Introducing The KidLit Pod

Introducing The KidLit Pod: A New Industry-Wide Conversation on Children’s Books

The Kid Lit Pod is a new podcast launching in June 2026, hosted by Shara Curlett, author of the middle grade fantasy novel Welcome to Miracle (Scholastic Australia, 2025) and the upcoming series Protector of Beyond (Penguin Australia, releasing September 2026).

The KidLit Pod will be focused on inspiring creativity in kids and exploring connection, play, children’s neurological development, and the impact of devices. KLP will facilitate collective, industry-wide discussions about the importance of children’s books. Featuring Australian and New Zealand creators and industry professionals, the show will share opinions, ideas, research, and science through conversations with marketing teams, booksellers, librarians, teachers, specialists, publishers, as well as authors and illustrators, to uncover the stories behind the stories. We'll also be having a monthly hang with some kidlit friends (KLP Hang).

 The KidLit Pod will premiere on 2 June, with an episode featuring H.P. Fryer.

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)

Transcript

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Introducing The KidLit Pod

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[00:00:01] The Kid Lit Pod is a new podcast set to launch in June 2026. KLP will be joining a wonderful network of podcasts already talking about kidlit, and in my opinion, there can't be enough discussions about children's literature. I'm your host, Shara Curlett, author of the middle grade fantasy novel, Welcome to Miracle, published by Scholastic Australia in 2025. As well as the upcoming middle grade fantasy series Protector of Beyond, published by Penguin Australia, and set for release September 2026.

[00:00:32] I'm passionate about inspiring creativity in kids. I have a strong interest in the importance of connection and play, as well as the neurological development of children and how devices are impacting this. The focus of KLP will therefore be a collective industry-wide discussion with Australian and New Zealand creators and industry professionals, as well as others. We will share opinions, thoughts, ideas, research, and science around the importance of children's books and what we're doing about it.

[00:00:58] This is not any single person's job. It's a mammoth joint effort. A team of people all creating, discussing, sharing, and celebrating in the hopes of capturing children's hearts and minds. Because we all have the same objective: to make and talk about books that kids want to read.

[00:01:14] I'll be chatting with marketing teams to discuss trends and changes, booksellers to share their first-hand observations, librarians and teachers to understand their experiences at the ground level, specialists, including psychologists, to discuss the importance of reading for a child's brain, publishers around how they are continually adapting and pivoting, and for aspiring and published authors and illustrators, we'll delve deep to uncover the stories behind the stories.

[00:01:38] I can't wait to join the discussion. I already have some epic chats lined up, and I'll also be having a monthly kidlit hang with some friends within the kidlit industry. So, add the KidLit Pod to your favorites and look forward to our first episode with H.P. Fryer.