Students graduating from secondary school in 2021 have received their education through some of the most contested years in recent history. This article argues that English text lists present a unique opportunity to engage students in a diverse range of ideas that can equip them to be active citizens in a rapidly transforming society. We argue that due to the socialising impact of literature, English text lists should incorporate a range of 'mirrors, windows and sliding glass doors' that broaden students' horizons (Bishop, 1990). We provide a case study of one secondary school on the rural-urban fringe of Melbourne, Victoria that wanted to meet and challenge the needs of students. The staff, with the support of leadership, conducted a Text Diversity Audit, drawing on the work of McLean Davies (2012) to complete three key stages: data gathering; reflection and analysis; and implementing change. In this article we discuss the challenges English staff faced in introducing change and draw on data from students to highlight their positive responses. Ultimately, we demonstrate that the opportunities presented by textual studies in English classrooms need to be embraced, and propose a series of steps that teachers and school leaders can follow to increase the diversity of text lists.