A Wreck of Seabirds by 
Karleah Olson is a Perth-based writer and avid reader, and loves to collect books – more than she could possibly read in a lifetime. Karleah has spent the last few years as a PhD candidate at Edith Cowan University, where she is studying Australian Coastal Gothic Literature. Her debut novel, A Wreck of Seabirds, was shortlisted for the 2023 Fogarty Literary Award and is a work of YA fiction inspired by the gothic genre and the West Australian coastal landscape.
A Wreck of Seabirds is a contemporary novel inspired by the gothic genre and the West Australian coastal landscape. Set in a small town this novel is a haunting and atmospheric read, focusing on family, loss and coming to terms with the past. The two central protagonists Ren and Briony form a bond over their parallel grief of losing a sibling, Ren’s brother Sam drowned a decade ago and Briony’s sister’s Sarah is mysteriously missing. Cleverly weaving together two storylines, author Karleah Olsen masterfully explores Ren and Briony’s present, while also capturing the story of missing sister Sarah and her best friend Aria. Stranded on the mysterious Wreck Island, with a damaged boat and no way of letting anyone know where they are. What follows is a brooding and intense read filled with a mix of happiness, sadness, love and secrets, capturing the complexity of family relationships, especially sibling bonds. The novel explores the impact of memory and trauma and how it can bind us to place and shape the people we become. Beautiful imagery and lyrical writing compounds a sense of place and the novel has a strong cast of characters, with the setting being a character in its own right. Raising discussion around depression, anxiety, attempted suicide, and the guilt of being a survivor, the novel will appeal to readers 15 years and older.
I'm not really here by 
Gary Lonesborough is a Yuin man who grew up on the Far South Coast of NSW as part of a large and proud Aboriginal family. Growing up a massive Kylie Minogue and North Queensland Cowboys fan, Gary was always writing as a child and continued his creative journey when he moved to Sydney to study at film school. .
This heartfelt and deeply authentic novel offers a compelling exploration of identity, grief, and belonging, wrapped in a beautifully crafted coming–of–age narrative. I’m Not Really Here follows Jonah as he navigates the challenges of moving to a new town, making friends, falling in love, and confronting both personal and societal expectations. Jonah is a lovable, messy, anxious teen who’s just trying to survive small–town life, navigate new friendships and come to terms with his own identity. Between an emotionally complex relationship with his dad, the weight of grief, and the crushing reality of high school masculinity, Jonah’s story is both deeply personal and universally relatable. The novel doesn’t shy away from tough themes – homophobia, body image, consent, loss – but balances them with moments of absolute joy, romance, and that perfect kind of teenage recklessness. Set against the backdrop of a vividly drawn country town aptly named Patience, I’m Not Really Here is bursting with warmth, humour, and those moments that make your heart ache in the best way. It’s real, it’s raw, and it’s the kind of book that makes you laugh on one page and ugly cry on the next. An absolute must– read for anyone who loves stories about love, self–acceptance, and finding your people – even in the most unexpected places.
Birdy by 
Sharon Kernot lives in Mount Barker, South Australia, with her family. Her first verse novel The Art of Taxidermy was shortlisted for the 2017 Text Prize, the 2019 CBCA book of the year, the Prime Minister's Literary Award and the NSW Premier's Ethel Turner Prize. Birdy is her second verse novel.
In Birdy, a compelling verse novel, two heartfelt and heartbreaking mysteries slowly unfold and overlap – a powerful contemporary drama intersecting with a historical crime. The main character Maddy is a teenage girl who is experiencing selective mutism and anxiety after what she will only refer to as The Incident. Her family relocates to the country to help her recover and there she makes a surprising connection with the reclusive older woman Alice, whose daughter Birdy disappeared 45 years ago. The novel explores ideas about shame, loss and trauma, the healing power of friendship and kindness, and celebrates the ability of poetry to generate deep feelings in both the writer and reader. We witness the skillful execution of the expressive and poetic language of a verse novel, to create rhythm, pause and silence to reflect the interior mood of the character of Maddy. The language is rich, descriptive and evocative, while still being accessible for the teen audience. This book would appeal to readers who love reading realistic, contemporary, heartfelt stories, and who enjoy crime and mystery. The descriptive, evocative language and complex themes provide much scope for detailed study in a classroom environment.
Into the mouth of the wolf by 
Erin Gough is a Sydney-based writer whose award-winning novels for young adults have been published internationally.
Into the Mouth of the Wolf is Gough’s third young adult novel and, holy cannoli, what a ride! An exhilarating and original genre mash-up of environmental dystopia, science fiction, mystery and romance, with a good dollop of humour and heart. Set in a future fraught with earthquakes, teenage Iris and her mother Rohan are on the run, pursued by mysterious people. One day Rohan goes missing, leaving behind a note with an Italian phrase, ‘in bocca al lupo/into the mouth of the wolf’, saying good luck with this challenge. Iris’s search for answers brings her into contact with Lena at the Glassy Bay International Travellers hostel, who is madly studying for Year 12 and where a woman’s body has just washed ashore. Gough creates a large cast of diverse and distinct characters, who are so vividly described that they feel real. Iris is a strong, capable and hilarious main character, and secondary characters Lena, Marty, Presh and Kazumi are similarly well-developed and believable. The science fiction element is plausible, exploring ideas about greed, corruption and ecological concerns. This book would appeal to the broad range of the readership, as it is quite wholesome and very engaging with a fast pace, action, humour and romance. It is a challenging yet rewarding read. It requires the reader to keep track of a large cast of characters, descriptive writing, concepts such as alternate dimensions and complex themes including grief, politics and sexuality.
Comes the Night by 
Isobelle Jane Carmody is an Australian writer of science fiction, fantasy, children's literature, and young adult literature. She is recipient of the Aurealis Award for best children's fiction.
What if your dreams weren’t just yours? What if someone–somewhere–was watching, twisting, controlling them? Comes the Night is a terrifyingly realistic dystopian thriller that doesn’t just speculate on the future, it dares you to imagine living in it. Will thought he was just a regular teenager dealing with family drama, grief, and the pressure of figuring out his future. But when he stumbles into a world of government-controlled dreamwalkers, eerie domes shielding humanity from environmental collapse, and conspiracies lurking beneath the surface of reality, everything changes. Suddenly, his choices aren’t just about himself–they’re about survival, power, and the terrifying intersection of technology and control. With its immersive world-building, pulse-pounding tension, and a slow-burning mystery that explodes into something much bigger, Comes the Night is both unsettling and completely gripping. Comes the Night is a perfect Science Fiction novel for engaging classroom use as well as a case study into conventions of the genre.
The Skin I'm In by 
Steph Tisdell is one of the brightest stars in Australian comedy. Her natural warmth and wit have been a hit with audiences and critics alike ever since she won the 2014 Deadly Funny National Grand Final.
Layla is starting her last year of high school and is determined to make the year ahead count. However, Layla’s start to year 12 doesn’t go as planned, her best friend is avoiding her, and her troubled cousin Marley is now living with her and joining her at her middle-class school. Layla feels that Marley’s arrival puts a spotlight on her indigenous culture and has her questioning her own understanding of her identity. To make things worse her Modern History class is focusing on Australian history, with her favourite teacher Mrs Marks singling her out. Layla’s confusion around her identity is paired with her first serious relationship, new friendship, and a series of first experiences with drugs, drinking and sex. Layla’s year takes her on a different course from her optimistic plans and she needs to work to uncover who she really is before she can get back on track. Tackling themes of identity, culture, racism, intergenerational trauma, displacement, friendship, love and resilience, this novel confronts the big issues with a balance of warmth and humour. Best suited for audiences 15 years and over, the novel is a standout because of its raw honesty and original voice.