I set an intention of reading more short stories in 2021, and The Office of Historical Corrections has set a high bar indeed. Danielle Evans is a master of the form. Evans navigates racial tensions, national history and generational trauma with insight and thoughtfulness, showcasing deft characterisation and richly textured worldbuilding. Besides the work of decentring whiteness Evans is doing, her lively, evocative prose are a pleasure to dwell in.

🎧 I listened to the audiobook, superbly narrated by a cast of performers, contributing to the distinctness of each story. I listened to a story a day, which I recommend to fully savour this collection.

💜💜💜💜💜

🍎 TO TEACH? The stories themselves may be too mature in subject matter to be classroom-friendly, though I fully intend to find myself a hardcopy to pull out (at least excerpts) to exemplify powerful brevity of expression.

 We’ve been lying to each other about the traditional custodians of Australia. In Dark Emu, Bruce Pascoe problematises the myth of a simplistic pre-invasion Indigenous hunter-gatherer society in accessible and digestible prose. What’s most astonishing about the mainstream cultural simplification of Aboriginal Australian societies in this country is that evidence to the contrary is RIGHT THERE in the written accounts, and supported by archeological evidence of complex organised economies and technologies across the continent prior to European arrival. As a young man Bruce Pascoe was a teacher, and this book offers the clear, straightforward explanation of an educator.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

TO TEACH? 🍎
Every Australian teacher should read this book, particularly social sciences and/or humanities that teach invasion history of Australia.

For Stage 5 English, I plan to use excerpts of this text alongside with western history of science. Students will examine the gaps in western-centric scientific narratives of progress. 

The Story of Holly and Ivy by Rumer Godden is a sweet little Christmas story about a lonely little girl, a lonely doll and the power of wishing. This is a story that settled deep in my bones when I was about five, so I can hardly be objective about it, which is okay - I don't see any need to be objective about comfort reads. It's a delightful little story, and this edition is beautifully illustrated by Christian Birmingham. 

I read The Book Whisperer in one sitting, only stopping to text updates to my work friends. This book has completely shifted my approach to wide reading in the classroom for 2021.

Donalyn Miller is a passionate sixth-grade teacher who has eschewed entrenched class reading program practices that often go uninterrogated, in favour of an intentional, integrated focus on substantial independent reading during instructional time, led by student choice. The thesis is simple: let students choose what they read, let them read. It sounds like common sense, but overstuffed curricula and hyperfocus on testing often relegates reading to homework. I confess that while I pay lip service to the importance of reading but I don’t prioritise or model it in the classroom.

❕ This was a game changing insight for me: the literary and narrative concepts or skills that student need to learn don’t HAVE to come from a set text. It’s arguably better pedagogy to introduce them (maybe in a shorter text) and then move to students applying their understanding independently to one of the texts they have read as part of an integrated wide reading program. It sounds so simple and obvious, but I, like many English teachers, get so caught up in complex programs that I have deprioritised reading, something we have known for decades improves all manner of literacy skills.

TO TEACH? 🍎
This book is now firmly in my teaching resource canon. I borrowed my copy from the library but I will be buying a physical copy for my desk at work that I can annotate and lend to colleagues. I would highly recommend it as an inspiring, practical and edifying resource for any ELA teacher.

💙💙💙💙💙 

If the purpose of cultural criticism is to spark further conversation, Jia Tolentino has succeeded with Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion, a readable, honest and at time damning collection of short non-fiction that bridges personal essays and cultural criticism. Both challenging and affirming, it is a smörgåsbord of snapshots from the (amorphous) ‘millennial experience’, though the meandering quality of these essays might put off readers who prefer the drive of a crystalised thesis.

There is an element of ‘preaching to the choir’ - many of these insights will be familiar territory to a progressive woman, the target readership likely to share many Tolentino’s opinions. The experience of reading Trick Mirror is akin to nodding with a “yesssss sis!” as you chat with a smart, saavy, well-read mate.

It was somewhat jarring and somewhat refreshing to read cultural criticism from pre-COVID times. Remember when we didn’t have to understand everything through the lens of the pandemic?

💚💚💚

TO TEACH? 🍎
Actually, yes - though I’d caution you to be very careful about which essays you share with students. I have shared the online version of her essay Always Be Optimising (originally published by The Guardian) with my year 12 students as an example of how a piece of writing can maintain a discursive and exploratory and a distinctive personal perspective, without morphing into persuasive writing.  With the discussion of drug-taking and sexual assault through (particularly in Ecstasy and We Come From Old Virginia, respectively), be cautious about keeping the book on your classroom library shelf for student reading below the year 12 level (depending on your context, of course!)

It’s been over 7 years since the Rana Factory Collapse killed over 1000 garment workers and forced the inhumane reality of fast fashion into headlines and the fashion-conscious public’s consciousness.
 
Whether you are just sustainable fashion  curious or already raising the (thrifted or locally made!) fashion revolution flag, may I recommend Wardrobe Crisis: How We Went from Sunday Best to Fast Fashion by Clare Press for your sustainable fashionista reading list. 

In Wardrobe Crisis, fashion journalist Press leads the reader on a thorough and entertaining tour of the industry, from the high street to haute couture. Press demystifies some of the wasteful and inefficient practices of the industry, and platforms professionals leading the charge for change. My favourite chapter was Waste Not, Want Not, about thrifting, my go-to solution - we love a secondhand find here at The English Imaginarium! 

👗

“Buy thoughtfully. Buy consciously... Be informed. And don’t look frumpy, because it will make you miserable.” ~ Katharine Hamnett 

💛💛💛💛 

TO TEACH? 🍎
For an ELA class, realistically probably not, except perhaps for a journalism unit or student-selected independent reading for a budding high school budding fashionista. However, I would recommend to social studies teachers for a digestible perspective on the sustainability conversation.

I gifted four copies of Burnout: the Secrets to Solving the Stress Cycle this holiday season, which is an indication of my evangelical zeal for this book.

Why do so many of us feel like we are barely able to do and be everything we feel obliged to do and be for everyone who needs us? Emily and Amelia Nagoski are endlessly gracious in acknowledging that feeling burnt out is neither a badge of honour nor a personal failing. 

The basic thesis is this: we hold stress in our bodies. Even once we have dealt with the cause of the stress (the stressor), our lizard brains haven’t registered that we’re safe yet. This book is about dealing with the stress held in your body, as well as the stressors. This is a frequent reread for me, and my go-to gift for teachers, caring professionals and parents. 

Reading this book feels like having a vulnerable, edifying conversation with two super smart and compassionate friends (who can site scientific studies to support their very sensible advice!)

Read it, gift it. This book is a guidebook to a better, kinder world. 

📚TO TEACH? 🍎 
This isn’t one for your classroom library, but my colleagues are for real getting sick of me talking about how every teacher needs to read it. I have also recommended it to particular senior students who exhibit signs of burnout. 

💜💜💜💜💜 5 stars (and all my gratitude 🙏 )

If you’re thinking, “How indulgent! I don’t have time to read an entire self help book! I have things to do, people to care for!” - a) for real, I think the book will really help you, b) Emily and Amelia have got you! The Feminist Survival Project 2020 podcast breaks down the main ideas from the book in bite-sized snippets for people for whom finding time to read a whole book (not for work!) a bit overwhelming.