Ernest Hemingway once said that ‘There is no friend as loyal as a book.’ Another American writer Eudora Welty stated that ‘I cannot remember a time when I was not in love with them – with the books themselves, cover and binding and the paper they were printed on, with their smell and their weight and with their possession in my arms, captured and carried off to myself.’ 

Research and scholarship highlight the accrued benefits of reading for pleasure. Reading for pleasure matters because it supports literacy and learning in school; it enables young people to develop their own, informed perspective on life; it is a safe, inexpensive, pleasurable way to spend time; it allows young readers to understand and empathise with those in different situations, times, and cultures; and it improves educational outcomes and employment prospects. Yet, the challenges we face today in engaging in purposeful and deep reading experiences, are substantial. 

Sadly, reading for pleasure tends to decline as students move through adolescence. The social and private worlds of many are increasingly framed and negotiated through language that is instantaneous, often fragmented, and typically conveyed as direct speech transferred through a digital platform. Text messaging, Instagram, Twitter, and other forms of social media have become the normal channels for constructing identity, forming relationships and interacting with others. A commitment to deep reading requires unhurried time and quiet spaces for immersion in exploring, thinking, wondering and understanding. In the noise, distraction, and complexity of our modern world, this continues to be an important and worthwhile challenge. 

Recently, I asked the English teachers at Mount Carmel to nominate their recommendations for Christmas reading. Mrs Monique Young’s and Mrs Madeleine Maulguet’s suggestions are included below.

Years 7 and 8 - Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah
I remember reading this novel for the first time so vividly. I was in Year 6 and I remember how intensely I felt simultaneously both frustrated and heartbroken for Adeline. This may have been where my love of life writing started. It has a beautiful message about resilience, belonging and identity that I think is perfect for Stage 4. 

Years 9 and 10 - To Kill and Mockingbird by Harper Lee 
The message of this novel is like no other, transcending its context, warning audiences about the danger of falling victim to prejudice and forcing readers to consider experiences outside of their own - as Atticus so perfectly puts it, "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." 

Years 11 and 12 - The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
I picked up this book in an airport in America and couldn't put it down. It is an historical fiction novel which positions readers amongst the incomprehensible evil that was the reality of daily life in Auschwitz. A truly harrowing read - Lale's story will stay with you. 

And for parents - Five Bells by Gail Jones 

The clever crafting of characters’ lives and experiences, interweaved so seamlessly, and the immersive descriptions of Sydney, are just some of the things you’ll love about this novel. 

Mrs Monique Young

Year 7
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (fantasy appropriation of The Jungle Book)
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle (classic children's science fiction) 

 Year 8
Northern Lights by Phillip Pullman (first in a wonderful fantasy series)
The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak (beautiful, heart-wrenching historical fiction)

Year 9
The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna (powerful high fantasy adventure that deals with some very topical real world themes) 
We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal (young adult fantasy romance) 

Year 10 
Anything But Fine by Tobias Madden (Australian coming of age romance with wonderful diverse representation)
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (decadent magic realism told across multiple perspectives and timelines)  

Year 11
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett (literary fiction that explores identity, race and privilege) 
The Last Migration by Charlotte McConaghy (a story of desperation, loss and hope against the backdrop of climate change)

Year 12 
Girl, Woman Other by Bernadine Evaristo (follows the lives of twelve women and explores the complex realities of what it means to be a woman) 
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (mythological retelling of Achilles and Patroclus) 

For Parents
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (historical fiction set to the backdrop of old Hollywood)
Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction by David Sheff (a memoir that examines the illness of addiction and its impact on a family unit)

Mrs Clare Murphy
English Coordinator and Literacy Instructional Coach