What books are kids reading in Australian schools – and does it matter?

‘Nostalgic’ classics or edgy contemporary texts? Alex Bacalja takes a look at what Aussie kids are reading in schools.
Girl reading book in classroom with feet up on desk

Debates about what books students should be reading in high school reach a crescendo at the start of each school year.

As parents make their way through school text lists, collecting books for their teen’s year ahead, they inevitably draw comparisons between their own school reading and the literature selected for their children by teachers, schools and mandated curriculum.

Some are astounded their teens are still reading the same books they read at school.

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