March was full of wonderful books, from Clementine Ford’s brilliant Boys Will Be Boys and Samantha Allen’s touching M to (WT)F and Love & Estrogen, to Felicity Pulman’s Arthurian adventure Shalott 2: Dangerous Magic, Lily Chu’s sweet The Stand-In and Yvette Poshoglian’s inspiring MG read Dear Greta, and some gorgeous books for younger readers… And I’m still listening to more books on audio than I’m able to find time to read, so I’m grateful for them! xx
Five teenagers set out into the unknown to change the legend of Camelot. Instead they find they are rewriting their own lives and destiny… Dangerous Magic: Shalott Book 2 (13 of 52) by Felicity Pulman is a fun, magical read, a YA book about some modern-day teens who, thanks to a virtual reality program, accidentally return through time to Camelot, a dangerous time for anyone, let alone Callie, who upset Queen Guinevere on her first visit. This time she’s brought someone new with her, which has tragic consequences for all of them. Will they be able to change history, avoid tragedy, and make their way back home? In this engaging story there’s love and hate, threats and death, magic and mystery, the Old Ways clashing with the newly Christian court, the goddess worship of the Queen set against the dark enchantments of Morgan, and six young people trying to find their way and navigate friendship, danger and shifting loyalties as they’re pushed out of their comfort zone and challenged to find their inner strength…
M to (WT)F by Samantha Allen (14 of 52) is a beautiful, insightful, heartbreakingly sad yet at times hilarious memoir of one woman’s journey to becoming her true self. An award-winning journalist and author, Samantha shares her own story of transitioning from male to female, interspersed with stats and studies, with incredible honesty, openness, and humour. Growing up in a Mormon family didn’t make it easy for her to accept herself, and for a long time she tried to deny what came down to a simple medical truth – she had been born in the body of the wrong gender. The incredible relief when she finally started taking oestrogen was a revelation – it was the first time she’d ever felt like herself. The way she’d always known she should feel. After a quarter century of gender dysphoria, depression, doubt, self-loathing, loneliness and fear, she finally felt happy. I’ve read elsewhere about the absolutely transformative emotional changes those with gender dysphoria experience from simply taking hormones for a short time, making it clear that being transgender is a medical reality, not a choice (or a brainwashing, or any of the other alarmist lies that the wilfully ignorant would have us believe). A lot of counselling and self-examination takes place before anyone begins taking hormones, and not all transgender people have gender confirmation surgery, but for those who do, including Samantha, it’s not done on a whim. It’s something they’ve known for many, many years. A lot of soul searching has taken place, a lot of hoops have been jumped through – and a lot of paperwork has been done. (“Documentaries about transgender women like to show us sitting in front of mirrors putting on make-up. In reality, a gender transition is mostly paperwork,” Samantha quips.)
Throughout her story – which includes amusing/confusing tales of a second puberty endured as an adult, the joy of falling in love with the woman who would become her wife, as well as her medical transition and the way they journeyed through it together – Samantha bares her soul, and her body, with courage and generosity. If you’ve ever wondered about the emotions, the process, or the medical necessity of being able to become who you are meant to be, this audiobook, narrated by the author, sheds light on what it’s like to be transgender with simple clarity and touching insight. Part personal memoir, part comedic adventure, part exploration of how gender informs the ways we see the world – Samantha’s transition has given her a unique experience of how women are treated compared to men, and the differing expectations and experiences – M to (WT)F is a wonderful and moving true story that will help so many, and I cried as much as I laughed while listening to it.
I also loved Samantha’s short audiobook Love & Estrogen, which shares more details about her relationship with her now-wife Corey, from their meet-cute at the Kinsey Institute through her surgery and beyond, as well as her journey to loving and accepting herself. Like M To (WT)F, it also has moments of humour, moments of sadness that will bring you to tears, and moments of deep courage and profound love. As Samantha says: “It is love that humanises those of us on the margins, we abject monsters… Love and marriage are not the exclusive province of cisgender people, be they gay, bisexual, lesbian or straight. They are ours too. Love is the undertold story of the transgender revolution, as much the territory of the T as of the LGB…” I hope lots of people read or listen to Samantha’s books, as they will calm some fears and doubts, open some minds, and instil empathy in a world sorely in need of it.
Fascinating and deeply inspiring Dr Alan Finkel is a neuroscientist, engineer, inventor, researcher, entrepreneur, educator, policy advisor, philanthropist, science magazine founder and Australia’s former Chief Scientist, and was this year made a companion of the Order of Australia in recognition for eminent service to science, national energy innovation and research infrastructure capability, climate change and COVID-19 response initiatives, and to science and engineering education. His wonderful book – Aussie STEM Stars: Alan Finkel by Kim Doherty (15 of 52) – details his incredible career path, his immense work ethic, and the power of imagination that’s seen him make a huge difference in the world. The book traces Alan’s life from his childhood in Melbourne as a curious student who didn’t know what he wanted to be when he grew up – even on the day he had to list his university preferences – through an incredible career that’s spanned neuroscience and education, the production of breakthrough scientific instruments, advising governments on climate change, chairing companies dedicated to scientific research, founding Cosmos magazine along with his scientist wife Elizabeth, and climbing mountains in his spare time. It’s incredibly inspiring to know the things that shaped him and the events that have driven him to make such an incredible difference in the world. And I love that when his time as Chief Scientist was up, he was asked by the government to become their Special Advisor for Low Emissions Technology – he offered to do it for free, but government contracts require a figure, so we’re paying him $1 a year to help save the world!
Centred around Harmony Day, so perfect for today (and every day!) Dear Greta by Yvette Poshoglian (16 of 52) is a wonderful, inspiring book about a Sydney school girl who feels like her whole life has gone wrong – her grandma’s taken over her room, she’s always arguing with her sister, she’s paired with the most annoying boy ever for a class project, there’s tension with her friends, and she has to write to Greta Thunberg for an assignment instead of a pop star, which would have been much easier. But over time, as Alice starts to wonder what Greta would do in various situations, and to appreciate the incredible impact the Swedish school girl is having, her own world starts to open up, and she discovers more about her friends, her school, her dreams and herself, becoming kinder, summoning her courage, finding her voice, and starting to take action of her own. It shows, in a beautiful way, that even small efforts can have a big impact. There are some wonderful tech innovations included too, which are all real. And I love that Yvette was able to bring her own Armenian heritage into the book, with recipes, traditions, and memories from her grandma, and also show lots of kids from lots of different places celebrating their cultures while being proudly Australian too.
Tales from the Bush Mob is a gorgeous series by author and artist Helen Milroy, about a group of Australian animals who have adventures together while solving problems and looking after each other. It emphasises the value of kindness, friendship, perseverance, forgiveness and courage, as well as respect for First Nations culture and Country. The first two books, Willy-Willy Wagtail and The Emu Who Ran Through the Sky, are wonderful stories, and the new one, The Sweetest Egg of All (17 of 52), brings our gorgeous animals and the stunning landscapes of outback Australia just as vividly to life. In this one, Gecko and Thorny Devil want to find the perfect present for Bungarra the sand goanna, because they admire him so much. Instead they get drawn into someone else’s awful plan, and learn many hard lessons – about the importance of friendship, the strengths of community, the impact of shame and regret, and the healing power of working together, making amends and trust.
Helen, a descendant of the Palyku people of Western Australia’s Pilbara region, is a wonderful artist and writer. Named Western Australian of the Year in 2021, she was also the first Indigenous Australian to become a medical doctor, has done amazing work as a professor of child and adolescent psychiatry, and was a commissioner to the Australian Government’s Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. She told me working on the Bush Mob Series was part of staying resilient while working in difficult circumstances where she heard many sad stories. “Writing Bush Mob helped me to see the world in a good way and have hope for the future. I also wanted to showcase our unique Australian animals and landscape and help kids to feel good about being in Australia.”
When I was Author of the Day at a book club recently, I asked people to recommend an audiobook I’d love for a chance to win my three. Which is to say, I probably wouldn’t have listened to Lily Chu’s debut The Stand-In (18 of 52) – but I’m so glad I did! It’s a sweet rom-com set in Toronto, with a Chinese-Canadian MC, some laugh-out-loud moments, a depth to the characters, and some lovely friendships that are just as important as the romantic threads. It’s about identity, both the way we see ourselves and the way we’re perceived, finding the strength to deal with those who mistreat us, discovering who we are and who we want to be, and much more. Phillipa Soo’s narration is wonderful – and the ebook and paperback will be out in May 💕
The History of the World In 100 Animals by Simon Barnes (19 0f 52) is a fascinating exploration of the hundred animals that have had the most profound influence on humanity throughout the ages. Some good, some bad, from the honeybee we could barely survive without to the mosquito that has killed more people than any other creature. Animals have helped us, fed us, healed us and been our friends, and this book is a wonderful tribute to them, with fascinating facts about each one, and beautiful illustrations that draw you into their world. From their location and history, their endangered status, real-life stories about them and so much more, it’s a younger reader version of Simon’s original book, beautifully illustrated by Frann Preston-Gannon.
You’ll never look at a plant in the same way again, after diving in to the secretive worlds revealed in The Green Planet, written by Leisa Stewart-Sharpe and illustrated by Kim Smith (20 of 52). This gorgeous hardcover book for young wildlife-lovers is inspired by David Attenborough’s TV series. It introduces so many fascinating plants – those that eat animals, plants that can hear, smell, taste and touch, and creatures that perhaps unknowingly help them to thrive. Explore all the different habitats, from forests and watery worlds to the tropics and stark deserts, and all the ways plants can adapt to their environment. There are also tips for all of us on how to be a plant protector, to try to reduce the two out of every five plants that are on the brink of extinction. Which is a heartbreaking statistic, and I hope this book will help people fall in love with plants and nature, and encourage them to care more.
Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species by Sabina Radeva (21 of 52) is a gorgeously illustrated book that retells Charles Darwin’s ground-breaking scientific work for a new generation, explaining evolution and natural selection in a really simple way, clearing up misperceptions, and showing how his theory changed the world and our understanding of it. It puts it in context of the times too, shedding light on how our own scientific knowledge has evolved since Darwin’s transformative 1859 book, and bringing it to vivid life – as well as adding a little about Darwin’s own life, his family and his adventures. Written and illustrated by molecular biologist Sabina, this new book reveals the incredible power of observation and the wonders of curiosity, and will inspire readers to take a new look at the magic of the world around us. It also brought back wonderful memories of the day Juz and I spent at Darwin’s home, Down House, in Downe, Kent, and our walk in his shoes along his thinking path, through the gardens he used as an open-air lab, then into the study where he wrote On the Origin of Species (the places writers work has always fascinated me…), as well as the parts where he lived with his wife Emma and their children – he remained there for forty years, until his death in 1882… There are other young reader versions of Darwin’s book, which I haven’t read, but this one is beautiful, and so fascinating…
Boys Will Be Boys by Clementine Ford (22 of 52) is brilliant, shocking, inspiring, devastating, occasionally funny, and tender, and other times truly horrifying. This statement really hit me in the heart: “Everyone’s afraid that their daughters might be hurt. No one seems to be scared that their sons might be the ones to do it…” Clementine has been writing about power, abuse, privilege, male entitlement and rape culture – and fighting for women, and campaigning for consent education – for years. She has statistics, studies, and stories that will break your heart. Things you know, and have experienced, but didn’t have the words for. Maybe didn’t even comprehend just how wrong they were, as we’ve been conditioned to accept things the way they are. I’m in awe of Clementine’s bravery. Of her willingness to defend women at the expense of her own safety and peace. Of the way she handles rape and death threats for simply daring to criticise or even just question them. Of the extensiveness of her research and her eloquence in debates. Of her refusal to be silenced no matter how much she is attacked and vilified.
Perhaps the most surprising thing for many is that she’s fighting just as hard for men and boys. Despite the stupid taunts and incredible vitriol she’s assaulted with daily, she’s equally concerned for and worried about boys. About the incredible damage done to them by denying them the opportunity to feel deeply, and be vulnerable. To treasure friendships and be caring. To not be told their only acceptable emotional response is anger. To not be pressured into treating women badly to prove their masculinity. She’s often accused of being a man hater in an attempt to deflect her message, but if these critics actually read her books, they’d know she craves a world where girls *and* boys can grow up to be kind, vulnerable and honest, strong enough to not give in to peer pressure (some of the high school stories, and those of football teams, are beyond harrowing), to feel valued and loved, and able to be all of who they are.
Get Social