Between the bookshelves: A NSW Premier's Reading Challenge podcast

In this episode of Between the bookshelves, host Jade Arnold is joined by award-winning author and illustrator Remy Lai , whose much-loved graphic novels and illustrated stories appear across the NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge booklists. From the laugh-out-loud sibling chaos of Chickenpox to the heartfelt immigrant story Pie in the Sky , and the spine-tingling scares of Read at Your Own Risk , Re...

In episode 14 of Between the bookshelves , we’re joined byaward-winning author, science communicator, and proud Kamilaroi man, Corey Tutt OAM. As the founder and CEO of DeadlyScience , Corey is passionate about connecting young people with Australia’s incredible wildlife and the rich First Nations knowledge that surrounds it. His books - including Caution! This Book Contains Deadly Reptiles , The...

In this episode, secondary teacher librarian ElisabethPorreca-Dubois shares her journey from PE teacher to a widely respected figure in the teacher librarian community. Known for her vibrant displays and research-informedprograms, Elisabeth offers a wealth of practical strategies for nurturing a reading culture in secondary schools. Listeners will discover the impact of her SMART-ER readingprogram...

In episode 12 of Between the Bookshelves , we’re joined by best-selling middle grade author and tireless champion of Australian children’s literature, Allison Tait . Known for her adventurous stories and rich characters, Allison is also the co-host of the popular Your Kid’s Next Read podcast and a driving force behind the vibrant Facebook community of the same name. Allison shares her Between the...

In episode 11 of Between the Bookshelves , we sit downwith award-winning author Lili Wilkinson —an unstoppable force in Australian young adult and junior fiction. With over 20 books to her name, Lili’s stories range from dark,high-stakes thrillers and rich, spellbinding fantasies to laugh-out-loud junior fiction and heartwarming picture books. Lili shares her Between the Bookshelves pitch for a nu...

In episode 10 of Between the bookshelves , we sit downwith award-winning author-illustrator Jess Racklyeft to explore the art of bringing stories to life through illustration. Jess shares the thoughtful process behind illustrating complex, narrative non-fiction texts written by ClaireSaxby - and offers her perspective on their creative partnership, from studio to forest floor. She recounts their r...

With over 26 books to her name, award-winning author Claire Saxby is a powerhouse in Australian children’s literature. Known for her lyrical prose, rich languageand deep connection to the natural world, Claire’s work spans fiction, non-fiction and narrative non-fiction for readers of all ages. In this episode, Claire unpacks her definition of narrativenon-fiction – a seamless blend of information...

In Episode 8 of Between the Bookshelves, we’re joined byaward-winning author Lisa Fuller , a proud Wuilli Wuilli woman. Lisa is an academic, editor, literary agent, and author of the acclaimed young adult novel Ghost Bird and the fantastical new middle-grade adventure Washpool . Lisa shares her Between the bookshelves pitch forboth of her books featured on the PRC booklists, sharing what makes eac...

In this episode, Jade speaks with Gina, an acclaimed primaryteacher librarian from south-west Sydney and winner of the 2025 NSW Teacher Librarian of the Year and 2022 John Hirst Award In this episode, Gina shares how she runs the Premier’sReading Challenge in her school, makes reading accessible and joyful, and creates a sense of wonder in the library. She also dives into her standout initiatives—...

Ashleigh Barton is the best-selling author of multiple picture books and middle-grade fiction novels. In this episode, she joins Jade Arnold to share her Between the Bookshelves pitch for her latest release, How to Sail to Somewhere , as well as her Freddie Spector, Fact Collector and Solomon Macaroni series, along with her picture book titles. Ashleigh delves into the themes of grief and growth i...

Nathan Luff is a children’s author, primary school teacher, playwright and the Children’s and Young AdultManager at the Sydney Writers’ Festival. In this episode, Nathan shares his Between the bookshelves pitch for Jungle escape, the Family disasters series and the Nerd Herd series, along with his top recommendations for what readers should try next if they enjoyed his titles. Nathan shares how hi...

Will Kostakis is an award-winning young adult author and the 2025 Prime Minister’s Literary Award winner for young adult fiction. In this episode, Will shares his Between the bookshelves pitch for We Could Be Something, the Monuments duology, The sidekicks and The first third, alongwith his top recommendations for what to read next if you loved them. Plus, he provides an exclusive sneak peek into...

Danielle Binks is an award-winning middle-grade and young adult author and literary agent. In this episode, Danielle shares her between the bookshelves pitch for her books, The six summers of Tash and Leopold, The year the maps changed, Begin, end, begin: A #LoveOzYA anthology and The monster of her age and provides an extensive list of recommendations of what to read next for students who enjoyed...

Matt Ottley is an award-winning artist, illustrator and composer with more than 40 picture books to his name. In this episode, Matt discusses several of his works featured on the Premier's Reading Challenge booklists, including  Stickboy ,  How to Make a Bird  and  The Incredible Freedom Machines . He shares insights into his creative process, describing how he collaborates with authors and ch...

Yvette Poshoglian  is the bestselling author of over 50 books for children and young readers, including the Ella and Olivia series and Dear Greta. Yvette started her career as an English teacher in south-west Sydney, has previously managed the Premier’s Reading Challenge from 2015 to 2016 and worked with NSW Department of Education’s Technology 4 Learning team on projects like  Everyone’s an autho...