Former television producer, Ian Brown, has worked some of the most famous people in the world, including Harrison Ford, Michael Caine, Pierce Brosnan, Simon Cowell, George Lucas, Gordon Ramsay, George Michael, Jamie Oliver, Jonah Lomu and several Prime Ministers and US Presidents. Now, he's fulfilling a lifelong dream of writing books.

Award-winning children's author and London-based writer, Ian, chats with host Shara Curlett about what has led to his successful series of picture books, Albert the Tortoise and his new series, Hugg 'n' Bugg, all illustrated by the talented Eoin Colfer.

Ian recounts early creative influences—constant doodling, radio comedy like The Goons, being read Paddington books, and English teachers who encouraged his writing—then traces his path from selling shoes to journalism, local and national newspapers at the tail end of Fleet Street, and a 40+ year television career including This Is Your Life, where he worked with major celebrities and shares a story how he rewrote an entire show the morning of airing, when George Michael flew in on Concorde.

Now, Ian is a full-time author. He shares the inspiration behind his award-winning picture book series, Ian's family tortoise Albert, one of which received a nomination for a Carnegie Medal. Ian visits dozens of schools, libraries, bookshops, festivals and other events each year sharing stories of his career, becoming a writer, the importance of resilience and perseverance to chase goals as well as reading his books. His books are also available as ebooks and audio books and have been translated into multiple languages. There are activity books, merch, and also an animated show in the works!

Ian shares how he does a lot of work for and supports numerous UK literacy charities, they discuss the concern for school libraries and librarians disappearing. And, to finish, Ian shares Albert’s large social media presence, and notes plans for his hopes to visit Australia for events.

LINKS:

Albert and Christmas - Big W

Albert and Christmas - Booktopia

Albert the Tortoise website - www.alberttortoise.com

Albert the Tortoise on Facebook

Albert the Tortoise on X

Albert the Tortoise on Instagram

Albert the Tortoise on TikTok

Wales Publisher - Graffeg Books

Australian Distributor - Peribo Books

Follow The KidLit Pod on Instagram (@thekidlitpod)

Find out more about The KidLit Pod host, Shara Curlett, here:

Shara Curlett on Instagram (@sharacurlett)

Shara Curlett Website (www.sharacurlett.com)

Best-selling creative duo, Ben Wood and Andrew McDonald, delve deep into the world of pigeons, twigs, and their new spin-off series in this jam (and bread)-packed episode.

In this episode, host Shara Curlett chats with illustrator Ben and author Andrew, both Melbourne-based, whose work has been translated into 26 languages and recognized by major Australian book awards.

Ben and Andrew discuss how creativity shaped their childhoods, their paths into publishing, and how Real Pigeons originated from Andrew’s observations of humans vs. pigeons, alongside a museum-inspired “fancy pigeon” concept. Whilst Ben shares his introduction to the publishing world, alongside how his illustrative style was discovered via Instagram, despite having been already published.

The duo explain their collaborative process balancing text, comics, pacing, and humour. Ben shares his illustrative process, and how all of the line work in Real Pigeons is pencil-on-paper. They also discuss using research and building an ongoing idea lists to create a long arc across the series.

They address books as an antidote to tech/AI and emphasise the need for creative problem-solving, before announcing a super top secret new project - a Real Pigeons spin-off, Homey: Special Agent Pigeon, launching March 2027 featuring Homey, and new sidekick Flykick!

Shara also shares her love for the Hello Twigs books, and how a particular one - Surprise! - entered her family rituals.

Ben and Andrew finish the episode by sharing their current reads, love of graphic novels, and lastly, their favourite book in the Real Pigeons series.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

LINKS:

Real Pigeons Trap Snacks - Book 14 in the Real Pigeons series

Real Pigeons Website - realpigeons.com

Hello Twigs Website - hellotwigs.com

Ben Wood on Instagram - @benwoodillustrator

Ben Wood Website - benwood.com.au

Andrew McDonald on Instagram - mrandrewmcdonald

Andrew McDonald Website - mrandrewmcdonald.com

Follow The KidLit Pod on Instagram (@thekidlitpod)

Find out more about The KidLit Pod host, Shara Curlett, here:

Shara Curlett on Instagram (@sharacurlett)

Shara Curlett Website (www.sharacurlett.com)

Married creative collaborators Marc McBride (Deltora Quest illustrator) and Sofie Laguna (author and 2015 Miles Franklin Award winner), share the individual and joint paths that brought them to the incredible creation of Blunderbore - a new, fractured fairytale graphic novel that is truly mind-blowing.

Throughout this episode, Sofie and Marc share how creativity shaped their childhoods and careers. Sofie describes moving from law to acting, working as a jobbing actor (including being a fairy at children’s parties), studying writing at RMIT, and the path to publishing her first contracted picture book, My Yellow Blanket, with illustrator Tom Jellett, which has recently been re-published.

Marc recounts early drawing and storytelling, studying design, art-busking on the sidewalks of Ireland, as well as producing murals around the world. He did set-design work before his break through contributions to Revelation Magazine, which led to illustration contracts. Soon after moving to Sydney, Marc landed a contract to illustrate the covers of Deltora Quest, which gained worldwide recognition and awards.

Sofie and Marc discuss their 'meet-cute' at a children's book festival in 2005, sharing the social demands of festivals and school visits. Sofie then shares her vulnerable Miles Franklin award-winning experience while caring for a young baby.

The chat then moves into the years-long evolution of Marc's dream project - the fractured-fairy-tale graphic novel Blunderbore, written by Sofie and illustrated by Marc, as well as the art's various iterations through other children's novels Sofie wrote, as well as The Glimme by Emily Rodda.

Blunderbore releases 27 October 2026 with a Halloween launch at Mill Park Library, Melbourne.

LINKS:

Blunderbore

Marc McBride on Instagram - @marcmcbride2

Marc McBride Website - marcmcbride.com

Deltora Quest

Sofie Laguna on Instagram - @sofielagunabooks

Sofie Laguna Website - sofielaguna.com

The Eye of the Sheep - 2015 Miles Franklin Award winning novel

Follow The KidLit Pod on Instagram (@thekidlitpod)

Find out more about The KidLit Pod host, Shara Curlett, here:

Shara Curlett on Instagram (@sharacurlett)

Shara Curlett Website (www.sharacurlett.com)