This is the first time my name has ever been up in fluorescent green and teal. And it’s for an extended online radio project that I found as stimulating and rewarding as any with which I’ve recently been involved.

Twelve months ago, author Sally Rippin and educator/ librarian Paula Kelly were on Kulya Coulston’s Triple R ‘Grapevine’ program talking about literacy rates, and the crisis this country faces in terms of the huge percentage of Australians with less than level three literacy. They spoke for about ten minutes, and Sally came out and said, ‘we could have spoken for hours ‘.

It triggered an idea, and to conincide with 2012 being the Year of Reading, ‘Talking Reading’ is the result. It is a series of 4 x 1 hour broadcasts directed at literacy through the ascending age brackets, and it incorporates authors, illustrators, literacy experts, academics, tech heads, book reviewers, and most importantly (for those wanting to hear the occasional bitch about why The Elephant in the Roomdidn’t find a publisher) ― me.

Some sections, including the interview with Children’s Laureate Alison Lester, have already aired on Triple R and through the CBAA.

But the full series has only launced this week. Special thanks to Kulya who did so much work producing. Talking Reading is brought to you in the National Year of Reading by the State Library of Victoria and Triple R FM.

Listen at ABC’s The Pool, on our Soundcloud page or below.

Each episode is guaranteed to both bulletproof the country’s literacy future and provide kick-arse Christmas present recommendations.

Program 1 The foundation stones – 0-4 years
Guests
Associate Professor Pamela Snow: Speech pathologist and clinical psychologist with Monash University’s Regional Clinical School
Alison Lester: Australia’s inaugural children’s laureate and much loved author/illustrator
Technology and app reviews for young children by Daniel Donahoo: Technology journalist and Wired magazine’s ‘Geek Dad’ with
Must-read children’s book reviews by Kim Kane: acclaimed author of children’s books

Program 2 Learning to Read – 5-8 years
Guests
Sarah Mayor-Cox: lecturer in children’s and young adult literature at La Trobe University Bendigo
Leigh Hobbs: Artist, author and illustrator and creator of some of the most distinctive children’s book characters including Mr Chicken, Horrible Harriet and Old Tom.
Technology and app reviews for young children by Daniel Donahoo: Technology journalist and Wired magazine’s ‘Geek Dad’ with
Must-read children’s book reviews by Kim Kane: acclaimed author of children’s books.

Program 3 Developing critical readers – 9-13 years
Dr Martyn Wild: Director of Intuitive Media Australia, creator of Superclubs Plus
Jane Godwin: Publisher, Books for Children and Young Adults, at Penguin Books and also a highly acclaimed author
Technology reviews with Kelly Gardiner: Online Learning Manager with State Library of Victoria
Book reviews with Adele Walsh: Program Coordinator for the Centre for Youth Literature

Program 4 Reaching beyond level 3 literacy
Miffy Farquharson: blogger and teacher-librarian at Mentone Grammar School
Cath Crowley: Author of young adult fiction, won the 2011 Prime Minister’s literary award for YA for Graffiti Moon
Technology reviews with Kelly Gardiner: Online Learning Manager with State Library of Victoria
Book reviews with Adele Walsh: Program Coordinator for the Centre for Youth Literature

This special with Shaun Tan, Andy Griffiths and Boori Monty Pryor was recorded at Triple R early in the year.