18: Climbing The Magic Faraway Tree

Get ready for an unforgettable chat on Parishay's Book Club. Today, Parishay is joined by the incredible North Island educator and author, Kimberley Kearney. Together they are celebrating her absolutely gorgeous picture book, The Lost Words, which is beautifully illustrated by Taylor Terewai Tiave. This is a finalist for the 2026 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. In this episode, Kimberley opens up about her personal Ngati Maniapoto and Tuhoe heritage, sharing how she transformed her family history into this stunning masterpiece. She also shares some professional tips on how you can craft your very own cultural stories from scratch. The fun keeps going when we play a fast paced imagination game together, using beautiful te reo Māori kupu to build epic starters. Finally, we wrap everything up with a very special word collector challenge for our young listeners. This show was broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin - oar.org.nz and made thanks to the support of NZ on Air.

Step into the fascinating world of the past on this special episode of Parishay’s Book Club! Ten-year-old host Parishay is joined in the studio by Professor Tony Ballantyne, a distinguished historian and remarkable non-fiction author. Tune in as they dive into his latest book, Captain Cook and the Unsettled Afterlives of Empire, exploring how history changes depending on who is telling the story, why listening to diverse perspectives matters, and how we can connect with our local roots. Tony also shares brilliant, practical tips and tricks for young writers looking to dive into non-fiction research, turn history into a treasure hunt, and write true stories that keep readers completely hooked. Plus, hear about this week's fun listener challenge to interview an elder and become a family historian! This show was broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin - oar.org.nz and made thanks to the support of NZ on Air.

Ever wondered how a simple spark of inspiration can turn into a beloved children's book? Join Parishay and author-editor, Lisa Dick on Parishay's Book Club for a heart warming chat. Lisa shares the fascinating 18-year journey behind her debut picture book, The Baby Sleeps. From an idea struck while pushing her oldest son in a pram to notes kept safe in a bedside drawer for a decade, Lisa opens up about the creative process. Tune in as Parishay and Lisa chat about zooming from outer space back to earth, collaborating with illustrator Laura Bee, and balancing family life with writing. Plus, Lisa shares brilliant publishing tips for aspiring young writers, reads her favourite passage, and joins a fun art challenge set by Parishay. This show was broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin - oar.org.nz and made thanks to the support of NZ on Air.

Get ready for a magical celebration of NZ Children's Book Week on Parishay's Book Club! In this very special episode Parishay welcomes the amazing award winning author Swapna Haddow to the studio. You probably know Swapna from her hilarious books like Dave Pigeon, Bad Panda, and My Mum is a Lioness. Together they dive deep into the fascinating world of story creation. Swapna reveals her favourite writing spots and shares exactly how she dreams up such brilliant ideas for young readers. The duo also discusses the absolute best ways to motivate tamariki to put down their screens and fall completely in love with reading. The fun reaches a whole new level when Parishay challenges Swapna to a hilarious game of The Story Starter testing her on the spot imagination with tiny glowing dragons, spooky library books, and a talking pet parrot! Listeners are also given an exciting backyard writing challenge. Tune in to uncover the ultimate secrets of becoming an author and let your imagination fly. This show was broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin - oar.org.nz and made thanks to the support of NZ on Air.

As we are entering into NZ Children's Book Week, let us talk about one perfect book series! Who could be a better guest for this special occasion than Cam, a fantastic 10 year old reader, because we are celebrating in style! Parishay sits down with Cam to discuss his absolute favourite pick, diving headfirst into the mysterious and gloomy world of Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire. From decoding secret messages to dodging the villainous Count Olaf and his absolutely terrible disguises, this episode is packed with non stop suspense. Discover exactly why this epic 13 book saga keeps readers totally hooked despite the tragic tales. Plus, listen in as Cam takes on a hilarious survival game to see if he can outsmart the main villain using only everyday objects! Grab your magnifying glasses, tune in, and get ready to uncover the truth behind the VFD. This show was broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin - oar.org.nz and made thanks to the support of NZ on Air.