Dual gems of advice come from the mouth of Augusta Georgiades.

The fifteen-year-old is well qualified to recommend a book to anyone who crosses her path at The Already Read bookstore in Euroa, and although that qualification comes from her dedicated love for reading, she remains pragmatic that not all teenagers are like her.

"Reading is really personalised, I think," Augusta said.

"You can find what you enjoy reading.

"I try to get as many people onto books as I can, but people can find what they enjoy reading themselves."

Augusta volunteers at the store at least once a week and can be caught having a read herself on the job, and although she can list off her favourite authors in quick succession, she knows that those not yet into the habit of grabbing a good book do not need to conform to her tastes.

That part of her message needs to be made clear.

"Reading just opens up another world - it is so, so great and there are many different varieties of genres for people to find for themselves."

She also recommends audio books and electronic books if a hard copy was not available.

"Listen to it on your way to work or on your way to school, or on the bus, and then I think slowly you'll find that if you're truly enthralled by the book that you will pick up the physical copy.

"But an audiobook is great - it's like a movie without seeing anything, but you can imagine your own world."

Where Augusta also stands out is her being the sole 'young' volunteer at Already Read; and so to the second piece of advice to her age group: become a volunteer.

She said that volunteering had an extra community contribution than working in a shop or library.

"Volunteering is special - it doesn't feel like you have to turn up, but it's about raising money and of course we get donations of books too."

Augusta said she would encourage other teenagers to take up volunteering opportunities available locally in anything, herself having sought employment initially at two local libraries and on finding that recent positions had been filled, took her mother's advice and joined Already Read as a volunteer.

"I've always wanted to work in a bookshop - I think there's something quite relaxing and calming about being around books and constantly seeing new books that come in, and I'm a very sociable person," she said.

"I think I always have been sociable, but have only really been reading for four years.

"It was a great opportunity for me to have this.

"It is definitely more of a community-based situation as opposed to a working space."

The Already Read Bookshop makes an enormous difference to literacy in local children, with the money raised contributing to all three of Euroa's schools to help children learn to read and fall in love with reading.

The shop also contributes significantly to programs at Euroa Library.

And for the record, Augusta quite digs the classics: Jane Austen and Louise May Alcott head the list.

"Oh, I love Little Women," she said.

"And Emma is probably my favourite Austen, with her smart, witty remarks and... I love that she's pretty cruel, though.

"I think that Austen had a really special way of writing her main characters, her females being, you know, these snarky heroines.

"I think when classics were supposed to be written on the way the women were supposed to behave then, well, Austen's girls never did that, and I think reading about that is quite fun."

Augusta also admitted that not owning a phone was an oddity for someone her age, yet she does not see someone having one as a hindrance to finding a good book.

"A lot of people find that very strange, especially now.

"I mean, it's crazy to think that not every 15-year-old has a phone these days.

"People aren't going to give up their phone to read, but it's not necessary, you can do both.

"You don't have to give up social media.

"But open a book."


Young volunteers are always welcome in Euroa, and can contact the following:

Already Read Bookshop 5795 1130

Bowerbird Op Shop 5795 0200

St Paul's Op Shop 5795 1335