Between the bookshelves: A NSW Premier's Reading Challenge podcast
Between the bookshelves: A NSW Premier's Reading Challenge podcast
Podcast Description
Ever felt overwhelmed at the prospect of recommending a book to a reluctant or voracious reader?
Join Jade Arnold, the Premier’s Program Officer Reading and Spelling at The Arts Unit, every Friday for conversations with Australian authors, teacher librarians, PRC school coordinators, and education experts. Listen to book pitches, recommendations on what to read next, and strategies to develop a love of reading in a school library setting.
Designed with teacher librarians in mind, Between the bookshelves aims to make the process of recommending what to read a little less overwhelming!
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast emphasizes themes such as promoting a love of reading, exploring diverse narratives, and providing practical strategies for teacher librarians. Episodes feature Australian authors discussing their books and share insights into cultural representation, challenges in writing, and the importance of school libraries, with examples like Lisa Fuller discussing themes in Ghost Bird and Ashleigh Barton addressing grief in How to Sail to Somewhere.
Ever felt overwhelmed at the prospect of recommending a book to a reluctant or voracious reader?
Join Jade Arnold, the Premier’s Program Officer Reading and Spelling at The Arts Unit, every Friday for conversations with Australian authors, teacher librarians, PRC school coordinators, and education experts. Listen to book pitches, recommendations on what to read next, and strategies to develop a love of reading in a school library setting.
Designed with teacher librarians in mind, Between the bookshelves aims to make the process of recommending what to read a little less overwhelming!
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, Remy shares the inspirations behind her books, her love of graphic novels, and how she balances humour, horror, and heart in her storytelling. Remy also shares her Between the bookshelves pitch for all of her titles, as well as her recommendations for what readers should try next.
We also explore her Surviving the Wild series for younger readers, the role of family and friendship in her work, and why graphic novels deserve a place on every child’s bookshelf.
Whether you’re a dog lover, a fan of spooky reads, or just curious about the creative process, this conversation is packed with insights, laughs, and fantastic book recommendations for young readers.
This is our final podcast for 2025, but stay tuned for new and exciting episodes in 2026!
Disclaimer
This podcast’s information is provided for general reference and was obtained from publicly accessible sources. The Podcast Collaborative neither produces nor verifies the content, accuracy, or suitability of this podcast. Views and opinions belong solely to the podcast creators and guests.
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