With the calendar year drawing to a close, you’re probably looking forward to some summer holiday downtime. To help you while away a few hours of me-time, we’ve compiled a list of books you might want to consider throwing in the bag as you pack for the beach.

How did we decide on the titles? We asked our advisers to tell us which books they’d like to dive into over the break. Hopefully you’ll find something here that sparks your interest, or the imagination of the younger members of the family. Enjoy your summer, happy reading and we look forward to seeing you in the new year.

The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me by Roald Dahl

Tim remembers having this classic story read to him again and again as a boy. And he loved it so much he now reads it (and sings some bits) to his kids. If you love Roald Dahl’s sense of the ridiculous and want to join an unlikely band of window cleaners on a quest to get Billy the sweet shop he desperately desires, this is the book for you.

The School That Hope Built by Madeleine Kelly

How does a tiny school with one volunteer teacher tackle intergenerational poverty? One student at a time. Follow the remarkable 20 journey of Gemma Sista, an Australian who founded St Jude’s in Tanzania, changed the lives of thousands and built a community of opportunity. This inspirational story of education and determination was shared by Kelly Stubberfield.

Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike by Phil Knight

Want to know the story of the world’s most recognisable sports brand? Well, put yourself in the shows of Nike founder Phil Knight as he recalls the messy, perilous, and chaotic journey that led to his success. This book was recommended by Sunitha Williams. Sunitha loved stepping behind the shiny facade and seeing how success takes blood, tears and sweatpants.

Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman

Did you know the average human lifespan is absurdly brief? To get to eighty, you live about four thousand weeks. So how do we make the most of this time? This book delivers an entertaining, humorous, practical, and ultimately profound guide to time and time management. Christie Wilson tells us this book requires just one week of your time, which she says is a good investment.

The Spy and the Traitor by Ben Macintyre

Described by John Le Carre as ‘the best true spy story I’ve ever read’ The Spy And The Traitor is a fascinating journey through the twists and turns of the Cold War. Read how the KGB’s top man in London Oleg Gordievsky secretly worked for MI6, helping to foil countless intelligence plots and undermine the Soviet Union. It’s a fascinating read that Alex Rose just couldn’t put down.

Lola in the Mirror by Trent Dalton

It looks like Emily Phu is a fan of Australian author Trent Dalton. She has chosen Lola In The Mirror, a book that has as many fans as Boy Swallows Universe, and has been described as ‘bighearted, gritty, magical and moving.’ Can a girl and her mother find a new life outside the grip of the Brisbane underworld and its drug queen? No spoilers. You’ll have to read it to find out.

Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life by Arnold Schwarzenegger

The world’s greatest bodybuilder. The world’s highest-paid movie star. The leader of the world’s sixth-largest economy. Pretty impressive achievements for one guy. But then what else would you expect from Arnold Schwarzenegger? Written with his blunt, powerful style, Be Useful is Arnold’s tool kit for a meaningful life that Jana Neherova thoroughly recommends.

The Coworker by Freida McFadden

The Coworker is a tense, unputdownable thriller from New York Times bestselling author Freida McFadden. It might not be something you want to read at the office when you’re working back late. But it’s the perfect Christmas couch book. Emma McCracken fell right into it and finished the whole thing in a weekend. So, if you can handle the suspense, give it a go.

Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis de Bernières

Who’d have thought that Brett Ulrick was a romantic? His pick for the summer is Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, a classic tale set on the Greek island of Cephalonia in the early days of World War Two. When Corelli and Pelagia fall in love, they find themselves negotiating a minefield of allegiances as former friends become enemies and the ugliness of wear infects everyone it touches.

Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

This 2006 memoir by American author Elizabeth Gilbert chronicles her trip around the world after her divorce and the discoveries she makes about herself during her journey. Lisa Adey loved this book so much, she bought a picturebook version for her cat called Eat Sleep Sleep. Only kidding. This is a book that connected with a generation and continues to inspire all life travelers.

The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga

This Booker Prize winning novel by Aravind Adiga provides a darkly humorous perspective on India’s class struggle in a time of technological innovation and globalisation. It is the story of Balram and his quest to free himself from his low social caste ‘the darkness’ and into the light to become the one they call white tiger. If you enjoy this book, thank avid reader Julie Peters.

Papillon by Henri Charrière

Ben Greenwell describes this as ‘one of my favorite books of all time.’ Henri Charriere wrote about Papillon (French for butterfly) a man who is wrongfully convicted of murder and sent to Cayenne, a penal colony in French Guiana in 1931. Life was brutal there, and violence and murders were common among the convicts. The story of his struggle to survive over the next 14 years is, at times, both hard to read, and hard to put down.