Reading with a chance of tacos

On today's show, Bianca's back, from Bianca's Book Club, with an awesome book for review, you're gunna love it! And, get this, we chat to an illustrator who picked up a paint brush for the first time only 5 years ago and is now a published author/illustrator.    Bex Parkin is an artist and illustrator based in the UK . She is known for her love of colourful wildlife and botanicals with a vibrant c...

On today's show, we've got What's the Story Rory with all the latest kidlit news. And we chat to an award-winning actress and author about a new hero in the Australian bush. It's gunna be huge!   Tasma Walton is a popular and award-winning actress, proud Boonwurrung woman , a mum, and an author passionate about telling stories of strong women and their adventures with the most amazing Boonwurrng C...

On today's show, we have Liv at the newsdesk with the latest kid lit news, including The Big Bookish Arvo.   Plus, we chat to a debut author about a fun picture book and her amazing author process.   Bethany Clark is a writer, editor, and a strategic communications consultant who after many years working behind the scenes in the publishing industry found herself as the chief manager of snacks for...

On today's show, Liv reviews two awesome new picture books. And we chat to a CBCA Gold Medallist all about her author journey. It's gunna be huge.   Vikki Conley is the 2023 winner of the CBCA Early Childhood Book of the Year Award for her picture book Where the Lyrebird Lives. And she's popped in today to chat all about her epic author journey. Everybody please welcome the amazing, Vikki Conley. 

On today's show, we go back to the future in time machine made of paper. We look at the teamwork behind creating a brilliant picture book. And, we take a look at The Taco Awards for 2023!   Today's guests are an author and illustrator combo. Together they have delivered a brilliant picture book about describing time – past, present and future. It's original and wonderfully put together.     To tel...

On today's show, we've got emus, yes emus. Liv and I chat to a first-time author who self-published a book and then got picked up by a publisher. It can happen. We talk about a fun book and have a few laughs.    Jamie Bryden is an author and podcaster who grew up avoiding books for most of his life, and now finds himself writing them. As a result, he is a sucker for a good story and loves talking...

On today's show, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Books in every store!! We chat to the author of The Christmas Train (Toot! Toot!) Stopping all stations to the North Pole via the Adelaide Hills. We'll hear a magnificent poem dedicated to Book Week, and we'll share some exciting Taco News. It's gunna be huge!   Mike Lucas moved to Australia from the UK in 2010. He is the author of seve...

Jack Heath submitted his first manuscript to a publisher at age seventeen, and the book became his first international bestseller! How about that! And, in 2009 he was named the ACT Young Australian of the Year.  He now lives with his wife and their children in Gungahlin, where he spends his time writing, reading, speaking at schools and mentoring emerging writers.  He's popped in today to chat abo...

NRL star and kids book author, Alex Johnston shares his inspiration for writing this fantastic picture book that is sure to get kids racing into bookstores.  Alex Johnston is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a winger and fullback for the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the NRL. He has played for both Australia and Papua New Guinea at international level. Alex shares a picture book all...

Tania Ingram was a child psychologist before becoming an author of picture books and novels including the rollicking Jinny and Cooper series. When she's not writing she's learning to play the ukulele and singing to her chickens.   She's popped in today to chat about her new book series, Aggie Flea, her author journey, and the writing life in South Australia. Everybody please welcome, Tania Ingram....

Rebecca Lim is an award-winning Australian writer, illustrator, editor and the author of over twenty books, including Tiger Daughter  (a CBCA Book of the Year: winner).   Her novels have been translated into German, French, Turkish, Portuguese, Polish and Russian and have won so many awards I can't list them all here.   She's popped in today to chat about her latest book titled, Two Sparrowhawks i...

Emma Greville is a freelance editor from Sunny Geelong on Victorian coast. She's an ex-English teacher with an MA in Literary Criticism, and a lover of Dragons!   S he is passionate about helping kids discover a love of reading and writing, and explores the world of words through school visits, presentations and writing workshops.   She's popped in today to share her author journey, along with her...

Much loved children's author, Adrian Beck shares the inspiration for his children's stories, how he goes about the process of setting up a story, and how they're turned into amazing books for kids. Today's guest says he is not a spy. However, a spy would say that, wouldn't they? Despite this, our guest shares some awesome advice on writing books, how to gather story ideas, and how to put them toge...

If you've ever wanted to write in the Middle Grade space. Or, you're penning something now and want some extra advice, Alllison Tait  is the internationally published bestselling author of middle-grade adventure series  The Mapmaker Chronicles , the  Ateban Cipher  novels, and the  Maven & Reeve Mysteries. Her latest novel THE FIRST SUMMER OF CALLIE McGEE is a middle-grade mystery. To tell us all...

Publicity is so important in every step of your journey. How you present yourself to publishers and to the community, and how you promote your work to the world, is so important.   Two new picture book authors with different approaches share their journeys and what's worked for them.   Claire Thompson is an Australian children's author with a passion – and a nose – for sniffing out true stories to...

Apsara Baldovino began her career in magazine publishing before moving into writing stories for children who dream of owning a real unicorn! Apsara's passion is to dream up memorable characters, experiment with perspectives and create books that will be treasured for years to come. And, she's off to an awesome start with her first picture book titled, The Lucky Shack, published by Harper Collins A...

Bec Timmis left high school and studied animation at Griffith University's Queensland College of Art before branching out into design and illustration.  At the same time, she enrolled in a professional children's writing course, where she wrote her first award-winning short story. From here she went on to write and illustrate the hugely popular book series, Mertales with Allen and Unwin Books.   A...

Chrissie Davies is a child behaviour expert, trauma informed educator, consultant, writer, guest speaker, loving mama of two, and passionate advocate for understanding neurodivergent children. She's popped in today to chat about her new picture book, Love Me Love My ADHD a beautifully written and illustrated picture book that encourages families, educators, and, most importantly, children to under...

Sela Ahosivi Atiola is a Tongan Australian writer from Sydney Australia. She is a mother and early childhood educator with a Bachelor of Social Science from Swinburne University of Technology. Her writing has been featured on SBS Voices and Storycasters Culinary Magazine.  She's popped in today to chat with Ken about her writing journey, finding a niche in the picture book market, a passion for he...

David Lawrence is one of Australia's funniest comedy writers. He has written for Hamish and Andy, Talking About Your Generation, and a variety of other shows, including award-winning sketch comedy shows. He runs the successful comedy business Laughing Matters and has performed in five Melbourne International Comedy shows. This has spilled over to kids books, and his latest middle grade novel, Ruby...

Hilary Rogers began her career in publishing. As a Commissioning Editor,  Hilary helped co-create many of Australia's most beloved series, including Billie B Brown, Real Pigeons, Zac Power and Go Girl. As an author, Hilary has teamed up with friend and much-loved Australian author, Meredith Badger. Together, Meredith and Hilary write under the pen name Maddy Mara. Their most recent series include...

Jane Bunn is a meteorologist and a weather presenter on Channel 7 Melbourne.   As well as seeing her each night on the tely, today's guest has popped in to tell us about an awesome picture book series all about the weather.   The first book in the series is titled, Storm. It's all about how storms form, and how to stay safe in a storm. To tell us all about it, as well as her inspiration and proces...

Today's guests are the co-creators, author and illustrator of the smash hit series that's taken the world by storm, The Real Pigeons. And now, this dynamic duo are branching out with a whole new graphic novel series for early readers. Hello Twigs is a joyous graphic novel series for early readers. To tell us all about Red, Noodle, Stump, and Ziggy, everybody please welcome Ben Wood and Andrew McDo...

Fiona Lloyd hails from Newcastle in the Northeast of England where, as a child, she dreamed of being an author in a country cottage like Enid Blyton or Beatrix Potter. Later in life, she moved to Australia and became a colourist on TV shows like Home and Away, where she put the sunshine into Alf Stewart. But the dream of being an author was still alive and well, and I'm happy to say, that she's po...