Remember the Babysitters Club and Sweet Valley High? Well books for young adult readers went and grew up. While first love is still a YA staple, mental health, consent, substance abuse, gender and sexual identity and the climate emergency are all topics with which 12-17 year olds — and the authors who write for them — now grapple in fierce, funny and frank ways. Here to discuss why today’s YA has more in common with Sally Rooney than Judy Blume are three super popular authors.

Biffy James, Completely Normal (and other Lies) (Hardie Grant)

Briar Rolfe, Get Your Story Straight (Hachette)

Alice Boyle, Dancing Barefoot (Text)

Chair: Bec Kavanagh (Writer)

Recorded at the Bendigo Writers Festival on 7th May, 2023