAV online Book Club on Wednesday May 15th, 2024, to discuss the topic: Pets and Animals. There are so many iconic books featuring animals that we were absolutely inundated with book recommendations from many attendees, which is always a good sign! We had everything from pet dogs, to horses and wolves, to dingoes and whales, and pirate’s parrots. We even had some pets join our session; two cats and four dogs.

Our lovely members really brought their all with a flood of recommendations, with many new texts suggested alongside some classics and little-known titles. It was so lovely to hear the experiences shared between members who’d read the same books.

We absolutely encourage you to reach out to the wonderful Deb at The Younger Sun as an invaluable resource, for further information and recommendations. The staff at The Younger Sun are incredibly knowledgeable!

Disclaimer: The lists generated as a result of Book Club discussions are not, by any means, an exhaustive list of all titles or authors for each genre/category discussed. Nor will all titles be suitable for all libraries. We advise staff discretion when referencing these lists, to properly confirm individual title suitability for individual libraries, school and student’s needs. These are suggested titles only, shared by our members and inclusion on, or exclusion from, a list does not suggest SLAV endorsement or rejection of a title.

Picture Books:

Tough Boris – Mem Fox

Junior Fiction/Middle Grade:

Redwall – Brian Jacques

Toby Alone – Timothee de Fombelle

Grimmelings – Rachael King

Wolves of Greycoat Hall – Lucinda Gifford

Tweet – Morris Gleitzman

Tyger – S.F. Said’

Skandar and the Unicorn Thief – A. F. Steadman

Kip of the Mountain – Emma Gourlay

I Am Rebel – Ross Montgomery

Tiny Dogs – Rose Lihou

Love That Dog – Sharon Creech

The Way of Dog – Zana Fraillon

October October – Katya Balen

Silver Brumby – Elyne Mitchell

Call of the Wild – Jack London

White Fang – Jack London

Runt – Craig Silvey

Charlotte’s Web – E. B. White

One and Only Ivan – K.A. Applegate

Grace and Mr Milligan

Marley and Me – John Grogan

A Dog’s Purpose – W. Bruce Cameron

Tale of Despereaux – Kate DiCamillo

Finding Bear – Hannah Gold

Pax by Sara Pennypacker

Paws by Kate Foster

Peggy and Molly – Juliette Wells

Pawcasso – Remi Lai

Honey and the Valley of Horses – Wendy Orr

Funny Folktales

Unlikely Friendships – Jennifer S. Holland

Penguin Bloom – Cameron Bloom

Until the Road Ends – Phil Earle

Bad Guys – Aaron Blabey

Real Pigeons – Andrew McDonald and Ben Wood

Deborah Abela – The Kindness Project

Cora Seen and Heard – Zanni Louise

The Apprentice Witnesser – Bren Macdibble

A Small Collection of Happinesses – Zana Fraillon

Blueback – Tim Winton

 

“Cozy Reading Dogs” by Enokson is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

SLAV Online Book Club – March 20th, 2024 – Award Winners.

Posted on by
Reply

Our thanks to those who were able to join us for our SLAV online Book Club on Wednesday March 20th, 2024, to discuss the topic: Award winners. We all purchase award winners for libraries but what are the titles that really work with young people?

We asked our members to share relevant Award Listings they have found to be successful in helping them choose titles for their libraries. As always, you had so many wonderful contributions to share with us and we had a great deal of fun!

This was our second book club meeting for 2024, and we want to say a very special thank you to all who attend and contribute to these informal and informative meetings. It was also the final book club meeting for our wonderful outgoing Executive Officer – Dr. Susan La Marca. We thank Dr. La Marca for her wonderful and tireless contributions to making our SLAV online book club such a valuable resource for our members. We also welcomed our new incoming Executive Offficer – Pam Saunders. We very much look forward to Pams future book club topics and meetings. Find details about our next meeting HERE.

We absolutely encourage you to reach out to the wonderful Deb at The Younger Sun as an invaluable resource, for further information and recommendations. The staff at The Younger Sun are incredibly knowledgeable!

Disclaimer: The lists generated as a result of Book Club discussions are not, by any means, an exhaustive list of all titles or authors for each genre/category discussed. Nor will all titles be suitable for all libraries. We advise staff discretion when referencing these lists, to properly confirm individual title suitability for individual libraries, school and student’s needs. These are suggested titles only, shared by our members and inclusion on, or exclusion from, a list does not suggest SLAV endorsement or rejection of a title.

Padlet with Links to Awards discussed can be found HERE. 

New Titles shared by Deb from the Younger Sun 

YA
One by One They Disappear Mike Lucas
I hope this does Not Find You Ann Liang
Birdy Sharon Kernot
Wombats go to Wizards Wharf Maddie Frost
Lily Halfmoon Xavier Bonet
My Aunt is a Monster Reimena Yee
Australian Middle Years
To and Fro Anton Clifford Motopi
Losing the Plot annaleise Byrd
Cora seen and heard Zanni Louise’
Leo and Ralph Peter Carnavas
Andromache Between the Worlds Gabriel Bergmoser
Overseas Middle Years
Whisperwicks Jordan Lees
The Swifts Beth Lincoln
Ferris Kate Di Camillo

 

SLAV Online Book Club February 15th, 2024 – Books Worthy of Reconsideration

Posted on by
Reply

Our thanks to those who were able to join us for our SLAV online Book Club on Thursday February 15th, 2024, to discuss the topic: Books Worthy of Reconsideration. We asked members to share with us titles we may have forgotten or overlooked and as always, our members had so many wonderful contributions to share with us and we had a great deal of fun!

This was our first book club meeting for 2024, and we want to say a very special thank you to all who attend and contribute to these informal and informative meetings. We cannot wait to see you all at our next meeting, your generosity is greatly appreciated. Find details about our next meeting HERE.

We absolutely encourage you to reach out to the wonderful Deb at The Younger Sun as an invaluable resource, for further information and recommendations. The staff at The Younger Sun are incredibly knowledgeable!

 Disclaimer: The lists generated as a result of Book Club discussions are not, by any means, an exhaustive list of all titles or authors for each genre/category discussed. Nor will all titles be suitable for all libraries. We advise staff discretion when referencing these lists, to properly confirm individual title suitability for individual libraries, school and student’s needs. These are suggested titles only, shared by our members and inclusion on, or exclusion from, a list does not suggest SLAV endorsement or rejection of a title.

Titles Discussed:

The Call by Peadar Ó Guilín

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

Matilda by Roald Dahl

The Story Of Tom Brennan by J.C. Burke

Five Parts Dead by Tim Peglar

Wizard of Earthsea series by Ursulas Le Guin

Anne of Green Gables by Anne Montgomery

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta

Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta

A Simple Gift by Steven Herrick

All the Green Year by Don Charlwood

Ash Road by Alan Marshall

Zeroes by Scot Westerfeld

Warhorse by Michael Morpurgo

Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo

The Bogan Mondrian by Steven Herrick

Simone Howells novels

Six Impossible Things by Fiona Wood

Tomorrow When the War Began by John Marsden

One by Sarah Crossan

Robert Muchamore’s Cherub Series

Screaming Staircase by Jonathon Stroud

Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman

Cath Crowley’s novels

Running Wild by Michael Morpurgo

Rick Riordan’s Various Series

Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare

The Enemy by Charlie Higson

Sabriel by Garth Nix

Ruby in the Smoke by Phillip Pullman

Sally Lockhart Trilogy

Mr Monday Series by Garth Nix

Tamora Peirce’s novels

The Rangers Apprentice Series by John Flannagan

Spooks Apprentice by Joseph Delaney

Drac and the Gremlin by Alan Baille

Kate DiCamillo’s novels

The Famous Five and Secret Seven Series by Enid Blyton

I Am David by Ann Holm

The Long Walk by Kerry Greenwood

When We Were Two by Robert Newton

Twopence to Cross the Mersey by Helen Forrester

The Silver Sword by Ian Serailler

The Black Dog Gang by Robert Newton

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S Lewis

Slightly True Story of Cedar B Hartley by Martine Murray

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

Fairytales for Wilde Girls by Allyse Near

Books Shared by Deb from The Younger Sun  

Outlaw Girls by Nova Weetman and Emily Gale

Lani and the Universe by Victoria Careless

Smoke and Mirrors by Barry Jonsberg

Countdown to Yesterday by Shirley Marr

Eleanor Jones is not a Murderer by Amy Doak

Into the Mouth of a Wolf by Erin Gough

A Small Collection of Happiness by Zana Fraillon

Children’s and Young Adult Titles read over the break

Dana Swartz – Anatomy: A Love Story

Travellers Along the Way: a Robin Hood remix by Aminah Mae Safi

Rebels of Mt Buffalo by Helen Edwards

The Frugal Wizards Handbook for Surviving Medieval England by Brandon Sanderson

Cheer Up: Love and Pompoms (graphic novel)

Vanessa Len -Never A Hero

Holly by Stephen King

Adult Titles discussed

What You Are Looking for is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama

(Bronwen Ch’Ng)

Holly by Stephen King

Madukka the River Serpent by Julie Janson

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt,

The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai

The Vanishing of Margaret Small by Neil Alexander

Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doeer

Lola in the Mirror by Trent Dalton

Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams

Gender Queer: A Memoir A graphic Novel about the complexities of gender identity

Circe by Madeline Miller

The Benevolent Society of Ill-mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman

Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Lisa Evans The Unusual Abduction of Avery Conifer

Helen Dunmore Zennor in Darkness

Philippa Gregory Normal Women

Barbara Kinsolver Demon Copperhead

Paul McCartney Lyrics.

Gunflower by Laura Jean McKay

We Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith

Vital Organs by Suzie Edge

SLAV Online Book Club – November 12th, 2023 – Short Stories and Short Books.

Posted on by
Reply

Our thanks to those who were able to join us for our SLAV online Book Club on Thursday November 12th, 2023, to discuss the topic: Short Stories and Short Books. We asked members to share short story collections or short books that work well with their students. As always, our members had so many wonderful contributions to share with us and we had a great deal of fun!

This was our final book club meeting for 2023, and we want to say a very special thank you to all who have attended and contributed to these informal and informative meetings. We cannot wait to see you all next year, your generosity is greatly appreciated.

We absolutely encourage you to reach out to the wonderful Jenny at The Younger Sun as an invaluable resource, for further information and recommendations. The staff at The Younger Sun are incredibly knowledgeable!

 Disclaimer: The lists generated as a result of Book Club discussions are not, by any means, an exhaustive list of all titles or authors for each genre/category discussed. Nor will all titles be suitable for all libraries. We advise staff discretion when referencing these lists, to properly confirm individual title suitability for individual libraries, school and student’s needs. These are suggested titles only, shared by our members and inclusion on, or exclusion from, a list does not suggest SLAV endorsement or rejection of a title.

Titles Discussed

The Simple Gift by Steven Herrick

The Little Wave by Pip Harry

Life on the Refrigerator Door: a Novel in Notes by Alice Kuipers

Foster by Claire Keegan

Alice Oseman’s Novellas

Minutes Of Series by Jack Heath

Pretty Monsters by Kelly Link

M is for Magic by Neil Gaiman

Everyone Dies Famous in a Small Town by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock.

Only the Animals by Ceridwen Dovey

I Am the Mau and Other Stories by Chemutai Glashee

Dust Makers – edited by Penny Jaye and R.A. Stephens

Off the Map by Scott Gardner

Things a Map Won’t Show You and Where the Shoreline Used to Be Edited by Susan La Marca and Pam McIntyre

Poe’s “Fall of the House of Usher”

Astonishingly Good Stories by R.A. Spratt

YOLO Juliet by Brett Wright and William Shakespeare

Darcy Swipes Left by Courtney Carbone and Jane Austen

OMG classics

All in an Hour by Kate Chopin.

The Pink Bow Tie by Paul Jennings

The Pedestrian by Ray Bradbury

The Butler by Roald Dahl

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson

Bulletcatcher series by Chris Bradford the Mission Alert series by Benjamin Hulme-Cross

The Defenders series by Tom Palmer (sport)

Needle by Patrice Lawrence (realistic fiction)

Firebird by Elizabeth Wein (war)

Conkers series by Tom Palmer (war)

Aussie Nibbles of course for primary…have been re-issued as they were so successful. One title that was a bestseller for some reason, was “No Cat and that’s that” by Bruce Dawe illustrated by Andrew McLean.

The Saturday Portraits – Maxine Beneba Clarke

Tim Harris’ Exploding Endings have been amazing hook books for upper primary at my school.

Smart Ovens for Lonely People – Elizabeth Tan

The Mist by Stephen king

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Unbreakable, Women share stories of resilience and Hope. Edited by Jane Caro.

The Big Issue Presents Letter to my Younger self by Jane Graham

Jon Scieszka – https://jonscieszka.com › guys-read – Commissioned and edited by real-life literature legend Jon Scieszka, Guys Read: True Stories is a brain-bending collection of essays, biographies, how-to guides …

Other Short Collections – Growing up Wiradjuri / ed. by Anita Heiss.

Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia

Growing Up Muslim in Australia

Growing Up Disabled in Australia

Growing Up African in Australia

Growing Up Queer in Australia

Quick Adult/YA Reads for Secondary Students

Disclaimer – some of the books on this list contain complex adult themes, we trust you to use your discretion when stocking these titles in your library, as you know your students and your school community best.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote

We Have Always Lived In The Castle by Shirley Jackson

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark

Sula by Toni Morrison

My Name Is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout

The Guest Cat by Takashi Hiraide, Eric Selland

Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer

Train Dreams by Denis Johnson

Crudo by Olivia Laing

Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata, Ginny Tapley Takemori

Crimson by Niviaq Korneliussen, Anna Halager

A Pale View of Hills by Kazuo Ishiguro

The Incendiaries by R. O. Kwon

Indelicacy by Amina Cain

Dolores by Lauren Aimee Curtis

Strange Hotel by Eimear McBride

Ms Ice Sandwich by Mieko Kawakami, Louise Heal Kawai, Jo Walker

The Mezzanine by Nicholson Baker

The Death of Francis Bacon by Max Porter

Pizza Girl by Jean Kyoung Frazier

The Union of Synchronised Swimmers by Cristina Sandu

Night Blue by Angela O’Keeffe

All Systems Red by Martha Wells

A Dream Life by Claire Messud

People From My Neighbourhood by Hiromi Kawakami (Y), Ted Goossen

The Disaster Tourist by Yun Ko-Eun, Lizzie Buehler

Heatwave by Victor Jestin

A Girl Returned by Donatella Di Pietrantonio, Ann Goldstein

Nostalgia Has Ruined My Life by Zarah Butcher-McGunnigle

Winter In Sokcho by Elisa Shua Dusapin

Heaven by Mieko Kawakami, Sam Bett, David Boyd

My Phantoms by Gwendoline Riley

Cold Enough for Snow by Jessica Au

Burntcoat by Sarah Hall

A Slipping Down Life by Anne Tyler

Leaving the Atocha Station by Ben Lerner (Y)

Heartburn by Nora Ephron

Napoleon’s Beekeeper by José Luis de Juan, Elizabeth Bryer

Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss

ADULT – What We Have Been Reading

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

Women and Children by Tony Birch

Question 7 by Richard Flanagan

The Empty Honour Board by Martin Flanagan

Exiles by Jane Harper

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano

So Late in the Day: Stories of Men and Women – Clare Keegan

All That’s Left Unsaid by Tracey Lien

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

‘The Inaugural meeting of the Fairvale book club’ – Sophie Green.

Lola in the Mirror by Trent Dalton

The Librarianist by Patrick Dewitt

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth

All the Light we cannot See by Anthony Doer

Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang

Meet Me at the Moontree by Shivaun Plozza – Ideas for Classrooms by Prue Bon

Posted on by
Reply

For those of you who attended the October 26 Reading Forum, you may understand why I was eager to read Shivaun Plozza’s latest young adult novel, “Meet Me at the Moon Tree”. We were privileged to be able to hear Shivaun speak about her inspiration for this novel, and I have to honestly say that I was excited about the potential for including this text in the curriculum.

“Meet Me at the Moon Tree” is a beautiful exploration of grief and relationships: how grief can present differently in everyone, and how important all types of relationships are to being able to manage one’s grief. When Carina’s father dies from cancer, her mother moves the family to the Otway Ranges as both a fresh start and a way of remembering their patriarch. Carina has made a promise to her father, to search for the Moon Tree that he has told her will be in the forest behind their new home. But Carina’s family are struggling in the face of their grief – her mother and brother are angry, Carina is lonely and her Grandpa is doing his best to help them all.

This is a special title for a Teacher Librarian, because there is just so much in it that can be used to support teaching and learning, and the more I searched through the curriculum, the more I was able to find. With a focus on ‘healthy relationships’ and also how grief can affect everyone differently, it’s an obvious choice to match some of the Health curriculum. However, Carina’s passion for dendrology, and her scientific approach to finding the Moon Tree also makes it suitable for some areas of Science. It covers off the Personal and Social General Capability, and it works well for an exploration of Sustainability, under the Cross Curriculum Priorities. Check out the table below for some ideas as to how you could use excerpts of this wonderful novel in your curriculum planning. You can also find teacher’s notes on the UQP website (https://www.uqp.com.au/books/meet-me-at-the-moon-tree).

This novel would be suitable for students in Years 5-8. It should come with a box of tissues – for students who have experienced the loss of a loved one, they may find themselves connecting closely with Carina, and perhaps shedding a few tears. However, this a truly beautiful story, with some incredible messages about friendship and never giving up hope.

 

Curriculum area Matching plot and curriculum Possible activities
Level 5 & 6 Science

 

VCSSU074

Living things have structural features and adaptations that help them to survive in their environment

 

VCSSU075

The growth and survival of living things are affected by the physical conditions of their environment

 

 The plot is based around the ‘moon tree’ – an experiment from 1971 when hundreds of tree seeds were sent into space in order to understand how being in zero gravity might affect them once they were planted back on Earth.

 

 

 Students can research the original experiment and present their findings.

 

Students could identify a range of environmental conditions that may affect the growth of seedlings. They could then replicate the experiment based on their own hypothesis and observe the growth of their own seedling (for example, how might heating or cooling a seedling affect its growth?)
Level 7 & 8 Science

 

VCSSU091

There are differences within and between groups of organisms; classification helps organise this diversity

 

 Carina refers to herself as a ‘dendrologist’ and conducts a logical experiment to classify all of the trees that she finds in the forest while searching for the moon tree. Students could reproduce Carina’s experiment within an area of the school yard, searching for a specific tree and identifying and classifying others that they come across in their search.
Level 7 & 8 Health

 

VCHPEP126

Investigate and select strategies to promote health, safety and wellbeing

 

 Carina’s family are dealing with the grief that results from the death of her father, from cancer.

Carina’s grandpa has also moved in with the family due to his diagnosis of Parkinson’s.

 Students can research and present their findings on the services available for managing grief, dealing with a diagnosis, specifically considering cancer or Parkinson’s. They could evaluate which options are most appropriate for Carina’s family.
Level 5 & 6 Health

 

VCHPEP110

Examine the influence of emotional responses on behaviour, relationships and health and wellbeing

 

 Each member of Carina’s family attempts to manage their grief in different ways – Carina remains positive and wants to create ‘memory seeds’ of her father, her mother withdraws and her brother becomes angry.

 

 Students can examine the differences in each character’s reactions and how they affect the family dynamics. Through a series of hypothetical scenarios, students could identify how the individual behaviours affect others, and their own wellbeing and present ideas of how each character could be better supported.
Level 7 & 8 Health

 

VCHPEP127

Investigate the benefits of relationships and examine their impact on their own and others’ health and wellbeing

 

VCHPEP128

Analyse factors that influence emotions, and develop strategies to demonstrate empathy and sensitivity

 

 

 Carina is concerned about making friends after she has moved. She recalls her ‘old’ friends, and how the relationship changes due to distance. When she meets a new friend, she is worried that Betty will be bored by Carina’s interest in trees. Grandpa helps Carina to see that friendships can be a bit like ‘companion planting’ in a garden and that you just need to find the companion that works best for you. Students can explore the relationships that occur throughout the novel, creating a mind map that identifies the different relationships.

They could explore the idea of ‘companion planting’ and analyse how that could relate to their own lives, helping them to make appropriate connections between their own relationships.
Level 5 & 6 Personal & Social Capability

 

VCPSCSE025

Explore the links between their emotions and their behaviour

 

VCPSCSE027

Describe what it means to be confident, adaptable and persistent and why these attributes are important in dealing with new or challenging situations

 

VCPSCO031

Describe the characteristics of respectful relationships and suggest ways that respectful relationships can be achieved.

 

 

 Carina and her family have a number of ‘every day’ situations that need to be managed, and many of their decisions are influenced by their grief.

–       Moving house

–       Making new friends

–       Managing anger & grief

–       Staying resilient in the face of surrounding negativity

–       Over protective parents

–       Getting lost in a forest in the middle of a storm

–       Looking after a pet

–       Being brave and speaking up

 

 

 Students can be presented with the range of different scenarios that occur throughout the novel, and examine how each of the character’s deal with those situations, and how their actions affect the others around them.

 

They can evaluate which responses work and which don’t and identify a range of ways that they may be able to apply those reactions to their own lives.

 

They could write their own scenarios and identify how they think their ‘characters’ should behave.

 

SLAV Online Book Club – October 12th, 2023 – Promotional Tactics.

Posted on by
Reply

Our thanks to those who were able to join us for our SLAV online Book Club on Thursday October 12th, 2023, to discuss the topic: Promotional Tactics. We asked members to consider promotional ideas or tactics – the way they talk about a book to students, the display they create, the activity they have created for an English class or book club, the tantalising review they have shared. We asked members to come along prepared to share quick and easy tactics for promoting a particular title, author or a genre that your students just cannot resist!

This was a HUGE success, and we have a fabulous resource of ideas from our chat space below and a padlet full of ideas and images as a result. All our members had so many wonderful contributions to share with us, it is greatly appreciated! Join us again on November 16th to discuss the topic – Short Books and Short Stories.

This was our seventh book club meeting for 2023, and we want to say a very special thank you to all who have attended and contributed to these informal and informative meetings. We cannot wait to see you at our next meeting, your generosity is greatly appreciated.

You can see our full list of planned topics for 2023 HERE.

We absolutely encourage you to reach out to the wonderful Jenny at The Younger Sun as an invaluable resource, for further information and recommendations. The staff at The Younger Sun are incredibly knowledgeable!

Disclaimer: The lists generated as a result of Book Club discussions are not, by any means, an exhaustive list of all titles or authors for each genre/category discussed. Nor will all titles be suitable for all libraries. We advise staff discretion when referencing these lists, to properly confirm individual title suitability for individual libraries, school and student’s needs. These are suggested titles only, shared by our members and inclusion on, or exclusion from, a list does not suggest SLAV endorsement or rejection of a title.

Ideas for Promotional tactics shared by Book Club Members

Padlet with Jenny’s list and other ideas too –

https://padlet.com/slavconnects/jenny-s-list-new-books-october-23-dvxcazitbl4w4q65

https://padlet.com/slavconnects/cornerstone-collection-slav-online-book-club-7m4pi39ziamyy07n

  • Banned Book Week – I do banned book week. and do a survey to see who reads banned books.
  • I follow @greatlibrarydisplays on Instagram. They recently showcased a library display that suggested titles according to a reader’s perception of their concentration span. I thought that validated those who only want to engage with quick reads, right beside those who love a tome.
  • Mainly compiling Reading Lists in ePlatform collection to engage staff and students with ebooks and audiobooks. Range of themes, including the current and topical – First Nations; Harmony Week; ANZAC Day; International Women’s Day etc. – https://vsv.eplatform.co/
  • What could be the story you’d like to write or read about? What’s your outline for a story or novel:
  • Identity:Could it be that you seek Identity and wanting to find your place in the world in young adult literature? Readers as seeking to find themselves in stories. Readers want to relate to a story. Writers continue to create relatable stories. What are some of the stories or novels which relate to you? The following are a list of Lebanese Australian authors and some of the books they have written for young people: Bro by Helen Chebatte, The Cult of Romance, Hate is Such a Strong Word by Sarah Ayoub, The F Team by Rawa Arja, Half My Luck by Kamaleddine, Samera, Huda and Me by Hayek, H, The Last Migration by Jad El Hage, 10 Things I Hate About Me by Abdel-Fattah, Randa, Huda and Me by H. Hayek
  • We have just had a display – You’ve seen the movie… now read the book!
  • I have also done a couple of different shelf displays for genre (pictures shared on padlet)
  • Our students love browsing non-fiction.
  • Yes, our English class also agreed to come in once a fortnight, English team very supportive. We read aloud a few minutes to them as well. For our (English) reading classes, we have split the 29 students into 2 (or sometimes 3) groups, so they are with their English teacher for one activity, and with library tls/staff for the other time – rotate every 15 or 20 mins.
  • It seems to cut down behavioural problems and enable more personal interaction, though it is very fast paced. I agree – the boys will read if they think it’s the right book for them. We have flexible learning spaces where the groups can be.
  • I have also done a genre vote each other vote. I use forms, then select two most borrowed books in that genre here is a link. https://forms.gle/F3jftrcwwJhYrvtL9
  • We also used short stories to read aloud to our boys’ secondary students, and the VATE (English site) has short story competition winners. Some picture books/poems work well.
  • https://www.vate.org.au/story-miniature-2023-writing-competition
  • https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdsqH2f94jPThlTtNT2ej1R8Wp8-pbLjiGjIRcF9FuMRQBQ7w/viewform?usp=sf_link
  • We use Beanstack Yr 7 & 8 – we call it reading detectives
  • I use forms for a lot of surveys and quizzes as well as paper based within the library
  • I ran an “escape room” set of puzzles during book week.
  • I work in an early childhood school, I use book taster circles to expose students to range of books.
  • For creating a buzz about literacy and books, for secondary students and for staff – lots of ideas on https://janeaustenlf.org/ Founded by Caroline Jane Knight, Jane Austen’s fifth great-niece, the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation is a Melbourne-based, not-for-profit organisation – includes a great writing competition
  • CBCA Shadow Judging, they can become published reviewers as well.
  • I used the FYI / synergy book (building a reading culture) to write a proposal for the executive as to different ways that we can get our students reading. I used data to say our student weren’t reading and that we needed to dramatically change our student’s mindset about reading. I now have all Year 7 come to the library once a fortnight to try and encourage them to read. I always do something promotional at the beginning to get their interest – book trailers, reading the blurb. We do a book tasting (Teachers pay teachers have all the sheets to print) once a term. Have been buying books that will suit the students. Change displays regularly to promote books. Have a competition between English classes to see who can borrow the most books for pizza party.
  • The Printz Award in America is also a possibility if you want to take them beyond Australian shores.
  • We challenge our students with the Premiers Reading Challenge while they attend once a week Library Class and at the end of Year we have an Awards and invite local MP .
  • Do a PowerPoint presentation during lunches. I did one where used emojis to help explain the mood of the book.
  • Poem Forest by Red Room Poetry gets them reading student poem compositions and is a way of encouraging published writing from students.
  • Author talks have helped.
  • Peer reviews on school library website/catalogue to engage students with books. We run “Biscuits and Books”once a week.
  • Shelftalkers if they would like peer reviews, and/ or become published reviewers themselves https://www.shelftalkers.slav.vic.edu.au/
  • ‘Speed dating’ is great around Library Lovers’ Day. ‘Speed tasting’ when MasterChef kicks off. 2 minutes per book then circle the ‘matching emoji’ for their reaction/feel. e.g. smiley face with love heart eyes = My new favourite, and so on. Or, delicious, is there more in the pot? etc… Simple but effective.
  • I start with a class challenge for PRC first student submitting the required form and adding online from their class receive a block of chocolate and everyone after that chocolates are always give out. Chocolate is the attraction.
  • Bookmarks printed with a pic of the teacher at the top of the bookmark – we then ask them to put the bookmark in a book they have read / would like to recommend – the kids enjoy searching out the teachers faces and seeing what they like.
  • We have a list of staff’s favourites on a web page. The bookmarks take it to the next level.
  • For Primary schools – YABBA Virtual Author Events – https://www.yabba.org.au/
  • SLAV Question Generator – https://slav.org.au/Question-Generator can be used to create question stems for book discussion in book clubs or classes.
  • Author talks. We had Steven Herrick and Sophie Masson visit us this year.
  • Flip cards – we have a set for a topic of interest – kids like them.
  • We do an emoji treasure hunt for year 7s at the beginning of the year. This gives them a chance to look around library and get to know what is where.
  • A couple of our library staff have a trolley of popular and easy read books ready for each reading session, so that students who are overwhelmed by too much choice, simply pick from the trolley. We also have a customized trolley of books for our Gifted class.
  • Lucky dip titles – if you don’t know what to read take a slip with the title of book for student to look for and read.
  • Photos of students holding their favourite book as a kid and the one they’re currently reading, to promote reading progression and embracing a reading culture across one’s lifetime.
  • Laminated book suggestion cards
  • During the Covid years we used our school portal as a place for students in years 7 and 8 to record their reading, their reflections on their reading some reviews of books they’d read and to read the reviews of others. This was a great way to give students voice and to encourage peer recommendations.
  • Kids lit quiz – website link on padlet

What We Are Reading – Adult Titles.

Yellowface by RF Kuang

The Passage of Love by Alex Miller

A Man’s Place by Annie Ernaux

A Study in drowning by Ava Reid & The Thursday Murder Club #4

Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte Wood

The Scholar by Dervla McTiernan – book 2 in the Cormac Reilly series

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

The Milkwood Permaculture Living Handbook: Habits for Hope in a Changing World

The Coast by Dr Eleanor Sweetapple story of a 10yr old placed in quarantine for leprosy in Sydney

I’ve just started Wifedom: Mrs Orwell’s Invisible Life by Anna Funder.

The Unbelieved by Vikki Petraitis – really incredible strong female protagonist, crime fiction.

Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

A People’s tragedy the Russian revolution by Orlando Figes

Kate Atkinson – Normal Rules don’t apply (Short stories)