Book Talk

At Fort Street High, we recognise that reading for pleasure is the greatest way to advance literacy. Reading for pleasure enhances comprehension, expands vocabulary, and improves overall learning outcomes across the curriculum. Positive engagement with books has broader outcomes too, creating stronger foundations for future learning and future academic success. Much research also supports that book readers live longer than non-book readers by between two to five years.

At Fort Street High, we particularly are encouraging students, staff and parents to have conversations about books. The student book clubs are thriving and at the library we welcome student and staff suggestions for new book purchases so that the collection may truly reflect our broader community.

Here are some titles of some new book acquisitions ready for borrowing-

· ‘Darkest Night, Brightest Star’ by Australian YA author Barry Jonsberg is a timely exploration of different kinds of masculinity, a tale written for junior high students.

· ‘Starlight’ is a collection of poetry about identity, belonging and growing up by award -winning young poet Solli Raphael, again a great read for junior high readers.

· Graphic novels rule and the graphic adaptation of Ursula Le Guin’s ‘A Wizard of Earthsea’ is wise and beautiful.

· The graphic reimagining of Cormac McCarthy’s ‘The Road’ is being touted as a graphic novel masterpiece, ideal for senior readers

· Rom-coms also rule for teens and ‘Wandering Wild ‘by best-selling Australian author Lynette Noni is a fun yet compelling teen romance set in the Blue Mountains.

· ‘A Wreck of Seabirds’ by Karleah Olsen has been nominated as best teen novel of the past year, an atmospheric novel about grief and loss and more.

· And for adults, ‘The Names’ by Florence Knapp will no doubt be the big seller of 2025, the perfect example of great literary commercial fiction, in what The Guardian has described as ‘a strikingly assured sliding doors tale, three alternate narratives …. showing how the choice of a name influences a life’.

Enjoy your reading. Let us know if you read something brilliant. And let us know how we can assist your own ‘reading for pleasure’ journey.

The Library Team June 2025