Summer holidays always throw up the same dilemma – so many books and not enough summer holiday hours to read them all.
Luckily, the University of Queensland is home to one of Australia’s most celebrated publishers, UQP, so this year we’ve asked them to pull together a list of their top ten summer holiday reads.
Whether you’re after something to read at the beach or a book to really sink your teeth into, this list has got you covered. You can buy any of these titles online or at your favourite local bookstore.
UQP top ten summer reads 2015/2016
- Ghost River – Tony Birch. From the Miles Franklin-shortlisted author of Blood, comes a masterful novel set on the banks of the Yarra that will make you nostalgic for the summers of your childhood.
- Thea Astley: Inventing Her Own Weather – Karen Lamb. This ‘beguiling and intelligent study’ (Adelaide Advertiser) of one of Australia’s literary greats is a must-read for fans of Astley and literature alike.
- Not Just Black and White: A Conversation Between Mother and Daughter – Lesley and Tammy Williams. An inspiring and uplifting story of a mother and daughter’s struggle for justice, Not Just Black and White is also a deeply personal look at the darker side of Australian history.
- The Hazards – Sarah Holland-Batt. The Hazards has been on all the ‘best of 2015’ lists, and with good reason. Following on from the award-winning Aria, this is a dazzlingly inventive collection from one of Australia’s best poets.
- The Promise Seed – Cass Moriarty. A heart-warming story of friendship and overcoming adversity, this is a book to devour in one sitting.
- My Pop is a Pirate – Damon Young and Peter Carnavas. A swashbuckling picture book filled with charming illustrations that the whole family will enjoy.
- All Fall Down – Matthew Condon. The third instalment in the bestselling trilogy, All Fall Down is the gripping finale to the saga of crime and corruption in Queensland that began with Three Crooked Kings.
- Talk Under Water – Kathryn Lomer. Set against a picturesque Tasmanian backdrop, this is a beautiful young adult novel of friendship and adventure that celebrates difference, diversity and courage.
- Swallow the Air – Tara June Winch. Re-released to celebrate its 10th anniversary, this is an unforgettable story of living in a torn world and finding the thread to help sew it back together.
- Mister Cassowary – Samantha Wheeler. The perfect holiday book for middle readers, as city boy Flynn has a mystery to solve at far North Queensland’s Mission Beach.
Established in 1948, UQP has launched the careers of many celebrated Australian writers, such as David Malouf, Peter Carey, Kate Grenville, Doris Pilkington and Nick Earls. UQP publishes a wide range of titles which include fiction, non-fiction, poetry, Indigenous writing, and young adult and children’s books.
Media: UQP, 07 3365 7244 or uqp@uqp.uq.edu.au or UQ Communications, 0413 601 248 or communications@uq.edu.au
