Young Adult

Below we have a fabulous selection of pre-recorded author readings. If you’re keen for some personal insights from an author, then you’re going to love scrolling through this section.

There’s a link to view them sharing a special part of their book with us on the WestWords YouTube channel as well as a link to purchase the book online.

A great taster if you’re not sure what book you’d like to dive into next!

Final Storm by Deb Abela (YouTube)

FINAL STORM is Deborah Abela's third book in her ‘Grimsdon’ series. Isabella, Griffin and their friends have settled into New City, enrolled in school and are making new friends, including the charming Aleksander Larsen.

Winston and the Wondrous Wooba Gymnastics Club by Tamsin Janu (YouTube)

A delightful tale of family, of community, and of persevering in the face of difficulties to fight for what we know is important.

Monuments by Will Kostakis (YouTube)

16-year-old Connor and Sally stumble upon a trapdoor to a secret chamber under their school. Their life will never be the same again. First book in a duology from YA star, Will Kostakis.

Amelia Westlake by Erin Gough (YouTube)

Two very different girls, and one giant hoax that could change – or ruin – everything. WINNER: Readings Young Adult Book Prize 2018.

Brain Freeze by Oliver Phommavanh (YouTube)

A crazy collection of funny short stories from the wacky mind of Oliver Phommavanh, featuring characters who are all finding a way to step up and be brave.

The F Team by Rawah Arja (YouTube)

In Rawah Arja's provocative and humorous coming-of-age debut novel, we follow the adventures of Tariq and his friends, a group of high-school boys from immigrant backgrounds.

Detention by Tristan Bancks (YouTube)

A middle-grade novel tackling the complex issues of refugees through a fast-paced escape thriller. Winner: YABBA & KOALA Children’s Choice Awards.

The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling by Wai Chim (YouTube)

A novel about growing up in a migrant Asian family with a mother who is suffering from a mental illness, from the highly commended author of Freedom Swimmer.

When The Ground Is Hard by Malla Nunn (YouTube)

A brilliant coming of age tale set in a Swaziland boarding school where two girls of different castes bond over a shared copy of Jane Eyre. Winner of the LA Times Book Prize for Young Adult Literature.

The Boy From the Mish by Gary Lonesborough (YouTube)

A funny and heartwarming queer Indigenous YA novel, set in a rural Australian community, about seventeen-year-old Jackson finding the courage to explore who he is, even if it scares him.

Michaela Mason’s Big List of 23 Worries by Alexa Moses (YouTube)

The fretful, funny, anxious Michaela Mason has left the city and her best friends and everything she knows to move to the country. New school. New town. 23 worries. Can she handle it? Michaela Mason’s Big List of 23 Worries is the first book in Angela Moses' new series for 8+ year olds.

When We Are Invisible by Claire Zorn (YouTube)

The sequel to Claire Zorn’s acclaimed debut The Sky So Heavy. A heart-stopping dystopian YA set in the Australian bush.

The Right Way to Rock by Nat Amoore (YouTube)

The rocking story of two new friends, one arts fiasco and a whole lot of music.

Can't Say it Went to Plan by Gabrielle Tozer (YouTube)

Zoe, Samira and Dahlia are strangers, but they have something in common: their plans for a dream holiday after their final year of school are flipped upside-down before they even arrive at the beach. The new book from the award-winning author of The Intern, Faking It and Remind Me How This Ends.

Girls in Boys' Cars by Felicity Castagna (YouTube)

A page-turning novel about a complicated friendship; a road trip through NSW in a stolen car; the stories that define us; and two funny, sharp, adventurous young women who refuse to be held back any longer.