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The Women's Football World Cup is fast approaching and the ideal book series for kids is FOOTBALL FEVER by Kristin Darell. Kristin Darell has always loved words and stories and feels lucky to have been writing as a career for more than 25 years.  As well as writing stories, she’s written for television and news networks, is the Program Manager for the Australian Children’s Laureate Foundation, and is President of the CBCA NSW Branch Northern Sydney Sub-branch. She’s popped in today to chat about her series, Football Fever. So please give a big cheer for Kristin Darell everybody.

Warning: This book is impoppable to put down! Today’s guests are the impoppable dynamic duo responsible for one of the quirkiest books of the year. With retro illustrations and original text, Mr Impoppable is impoppable to put down!  And, they’ve popped in today to share thier book with us, along with their creative processes. So, sharpen your swords and train your ninja kittens to poke and scratch, but you won’t pop them. Please welcome, the incredible Trent and Brent.   

Picture Book Author, Amanda Lieber pops in to chat about her new book, her author journey, the importance and fun of being in a writers group, and offers up tips for aspiring authors. Plus, Rory H Mather is back with a special What's the story, Rory? segment.   

Wylah is brave, clever and strong-willed, and her adventures have been 40,000 years in the making! Wylah is Co-Written by Jordan Gould a Proud Peek Whurrong Man and Richard Pritchard an Indigenous Samoan. Introducing an unforgettable cast of characters, Wylah: The Koorie Warrior is a heart-stopping and imaginative adventure, inspired by First Nations history and grounded in culture. We talk to Wylah's creators and share their journey from their Kickstarter program to being picked up by traditional publishers, how they write together, and their process for creating this amazing series.    Plus, Liv is back to review an awesome new picture book. ​  

Jackie Case is an artist with world renowned Rebecca Hossack Gallery. She began her career displaying her art in coffee shops in Melbourne Australia, before a big break took her to art to shows in New York and London. But it was her dream to be a picture book creator, that saw her persist in writing and illustrating kids books. After a sting of rejections, she finally found the story that saw her break through. The book is titled, With A Little Sprinkle Of Courage. And, to tell us all about the book, along with her incredible journey, please welcome, Jackie Case.  

Neil the Amazing Sea Cucumber. There's nothing boring about Neil. In fact, he's so amazing, he's already been Number One picture book on Booktopia and he's all over social media. Amelia McInerney is the author of such amazing picture books as, The Book Chook, Bad Crab, Who Fed Zed, My Bird Bertie, Mary had a little lamb. What really happened!, and her latest book, Neil the Amazing Sea Cucumber. She’s popped in today to tell us all about Neil, from how Neil was formed, how she wrote his story, why she chose a sea cucumber and everything in between. Everybody please welcome, the Boring (strike text) Amazing, Amelia McInerney. If you'd like details on how you can be a published children's author, maybe even come on the podcast one day, check out our Taco Bonus Episodes here: https://apple.co/3ETviTu

Gabriel Evans' books have been published in 12 countries and translated into 10 languages. They’ve been read on ABC’s Playschool, reviewed in the New York Times, and ne of his books was presented to King Charles 111.   He's popped in today to chat about his creative journey and his new book, A Friend for George.  Plus, Liv reviews 3 brand new picture books and announces an awesome giveaway!!

Today’s guest believes exploring and owning your cultural identity cultivates happy wholistic people who are capable of mutual respect, empathy, and connectedness in this diverse world we live in. She also believes in visiting your local library at least once a week! She writes stories which are inspired by her childhood experiences traversing different cultures and steeped in themes of ‘embracing your cultural identity’. Plus, Hayley in the Library is back with what kids are reading and the Taco Top Five!! And, if you want to be a published author and perhaps even come on the podcast one day, don't forget to subscribe to our Taco Bonus Episodes. Episodes full of process, tips and publishing advice from the best in the business: https://apple.co/3ETviTu

Recognising the skills and strengths of neurodiverse children Author and publisher Rochelle Stephens and illustrator Em Hammond from Neurowild have popped in to share their new book and discuss the very important topic of neurodiversity in kids books.  Plus, the Real Pigeons creators pop in to announce their brand new Live Pigeon Shows!!  

Award winning author and illustrator, Karen Blair pops in to share her new book, offer up some tips on the process of creating a picture book and her author journey. Plus, Liv reviews 2 amazing picture books: Neal the Amazing Sea Cucumber and The Sydney Harbour Fairy. And you could WIN a copy of both books. 

Vikki Marmaras is a picture book author with a brand-new book out, and two more in contract coming soon. She’s a former news reader from Milton Keynes in the UK and she’s popped in today to share her book, Poppy, the Queen and The Seat, as well as to share her author journey, what she’s learned along the way, and to have a crunchy taco with us. Everyone please welcome, Vikki Marmaras. Subscribe to Reading with a chance of Tacos and recieve Bonus Episodes: https://apple.co/3ETviTu

Today’s guest enjoys exploring themes of being Australian, Muslim, and little bit mischievous. She grew up in Western Australia with six siblings, so there was always plenty of adventure and stories to draw on. She went on to be a journalist, a primary school teacher and later a mum, where more stories grew, until one day she thought maybe she could put these funny stories together. Today, she is the author of Huda and me and Huda was here. She’s popped in today to share her author journey, offer up some tips for aspiring authors and talk all about her awesome books. Everybody please welcome, Huda Hayek.  

Deb Hudson is an illustrator whose passion has always been to draw happy and colourful things that evoke emotion and thought in the viewer – the dreamy joy, and wonder-filled moments of the everyday. She’s popped in today to chat about all things illustration. From picture books to greeting cards, what’s out there for illustrators to build a career from their drawings.  Plus, if you'd like to be illustrator or an author of kids books, subscribe to Taco Bonus Episodes here: https://apple.co/3ETviTu    

Tips on Writing a Graphic Novel Sean E Avery is the international best-selling author of Frank’s Red Hat. He’s popped in today to share his process of writing a graphic novel. He shares how he taps into what kids want, what kids find funny, and how to format a graphic novel. With strong characters and a willingness to write a page per day, Sean shows how a graphic novel comes together. And, we chat about his new graphic novel, Friendly Bee. https://apple.co/3ETviTu

Join some of Australia's best loved kids authors and illustrators as they gather together in celebration in country Victoria as part of the 2023 Bendigo Writers Festival.  Authors and illustrators will be reading their books, creating activities based on thier books, and participating in interactive shows for kids of all ages.  We chat with four of these amazing creators on today's show about why these festivals are so important to regional areas, authors, illustrators, kids, parents, and all who love children's literature.  For more info on the festival, click website here: https://www.bendigowritersfestival.com.au/

Today’s guests are 3 aspiring authors who have just signed their very first book contracts. They tell us what it’s like working with a publishing team for the first time. They share what they’ve learned about the process, and what their expectations are when their books hit the world.  Tracey Dembo, Jemima Shafei-ongu and Kiralee Strong chat openly about their experiences, from rejections to getting that first “Yes!” Don’t miss the three of them chatting together about their expectations, goals and their awesome new books. How they worked to get their publishing deals and what other aspiring authors can take from it.  To subscribe to Reading with a chance of Tacos Community, Click here https://apple.co/3ETviTu

Caz Goodwin is an award-winning author of picture books, short stories, poetry, and junior fiction for children. And has been published internationally. She heads the Society of Children’s book writers and illustrators (scbwi) in Victoria and is on the Young Australian Best Book Awards (yabba). She’s popped in today to chat about her new picture book, her author journey, and how she goes about penning a picture book. Plus, Rory H Mather drops in for the segment, What's the Story, Rory?

Today’s topic is creating space for diverse books in the market. And, we’re focussing on cultural diversity.  We’re going to hear two sides of publishing spectrum. We’ll hear from the authors of two amazing books about to hit our shelves, and the publishing staff who have signed on to work with these books.  Everybody please welcome, author Crystal Corocher, the publisher of Wombat Books Rochelle Stephens, Author Sandhya Parappukkaran, and editor from Hardie Grant Publishing Joanna Wong.  If you'd like to learn to write for kids and get published, subscribe to our Taco Bonus Episodes right here. https://apple.co/3ETviTu

Lian Tanner has been dynamited while scuba diving, arrested while busking. Spent a week in the jungles of Papua New Guinea hunting for a Japanese soldier left over from the Second World War. She’s a real wild child. And a menace to society. But lucky for us, she is one of this country’s finest and best-selling authors of books for kids. We’ve dragged her away from her beautiful beach in southern Tasmania, to chat about her amazing new book Spellhound. Along with her writing process, and tips on developing a story from a sketchbook of ideas.  Plus, Liv reviews two books: Grace and Mr Milligan and Anchored. Don't forget, if you'd like to learn more on the craft of writing for kids, tune in to our Bonus Episodes, chock full of quality content from the best kidlit creators in the country. Click here to subscribe to Bonus Episodes: https://apple.co/3ETviTu  

Janeen Brian and Cherie Dignam are the author and illustrator of a new and wonderful book titled, The Fixit Princess. They’ve both popped in today to share their process for working on their new book, how it came to be, and even offer up a few tips.   Plus, have you ever been rejected? Felt like giving up? That this writing thing is just not going to happen for you? Well, due to popular demand, we’re bring rejection back into favour. Don't miss our tips on rejection.