The YA Room - Givemas Day Eight

Welcome to Givemas Day Eight! Today, we’re highlighting Melbourne-based book club, The YA Room. We spoke to co-founder Sarah Robinson-Hatch about the amazing and welcoming community she’s built by sharing her love of books and reading with others.

The YA Room has become the biggest book club in Melbourne, that’s amazing! What was the initial inspiration behind it?

In 2016, I started seeing a couple of YA book clubs pop up around Australia, and being the massive book nerd that I am, I was desperate to get involved. But I couldn’t find one in Melbourne, much to my dismay. 

It took me three seconds of being disappointed to realise, hey, maybe this is something I can try and make? The YA Room has grown so much from our first meeting in a park, and I can’t imagine my life without it.


Book clubs are an opportunity for like-minded people to meet and discuss their current reads. In your own opinion, how does reading form connections?

Reading is such a great way to bring people together. It doesn’t matter where you’re from or what your background is, as soon as you pick up the same book as someone else, you have something in common. 

I’ve loved not only meeting new people from all across Melbourne at The YA Room’s Book Meets, but also talking online with book nerds around the world. The YA book community is so welcoming and accepting, and I’ve met so many of my greatest friends through striking up a conversation about books.

How does the YA Room stay inclusive, and something that anyone can be a part of?

The YA Room is open to everyone, regardless of age, or reading background (or, now that we’ve moved on Zoom throughout the pandemic, even location). It’s always been important to me to allow everyone who wants to get involved to have the opportunity to do so. 

We’ve had tourists only in Melbourne for a short time join in, we’ve had everyone of all ages, and we’ve had people who have only just started reading YA for the first time participate.

With the pandemic, events and book meets were cancelled. What have been some of the challenges with moving online?

2020 has been a strange year, and it’s made all of us have to change the way we connect with people. Luckily, technology like Zoom has allowed us to continue running our Book Meets throughout the year. 

Even though we’re all in separate houses (and sometimes separate continents), I’ve really found solace in the hours we spend each month catching up and talking about books. 

We’ve even had the opportunity to host some panels and events with authors, which has been really exciting. 

Although, I’d say the main challenge is not being able to hug all my book club friends and hear their laughter in person! I’m looking forward to being able to host in person events again when it’s safe to do so.

Obviously you’re a big reader. What are some of your favourite books you’ve discovered this year? What has been your favourite to read with others for the book meets this year?

I’ve read so many great new books this year, particularly #LoveOzYA! I’ve particularly loved The Vanishing Deep, None Shall Sleep, and You Were Made For Me - and we were lucky enough to be able to chat with three three incredible authors for Book Meets and an Instagram Live!

I particularly loved chatting with Ellie Marney and hearing all about her serial killer and crime obsessions. I remember obsessing over her Every series in high school, and chatting to her still brings out my inner fangirl! Ellie is the coolest.

The YA Room organises so many events, from fun themed get-togethers to panels with authors and industry professionals. What is your most favourite event to have been a part of?

YA Day has definitely been the most ambitious and most incredible event to have run. It’s grown from creating a Kickstarter to hire a venue, to collaborating with Writers Victoria and featuring twelve #LoveOzYA authors on panels and running workshops. 

YA Day wouldn’t have been possible without the endless support of Melbourne YA readers, the authors who have taken the time to chat with us and share their wisdom, Writers Victoria for helping us achieve our vision, and all our panel moderators and volunteers. I’m already looking forward to our next big event!

The YA Room has been going strong for four years now. What is your most memorable moment?

I’ve had so many incredible moments throughout the four years - it’s hard to pick just one! I’ve loved meeting so many YA authors, both Aussie and international, as well as hosting a variety of launches, events, and screenings. 

One particular highlight was getting to interview Angie Thomas on Skype after the release of The Hate U Give. She was so incredibly generous with her time and we had a really insightful discussion about the Black Lives Matter movement, her writing journey, and what this book meant to her. I’m such a huge fan of her work and The Hate U Give is such an important novel.

How has being a part of the book community changed your life?

The book community has changed my life for the better in so many ways, but it’s the people I’ve met that have made the most impact. 

Not only have I had the chance to meet and talk to so many authors I respect and admire, but I’ve also met some of my best friends through reading. You all know who you are, and I’m so lucky to have you in my life. Book people truly are the best people.

What would you say to those looking to join the book community?

The first step is putting yourself out there! The book community will welcome you with open arms, so all you have to do is head along to an event, or strike up a conversation online - even a comment on someone’s Instagram photo can be the beginning of a new bookish friendship. 

The YA community is full of accepting and kind people from all backgrounds, so if you like talking about books and you put yourself out there a little, I can guarantee you’ll only be met with positivity and open arms. We’d love to see you at a YA Room event sometime!

How do you imagine the future of the YA Room? What do you hope the organisation will be doing within the next few years?

Even with so much uncertainty in the world at the moment, one thing is clear: my love and passion for YA is here to stay. 2021 is going to be a really exciting year for The YA Room, with (hopefully) some events and Book Meets in person again, and we want to continue to run virtual events so we can chat with more YA readers around the world. 

The YA Room is such a massive part of my life, and I’m so thankful for all the incredible people I’ve met on this wild and wonderful bookish journey.

This interview was part of our 12 Days of Givemas – our Christmas series that focuses on small businesses, charities and changemakers doing amazing work this festive season.

WORDS: SARAH ROBINSON-HATCH AND BIANCA BREEN
PHOTOGRAPHY: SARAH ROBINSON-HATCH