An interview with: Layla Moseby Read, work experience student
Layla Moseby-Read, a year 10 student at Scotch, recently completed a week of work experience at Wakefield Press. Layla comes from a strong publishing background; her dad's book, Dear Grandpa, Why?, was published by Wakefield Press earlier this year.
What is the first book you ever read?
The first children’s book I ever read properly myself was called A Year on Our Farm by Penny Matthews. I had actually won the book at school and I think that I was about five or six years old when read it. The first sort of novel that I can remember reading was Geronimo Stilton Christmas Catastrophe by Elisabetta Dami.
What attracted you to doing work experience at Wakefield Press?
I wanted to do work experience at Wakefield Press because I have always had a keen interest in English, and for as long as I can remember I have loved to read. At the start of this year I had to complete a test called the Morrisby test that assesses all of your strengths and weaknesses through a variety of different investigations. It collaborates all of the results and gives you a few ideas around potential career options that you would suit. For me my number one suggestion was an editor so I wanted to get a bit more of an idea about this job and if I wanted to pursue it in the future, and that’s why I chose Wakefield Press.
At the end of your work experience, what are your thoughts about working in publishing?
I really enjoyed doing work experience here and I do think that it is one of my higher ideas for a career. I really liked the environment that is associated with editing and publishing and how relaxed yet productive Wakefield Press is. This sort of flexible and strong work ethic really suits me, and I like the idea of working in a job like one at Wakefield Press. If I did go into a career to do with publishing there are so many different jobs within publishing and I think that this would help me to get on the right track but not have to be locked down into a specific role just yet.
Do you think boys read differently from girls? If so, how? If not, why do you think so many people believe that?
I think that boys and girls don’t necessarily read differently but there are different expectations for books that they should read. There are definitely books that are specifically aimed at each gender and I think this impacts the way boys and girls read. In our society it is typically thought that girls read more romance or classics whereas boys are more into the action and adventure side, but this is not necessarily true. So, I don’t think that boys and girls read differently but just they read different types of books.
What’s the last book you read for fun? What was fun about it?
The last book I read for fun was Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and it was about a middle age lady suffering from a mental health issue. I believe that it was a ‘fun’ book for me to read because it was really intriguing and there was this big mystery throughout the entirety of the book. This drew me in and kept me hooked the whole time. It is also something a bit different to my typical reading style so I enjoyed the unpredictability and uniqueness about it.
What’s the last book you read and hated? What did you hate about it?
I can’t remember ever reading a book and hating it but I do remember starting the book Maze Runner and disliking it enough to not finish it. It’s not that it was written badly it’s just that it’s not really my preferred style and genre. It was also a bit unrealistic and incorporated too much science fiction to suit me. I prefer books that are true-to-life or that are partially based on past events.
How do you find out about books you want to read?
To find books that I want to read I either choose books that were suggested to me by friends or family members, or I take my time browsing the library or bookstore reading the blurbs of books to find one that I think sounds good. My mum is often the main way I find out about new books because she reads quite often and knows what sort of books I like and enjoy reading.
Name a book or books that changed the way you think- in any way at all, large or small.
When I was around 12 I read the Once series and this really opened my eyes to how horribly innocent people were treated in WWII. By reading about what Jewish people went through, it made me realise again how lucky I am to not be faced with that much hardship or distress in my life.
Based on what you see around you, do you think teenagers read more or less than they used to?
I think that there are quite a few teenagers that still do read a lot but because many different influences, like technology, it’s not as much as what it used to be. I believe that not everyone has to love reading or read every day just that they have to be able to read quite extensively and understand what they are reading. Reading is still in the school curriculum so I believe that most teenagers still read books even if it is the one that is assigned to them in class.
Who is your favourite author and why?
I don’t really specifically have a favourite author and it really changes the older I get. A few years ago I really enjoyed Robyn Bavati’s books and although I still, do my reading style has matured. If I had to pick an author now it would probably be Sunni Overend because her books are enjoyable to read and I think that they have a good plot line.
If you were banished to a desert island and could take three books with you, what would they be and why?
I would probably take Pirouette by Robyn Bavati, Animal Farm by George Orwell and The Dangers of Truffle Hunting by Sunni Overend. Pirouette has been one of my favourite books for a long time and it is a pretty easy book to read and that is what I like about it. Both Animal Farm and The Dangers of Truffle Hunting are books that haven’t read yet but have wanted to for a long time. I have read other books by Sunni Overend, so I think that I will enjoy this one, and Animal Farm is a classic, with an allegorical style that interests me.