Your Kid's Next Read With Allison Tait and Megan Daley

Allison chats to author Samera Kamaleddine about her new middle-grade novel ‘The Clueless Guide To Solving A Mystery’, the role of inter-generational relationships in her writing, and what she does in her day job to encourage kids to read. Plus, Megan has many thoughts on kids and public transport.

00:00 Life, Parenting, Quality Waffle
09:13 New Books For Kids and Teens
17:52 10 minutes with Samera Kamaleddine
37:48 What's on For Megan and Allison

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Brenton Cullen reads from his debut middle-grade novel 'The Prime Minister Problem'.

00:00 Settle in for Friday First Chapters
00:00 Brenton Cullen reads 'The Prime Minister Problem'

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Taking inspiration from the 2026 CBCA Book Week theme ‘Symphony of Stories’, Allison and Megan take a deep dive into books about music, including recommended titles from picture books to YA and beyond, plus ideas for bringing the theme to life. 

00:00 Quality Waffle
03:37 Book Mail for This Week
09:45 Books About Music
39:22 What Else is Happening This Week

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Samera Kamaleddine reads from hew new middle-grade novel ‘The Clueless Guide To Solving A Mystery', illustrated by Hykie Breeze 

00:00 Settle in for Friday First Chapters
01:54 Samera Kamaleddine reads ‘The Clueless Guide To Solving A Mystery’

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Bestselling author Matt Stanton is back in our interview hot seat, and Allison takes the opportunity for some updated insights on kids and reading, as well as taking a deep dive into Matt’s writing process and his latest middle-grade novel ‘Duck’.

00:00 Quality Waffle
04:06 Book Mail for This Week
11:12 10 minutes with Matt Stanton
44:57 What Else is Happening This Week

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Barry Jonsberg reads from his new middle-grade novel ‘Nerds vs Aliens’.

00:00 Settle in for Friday First Chapters
01:55 Barry Jonsberg reads ‘Nerds vs Aliens’.

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When times are troubled, books can offer a comfortable place to escape – but what exactly is a ‘comfort read’, where do they fit in a kid’s reading journey, and how can you tell when ‘comfortable’ has become a rut?

00:00 Quality Waffle
03:12 Book Mail for This Week
14:00 Can reading be too ‘comfortable’?
12:45 What Else is Happening This Week

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An extract from the audiobook edition of ‘Fur Power!’, the first book in the new Guinea Wigs junior fiction series, written by Rebecca McRitchie, illustrated Shiloh Gordon.

00:00 Settle in for Friday First Chapters
01:52 Rebecca McRitchie reads ‘Guinea Wigs: Fur Power!’

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Allison chats to author Rebecca McRitchie about her new junior fiction series ‘Guinea Wigs’, keeping the two halves of her professional life separate, and surprising places to stumble upon ideas.

00:00 Quality Waffle
06:10 Book Mail for This Week
20:23 10 minutes with Rebecca McRitchie
30:00 What Else is Happening This Week

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Rhiannon Williams reads the first chapter of 'The Dragon Snare', the first book in her new middle-grade fantasy series.

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Allison and Megan take a deep dive into genre fiction – what it is, why Allison loves it, and where it fits in a kid's reading journey.

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Allison chats to award-winning, bestselling author Amelia Mellor about creating her new middle-grade series Oceanforged, making fantasy stories accessible, and writing unexpected characters.

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A. L. Tait reads the first chapter of 'The Last Word', the third novel in the Two Hearts series of tween romance novels for readers 10+.

00:00 Settle in for Friday First Chapters
02:21 A. L. Tait reads ‘The Last Word’

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Allison chats to award-winning author Lili (L.M.) Wilkinson about her Bravepaw junior fiction series, creating memorable characters and writing through the middle.

00:00 Quality Waffle
03:42 Book Mail for This Week
14:59 10 Minutes with Lili Wilkinson
35:29 What Else is Happening This Week

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Jane Godwin reads from her junior fiction book ‘Will Fin Win?’, illustrated by Tom Jellett, and one of four launch titles in the Your Next Read Silver series.

00:00 Settle in for Friday First Chapters
02:43 Jane Godwin reads 'Will Fin Win?’

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Allison chats to Tom Jellett about his long illustrating career, the importance of surprise in books for kids, and how he approached illustrating ‘Will Fin Win?’, written by Jane Godwin, for the Your Next Read series. Plus, Megan is raving about a new graphic novel.

00:00 Quality Waffle
04:33 Book Mail for This Week
15:22 10 Minutes with Tom Jellett
35:57 What Else is Happening This Week

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Award-winning author Fiona Wood reads from her new middle-grade novel ‘The Boy and The Dog Tree’.

00:00 Settle in for Friday First Chapters
02:12 Fiona Wood reads ‘The Boy and The Dog Tree’

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Author, literary agent and academic Danielle Binks pops in for a chat with Allison and Megan about topics and trends in Young Adult literature – and lots of great recommended reads. Mature themes discussed in this episode. 

00:00 Quality Waffle
04:28 Book Mail for This Week
07:10  Feedback From Our 2025 Survey
08:56 10 Minutes with  Danielle Binks
50:05 What Else is Happening This Week

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Tanya Hennessy reads from ‘Sunny and Storm’, the first book in her hilarious and heartwarming new junior fiction series, illustrated by Rachael McLean.

00:00 Settle in for Friday First Chapters
02:35 Tanya Hennessy reads 'Sunny and Storm'

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It’s launch week for the Your Next Read junior fiction series and we chat to superstar author Maddy Mara about ‘The Lonely Lunch Club’, illustrated by Laura Stitzel. But get ready for a surprise…

00:00 Quality Waffle
05:24 Book Mail for This Week 
09:31 10 Minutes with Maddy Mara
41:30  What Else is Happening This Week

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Jayne McIntyre reads from ‘The Feathers Of Farwood: The Gripps Curse’, the first book in her debut middle-grade fantasy trilogy.

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Allison chats to scientist and author Niraj Lal about his new book ‘Behind The Screens: How The Internet Works + How To Make It Work For You’, drilling down to essential information, and Play School. 

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Allison Rushby reads from ‘Miss Penny Dreadful and the Midnight Kittens’, the first book in the Miss Penny Dreadful series for readers 8+, illustrated by Bronte Rose Marando

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In the wake of recent polls, Megan and Allison dive deep into the specifics of what makes a picture book ‘great’.

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Allison chats to Jol Temple and David Conley about ‘Ludicrous Legends’, the first book in their new junior fiction series. Plus, Megan is dealing with 100 angry Queens and Allison is raving – twice.

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International bestselling author R. A. Spratt reads from ‘Romeo V Juliet’, taking readers 12+ on a time-travelling Shakespearean adventure.

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In the first episode back for 2026, Megan shares a big change in her life, kicking off a discussion about books about change – and managing library collections in the face of unsettling change.

00:00 Welcome to episode 235

08:25 Bookmail

20:25 Bingo question of the week

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In the final episode of our 'Meet The Creatives' Summer Series, Allison chats to author and illustrator Laura Stitzel about the importance of developing and maintaining your own illustration style, working across picture books and junior fiction, and plotting a story in tiny thumbnails.

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In episode 8 of our 'Meet The Creatives' Summer Series, author and illustrator Peter Cheong shares the story of how he went from the Australian army to a career in children's books, moving into writing, and how he decides an idea is strong enough to sustain a story.

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In episode 7 of our 'Meet The Creatives' Summer Series, Allison chats to popular author and illustrator Jess Racklyeft about how crying got her started, working with a 'fear factor' and building a career book by book.

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In episode 6 of our 'Meet The Creatives' Summer Series, author and illustrator Kylie Howarth shares the story of how her career started, working from a concept, writing graphic novels and why she's 'part fish'.

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In episode 5 of our 'Meet The Creatives' Summer Series, Allison chats to author Jasmin McGaughey about switching between junior fiction and YA, writing 'real' characters, and balancing culture and magic.

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In episode 4 of our 'Meet The Creatives' Summer Series, Allison chats to beloved illustrator Cheryl Orsini about coloured pencils, starting with the scenery, knowing when the work is complete, and being an accidental illustrator.

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In episode 3 of our 'Meet The Creatives' Summer Series, Allison chats to rising star Jade Goodwin about illustrating 23 books since 2022, authentic First Nations representation, smiley faces on still life paintings and crying over picture books.

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In episode 2 of our 'Meet The Creatives' Summer Series, Allison chats to author and illustrator Gus Gordon about making beloved picture books, creating a story within a story, existential musings and graphic novels.

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In the first episode of our 'Meet The Creatives' Summer Series, Allison chats to author and illustrator Briony Stewart about how she got started making children's books, how she developed her own style and the biggest lessons she's learned along the way.

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Yes, it’s that time of year when Allison Rushby joins Allison Tait and Megan Daley to celebrate the festive season in the best way we know how – by sharing our favourite childrens and YA reads of 2025. Do we know how to party or what?

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Allison chats to popular comedian and author Peter Helliar about his new junior fiction series ‘Detective Galileo’, playing with words and founding his own publishing company in primary school.

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Allison chats to musical theatre superstar Helen Dallimore about her debut middle-grade novel ‘The Hits and Misses of Melody Moss’, her multi-faceted career as an actor, singer, director and writer, and drawing on memories to find her character’s voice.

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Allison chats to bestselling author Stuart Wilson about ‘The Lost Book’, the second book in his 113th Assistant Librarian series, expanding a world, and encouraging kids to spend more time in the library.

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