Stella Hine

So my third choice is The Crossing by Manjeet Mann.

And this is a book that I have returned to several times over the last few years.

I think it was published in 2021.

It's one of the first, first novels that I read.

And it's about a relationship that develops between two teenagers, Natalie and Sammy.

They come from completely different worlds.

And it addresses the refugee crisis, migrants who work on boats.

And what I feel it does so well is to voice the opinions of everybody, including those who feel they're not always listened to.

So every side of the argument is aired, including Ryan, Natalie's brother, who's

kind of drawn into the far-right political movement.

And I just think many people feel disenfranchised today.

And I think that sometimes they try to remedy that in the only way they see possible, which tends to be through hateful rhetoric and actions.

And I think the style of this book is so clever.

It's captivating.

It's consistent.

Right, next is a picture book.

Ming the Panda, A True Story of Courage and Hope by Jake Hope and illustrated by Yu Rong.

So this was perhaps the most significant choice for the National Year of Reading because picture books, in my opinion, are often the most sophisticated of all.

And the best of them tell stories in few or no words.

They're accessible.