YA Book Stack
YA Book Stack is an in-conversation podcast with Australian authors who discuss the application of their text in the middle years English classroom and the ways their text is reflective of the experiences of young adult readers and the world they engage with. Through a focus on the text in the classroom, YA Book Stack aims to encourage educators to embrace the flexibility of the middle years and explore a broader range of texts in their curriculum.
YA Book Stack
Margot McGovern on This Stays Between Us
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Victorian Association for the Teaching of English
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Season 4
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Episode 11
This episode includes a discussion of This Stays Between Us by Margot McGovern, a contemporary young adult horror novel that explores friendship, fear, and power. It also references other reading and text recommendations such as:
- Neverland by Margot McGovern
- Northern Lights by Philip Pullman
- Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
- Blade Runner (1982)
- The Chosen Vessel by Barbara Baynton (short story)
- Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay
- Lake Mungo (2008)
- Talk to Me (2022)
Also discussed are:
- The ways in which Margot has attempted to fill a gap in the market, including setting her horror novel in a distinctly Australian landscape;
- How reimagining the trope of the “final girl” can challenge the male gaze in horror by creating complex, emotionally authentic female protagonists;
- The exploration of friendship, secrets, consent, misinformation, and fear in the novel, and how these issues will resonate strongly with today’s students;
- Why its 48-hour timeframe, along with the use of foreshadowing, pacing, and symbolism, makes it ideal for studying narrative craft and genre conventions;
- Advocacy for open, supportive classroom discussions around trauma and consent, supported by clear content awareness;
- And, as always, the importance of teaching contemporary local texts to reflect and expand students’ understanding of Australian identity.