The Commuting Book began as a humble homage to centuries of storytelling - something which we believe to be an essential fibre in the very fabric of what it means to be human. We present a diverse range of pieces to better represent our many different interests and beliefs ... a story meaning little to one may mean a lot to another. This is the wonderful wisdom of literature! We have some beautiful short stories and poetry written by Year 8 and Year 10 students. These will take but a minute to read. We also have essays, non-fiction pieces, book extracts, more poems, and short stories, by both published and unpublished writers. Most of these might take 5 -10 minutes to read. None of them will take more than 20 minutes, at most. Time well spent.
John paused and turned away from his screen to glance at the steaming cup of coffee. Something felt a little off but he couldn’t place his finger on it ...More
September 22 ● 18 min read
If you are on the bus, go to QR Code 0007 to read this chapter in English or QR Code 0016 to read in Te Reo. To read previous chapters go to Stories Chapt ...More
September 12 ● 13 min read
It’s morning. I know this because the clock says 7.23 and a finger of light is trying to pull back the curtains. My room faces east. So that mak ...More
August 1 ● 22 min read
If you are on the bus, go to QR Code 0007 to read this chapter in English or QR Code 0016 to read in Te Reo. To read previous chapters go to Stori ...More
February 24 ● 7 min read
It’s been nearly 70 years since my children left home. That sounds ridiculous but I am 120 years old. When they left, my house felt empty. I began to n ...More
August 1 ● 12 min read
First, find a location. Find a shabby farm that keeps its neighbours at arm’s length. Find a house with a rusted roof, with guttering that dribbles do ...More
September 22 ● 5 min read
If you are on the bus, go to QR Code 0007 to read this chapter in English or QR Code 0016 to read in Te Reo. To read previous chapters go to Stories Chapter ...More
February 24 ● 14 min read
If you are on the bus, go to QR Code 0007 to read this chapter in English or QR Code 0016 to read in Te Reo. To read previous chapters go to Stories C ...More
December 19 ● 14 min read
‘How’s Alex?’ Hope said. She and Molly were sitting in a café by the river in early spring drinking tea from the same pot. Molly sighed, looked out ...More
August 1 ● 19 min read
They’d been walking for about an hour. They’d started in Madras Street, at the office. William was down for the week, the presentation had gone well an ...More
September 21 ● 14 min read
The Strange Sagas of Sabrina Summers Saga 1: The Uncooperative Flying Carpet Prologue It was a terrible day for a wedding. The rain slanted down by t ...More
September 22 ● 21 min read
If you are on the bus, go to QR Code 0007 to read this chapter in English or QR Code 0016 to read in Te Reo. To read previous chapters go to Stor ...More
August 1 ● 11 min read
The time had come. In the warm darkness of his egg, the flamingo chick moved. Crack! His mother stood up. She fussed about, touching the egg gen ...More
September 21 ● 14 min read
His fur is silky black, blue eyes wild, teeth glistening white – white like the snow that fell last winter, like the oleander that grows by the ...More
February 24 ● 6 min read
If you are on the bus, go to QR Code 0007 to read this chapter in English or QR Code 0016 to read in Te Reo. To read previous chapters go to Stories Chapter Thr ...More
November 17 ● 13 min read
At my father’s funeral an old man in a crumpled black suit gets up to speak. He rises slowly on old man’s legs from among the dark suits and neatly combed h ...More
September 22 ● 18 min read
My life is divided into two revolving states. During one, I eat healthily, run almost every day and don’t drink. I call this ‘Zen’. The other state ...More
November 17 ● 6 min read
As a chef I am often asked what I most enjoy cooking, what my favourite dishes are and what I love to eat. Most people assume it is intricate mult ...More
November 17 ● 18 min read
If you are on the bus, go to QR Code 0007 to read this chapter in English or QR Code 0016 to read in Te Reo. To read previous chapters go to Stories Upoko Tuar ...More
September 12 ● 15 min read
If you are on the bus, go to QR Code 0007 to read this chapter in English or QR Code 0016 to read in Te Reo. To read previous chapters go to Stories Upok ...More
November 17 ● 18 min read
If you are on the bus, go to QR Code 0007 to read this chapter in English or QR Code 0016 to read in Te Reo. To read previous chapters go to Stori ...More
December 19 ● 15 min read
If you are on the bus, go to QR Code 0007 to read this chapter in English or QR Code 0016 to read in Te Reo. To read previous chapters go to Stories ...More
August 1 ● 10 min read
It was a glimpse into Paradise. The sun caught the old town first, its jumble of faded pastels glowing like the gilded ceilings of the Vatican – yellow ...More
August 1 ● 22 min read
“What do you intend to do about this disgraceful situation?” Alison Carrington seethed. Mayor Harper stared at the outraged, elderly woman, like a man about ...More
February 24 ● 22 min read
Con walks down the streets of Newtown from Berhampore, past the damp, narrow houses, tipped into the wind, cold rain spitting into his face. There’s ...More
August 1 ● 14 min read
