’I’ve just started dipping into The Gifts of Reading for the Next Generation, curated by Jennie Orchard, which is a collection of essays about the pleasure of sharing books with young people and children.

In the first essay, Australian writer for young readers Tristan Bancks had me hooked quickly. Such a clever writer – his words pop off the page with such ease and had me smiling and reminiscing.

Tristan begins by talking about his Uncle Mike, who kicked off Tristan on his reading journey with regular gifts of books. Uncle Mike was a teacher, and Tristan now visits schools where Uncle Mike taught. He is very fondly remembered by students and teachers alike. Tristan is now a hugely popular writer for younger readers, having quite a catalogue of successful books published. In 2024 Uncle Mike walked down the streets of Rozelle in Sydney, not far from Good Reading headquarters, with a placard saying, ‘My nephew Just Won the Book of the Year’. On the flip side of that placard was ‘proud Uncle’. I really like Uncle Mike.

When Tristan was a kid, he would go to a community centre after school as his mum was still busy working. With the library just next door he would often pop in to visit but as he says, mainly to rub the soles of his shoes on the carpet to create static so he could electrocute friends. That’s one interesting use of the library I’ve never thought of.

Apart from the electrical attraction Tristan also writes lovingly about the many hours he spent lost in the books he discovered among the many library shelves. From hunting for Lowly Worm in the Richard Scarry books to sitting in a beanbag with a pile of Golden Books. Hours were spent there absorbed in reading them.

But there was one book that he found that was like a lightning strike. He found Where Did I Come From? by Peter Mayle. I remember this book being released. It revolutionised sex education for kids. It was clever, funny, eye-opening and much needed. He writes, ‘It quickly became a hot ticket. We didn’t borrow it. No way. We just revisited it on a very regular basis, bringing other kids along to witness the funniest weirdest, most mind-boggling book on the planet. Surely this wasn’t how babies are made. Couldn’t be.’

When he was 15, a copy of the book appeared miraculously in Tristan’s house. He realised that the book was there to prompt ‘the talk’. He and his mum laugh about it still.

Tristan’s love of reading knew no bounds. He spent quite a bit of time in sick bay at school. He wasn’t sick. In fact, he was pretending just so he could go lie in sick bay. I had to laugh as I read of him skipping down the halls past Mrs Armitage who was ‘cranking out the stencils on the Gestetner machine. The smell of that purpley-blue ink smacking down on fresh sheets of A4 as they raced through the machine was music to my nose.’ He would lie back and enjoy lifting flaps, spinning dials and pulling levers in the pop-up books that were in a box by the bed.

When Tristan was ‘on the cusp of high school’ he discovered Stephen King. As he says, he jumped from reading Danny the Champion of the World to Stephen King’s Cujo which is not something he or I would recommend. But for him, at that stage, there weren’t many young adult options that briadged the primary to high school reader. As a writer this is where he found his mojo. Creating exciting page-turning reads to keep their young eyes glued to the pages.

When Tristan’s own kids were little, they often woke up very early, so he had a rule. ‘No Lego or games or TV, no beating one another up for entertainment. Just read.’ What a great idea. I’m sure this would work for adults too.

Proceeds of The Gifts of Reading go to Room to Read, a not-for-profit organisation that works tirelessly to transform the lives of millions of children throughout Asia and Africa by improving literacy and gender equality in education. Inspired by reading the founder John Woods’ book on how he left his successful career to start Room to Read, Tristan dared a classroom of country kids to raise $500 to buy 500 books for kids in a school in Cambodia. ‘The kids undertook challenges like Drop Everything and Read, a gold coin Book Swap, and a Sponsored Silence where the noisiest kid was sponsored to be quiet for an entire day.’ What great ideas!

They raised $572, shot a YouTube video, enticed other schools to do it too and ended up with $20 000 – enough to build a school library in Sien Reap, Cambodia. But wait! This challenge has continued and has now raised over $270 000 for Room to Read programs.

I am now officially in love with Tristan Bancks. In his closing sentences he talks about the gifts of reading, especially in a time where there is such fierce competition for young people’s attention.

‘Through books we give kids empathy, kindness, love, healing, space, and time to be with their own thoughts, to reflect on their lives, to understand others. And these gifts are more precious now than ever.’

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Rowena

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