Summer Reading with Mark Smith

his episode includes a discussion of summer reading recommendations that includes:

• Tenderfoot by Toni Jordan 
• Gary Lonesborough
• Graham Akhurst
• Jared Thomas
• Salt River Road by Molly Schmidt
• Over This Backbone by Ya Reeves
• Arborescence by Rhett Davis
• Dusk by Robbie Arnott
• Andrea Nekic Is NOT Fine by Violeta Bagia
• We Saw What You Started by Carla Salmon
• Gus and the Burning Stones by Troy Hunter
• Catch by Sarah Brill
• This Stays Between Us by Margot McGovern
• Three Boys Gone by Mark Smith
• Diary of a Young Doctor by Ezzideen Shehab
• The Hiding Place by Kate Mildenhall
• I Am Nannertgarrook by Tasma Walton
• Pictures of You by Tony Birch
• Southsightedness by Gregory Day
• Seed by Bri Lee

The episode also contains discussions around:

• Teachers benefit from reading YA themselves, not just for curriculum use but to stay connected to student interests, identify engaging texts, and model genuine enthusiasm for reading.
• Reading for work vs reading for pleasure, and how hard it is to balance the joy of reading with the obligations of reading for reviews, panels, writing, or teaching.
• YA in Australia is growing in diversity but still needs more representation, especially stories that reflect the rapidly changing demographics of Australian schools.
• Teachers should prioritise student engagement when selecting texts. Page-turners matter, reluctant readers need accessible books, and educators sometimes overthink “how to teach” a book before considering whether students will actually read it.
• Reasons why Three Boys Gone, Mark Smith's debut adult novel, will resonate with anyone working in schools today, and having to navigate the near-impossibility of perfect duty of care.