Episode 17 - Listen Up!
Rebecca Herrmann is the Founder and Publisher at Bolinda Audio, Australia's number one audiobook publisher. Since its inception nearly 25 years ago, Bolinda audio has grown to be one of the most dominant audiobook brands in the world. Bolinda is market leader in the public library market in Australia, New Zealand and the UK as supplier of audiobooks and large print books and through its digital download solution BorrowBox.
Bolinda is widely recognised for their quality audiobooks, taking out the Audiobook of the Year Award at the ABIA awards in both 2017 and 2018, the first two years the category has been included.
Bolinda offers a wide range of children's audiobook titles, from classics like Charlotte's Web and the Magic Faraway Tree to the latest titles from authors like Andy Griffiths, Jen Storer and Sally Rippin.
Find them at your local bookshop or on their website www.bolinda.com or you can download them through audible.com or the iTunes store.
Keep an eye (or an ear) out for Morris Gleitzman's new book Help Around the House, which was being recorded in the Bolinda studios the day we interviewed Rebeccca.
Kids Capers - Stig Wemyss narrates Serena's story
STIG WEMYSS:
Stig Wemyss is Australia’s most loved narrator of audio books for children and young adults.
Stig has narrated millions of audio books…
Okay not millions. Stig has narrated thousands of audio books….
Yeah alright….hundreds….
Okay six.
Actually, we don’t know exactly how many books Stig has narrated but a huge amount of them are listed here. If you see one you haven’t heard yet, just click here and it will take you straight to the Bolinda website, where you can buy it immediately. Maybe you can listen to them all and let us know how many Stig has actually narrated?
Stig’s performances in libraries and schools around the country have become notorious with children and adults alike. His shows are wildly entertaining, cleverly irreverent and chocked full of fun. Maybe Stig is appearing at YOUR local library. You can find out at Live Appearances. And if he’s not, you need to do something to change that. You need go all Hawaii Five-O on his ass, and Book Him, Dano!
Stig is the Author of The Tripp Diaries. An audio book series written specifically for audio. If you love listening to Stig read books by Andy Griffiths, Paul Jennings, Tim Winton and and others, you’ll love this original, hysterical series designed to listen to in the car with your family on a long drive…or a short drive, depending where you live.
Find out more about Stig:
Website: www.stig.com.au
Facebook: www.facebook.com/stig.com.au
SERENA'S STORY: 'The Loneliest Fish In The Sea'
Call me Lumpy. That’s my nickname, you’ll find out why soon. I’m an Anglerfish. I live at the very bottom of the deepest and darkest part of the sea where it’s quiet, and easy to get lonely. The only light I have comes from a glowing ball dangling from a fishing rod-like tentacle that grows out from my head. It helps me attract fish - like moths to a light bulb. I like it because it makes me feel less lonely down here.
I may be an Anglerfish, but what I’d rather be is an ‘Angel’ fish - the most beautiful fish that live much higher up where the sea turns blue. Instead I’m covered in lumps, bumps and prickly spines that’ll even frighten some sharks away. Every time I swim up there to make friends they just make fun of how different I look. Mum and Dad once told me that there’s no point looking pretty if no one can see you. I may look ugly, but inside I’m not.
I once tried to be friends with a school of different types of fish in it. There was an octopus with nine legs. “What’s with the extra leg?” I asked him. “It helps me swim faster than you with that tiny useless tail of yours,” he said.
A clown fish swam over, but upside down. I thought he was trying to be funny. I asked, “Is there a problem with your swim-bladder, clown fish?”
He proudly replied, “I swim upside down on purpose to attract other fish. I’m perfectly normal, unlike you with that scary light bulb thing you have.”
Next an adult shark that still had his baby teeth said, with a deep voice, “My small teeth make me look less scary, unlike you with the ugliest and most frightening teeth I have ever seen! How can anyone be your friend?”
Finally a bloated Puffer fish swam over saying, “I may look like I’ve had too much to drink, but at least I don’t have an ugly, lumpy body like yours!” he said.
I know a mean fish when I see one, but they were all hiding the truth about the way they look. So with a burst of courage I explained, “We all have something in common, don’t you see? We are all different in some way.” They all looked confused. “We don’t have anything in common with an ugly, lumpy, big mouthed, weird looking fish like you,” said the octopus in a really mean voice, to which I replied, “But I can show you lots of cool tricks.”
But the fish were not interested and thought I was completely strange and swam away. I pleaded, “If you change your mind and want to become my friend (that includes you, reader) you know where to find me!”
I think I’ll just stay here in the dark until someone friendly comes along. I’ll even leave my light on.
Finalists' stories
'The Walking Bread' by TOBY
One morning Toby got up to watch his favourite TV show, How to Build Your Own Household Gadgets and Gizmos. Toby loved the show so much that had memorised most of the episodes. He opened his bedroom curtains to the sight of an army of walking human-sized slices of bread carrying trident-like forks. Toby thought he might still be dreaming, so he raced downstairs, and tore open the family room curtains. To his shock, his neighbours were being chased by several slices of bread, and the bread was gaining on them!
Toby grabbed the toaster and started to run outside, but something caught his eye on the TV. The newsreader was lying on the ground and a slice of bread was in front of the camera and was speaking out of a huge mouth that was dripping with jam.
“For years humans have sliced and eaten bread, but now we’re going to get revenge. We’re going to eat Australia’s population, one painful bite at a time,” said the bread. “You may not be as tasty as us, but revenge will certainly taste sweet.”
Toby ran outside with the toaster but a slice of bread noticed him. It ran at Toby and stabbed at him with its fork. But the bread got distracted by a bird pecking at its crust, and the fork accidentally went inside the toaster instead. There was a blinding flash of light and the bread was electrocuted and burnt to ashes. The smell of burnt toast filled the air, and the other slices of bread were alerted to what was happening. They charged at Toby, holding their tridents high.
Toby quickly dashed back inside, slammed the door and locked all the windows. He was surprised that the toaster worked, so he quickly drew up plans for GIANT toasters. Everyone had always laughed at Toby for loving a TV show that was “only for parents”, but he knew it would come in handy one day, and that day was today!
Toby called his friends Samuel and Harry, and told them to arm themselves with their toasters and come to his house as quickly as possible. They worked all day and night, and finally built three giant toasters. Toby climbed into one of the toasters and set off, with Samuel and Harry in toasters close behind. It took them about a week, stopping occasionally to eat and sleep in the living quarters of their giant toasters, but Toby and his friends finally toasted every giant slice of bread in Australia in time for Sunday morning breakfast. They had a big toast feast as a reward for saving the whole country.
Toby got a nickname around Australia, “The Bread Beater” and Harry and Samuel got Nobel Prizes for their bravery. They had a happy life and ate lots of bread (but they always had it toasted!).
'Flop' by THEA
Chapter 1
“Cluck, cluck.” Flop, the chicken climbed to the top of her hutch and jumped off. Flop wished she could fly but she always flopped to the ground whenever she tried. At least she was a good climber, which was lucky because Flop liked to keep far away from all the leaves that fell on the ground in autumn. She hated leaves and there were leaves all over the floor of her hutch. She had to eat off leaves and she had to sleep on leaves. Leaves gave her nightmares.
One day, a leaf fell on Flop and she got really scared and started to climb a tree as tall as the Eiffel tower. That’s how she learnt she could really climb. But when she got high up in the tree she saw the tree had thousands of leaves. When the breeze blew, the leaves grew closer to Flop. She had to get out.
Chapter 2
Flop panicked. She needed to sleep. It was the only way she could think of a plan but suddenly, a leaf came out of nowhere. Flop curled into a ball then she did a huge leap and climbed onto the biggest branch and then leapt up and wrapped her wings around a large, pretty bird. She climbed onto its back but the bird lost its focus and landed in another tree. Flop fell. She was in a huge tree with even more leaves than the last one.
Chapter 3
Flop looked around. A new tree and not just that, there was a cat. Cats love chickens. Chickens, well, they don’t love cats as much, especially if the cat was licking its lips. Suddenly the cat pounced and the leaves rumbled. The only way out was up. Further and further up Flop climbed, way up high. When Flop looked down, she remembered one thing - chickens can’t fly. How would Flop get down without falling or being eaten when she was surrounded by terrifying leaves?
Chapter 4
The cat looked at Flop and suddenly did a secret pounce so Flop did not know until she was being chased. Flop leapt onto the roof of a house. She saw something like a chicken hutch and ran to it but the cat followed. She stopped and looked down at the hutch. It was really a chimney and at the bottom there were lots and lots of leaves. But the cat was behind her and she took a chance and jumped then whoosh, she landed in the pile of leaves. Lucky, she thought.
“Look, a chicken. Can we keep him?” Said the little girl inside the house.
“Yes” said Dad
“Where will she sleep?” said Mum.
“In the old Dog’s bed. It is empty now.” Said a little boy.
Flop ran to the bed and snuggled up with a dog-toy and fell asleep. She was glad she landed in leaves but she was even more glad she would never have to sleep in leaves ever again.
Whatcha Readin?
Kate recommends The Wizards of Once by Cressida Cowell, narrated by David Tennant.
Liz recommends a collection of audio picture books, featuring three books written by Margaret Wild - Miss Lily’s Fabulous Pink Feather Boa, My Dearest Dinosaur, and The Pocket Dogs - narrated by Rebecca Macauley.
www.booktopia.com.au/audio-books/the-margaret-wild-collection-margaret-wild/prod9781740948586.html
Nat recommends Danny Best - Me First written by Jen Storer and narrated by Alan King.
www.booktopia.com.au/audio-books/me-first--jen-storer/prod9781489426826.html
Shout-out
Our very own Nat got a shoutout this episode for signing a two-book deal with Penguin Random House. We are super excited for her and can't wait for her first book to come out mid-next year!
Check out her hilarious announcement video, her new website and follow her on social media for all the bookish updates.
Website: www.natamoore.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/NatAmooreWriter
Twitter: www.twitter.com/nat_amoore
Instagram: www.instagram.com/nat_amoore
On Our Radar
On Kate's radar is the Wheeler Centre’s Wheeler Kids Program. These events book out fast so make sure you keep up tp date with what's coming up on the program on their website www.wheelercentre.com/events/series/wheeler-kids
Their program includes these awesome upcoming events:
The Silver Sea Workshop
At this free Wheeler Kids event, Alison Lester and Jane Godwin will read from The Silver Sea – and then lead a hands-on art workshop. Hear an unforgettable story before creating your very own sea creature with two of the best in the biz!
Art Journal Workshop
Asphyxia will explain how she uses her journal to record her daily experiences and observations, and how she makes her art journal a point of inspiration for her creative work. Participants will then get the chance to start, or build on, their own journals – mixing writing, collage and illustration.
www.wheelercentre.com/events/wheeler-kids-art-journal-workshop
Competition Details
A huge thank you to Bolinda Audio this episode, because they have been generous enough to provide a real ripper of a giveaway. We have Polly and Buster - The Mystery of the Magic Stones, by Sally Rippin, narrated by Roslyn Oades, The Tashi Collection by Anna and Barbara Fienberg narrated by Stig Wemyss and The 104-Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton, which is also narrated by Stig. They will all come on MP3 CD for however you like to listen to them.
Head to our WIN page and tell us who you would pick to narrate your favourite book on audio. Enter your answer (or ask a parent to) by 5pm Tuesday 2nd October to be in the running.
Other Bits & Pieces
The BorrowBox app makes it easy to browse, borrow and read or listen to your library’s eBooks and eAudiobooks anywhere, everywhere. If BorrowBox is available through your local library you can simply login with your member details to access the library’s collection of eBooks and eAudiobooks.
Find the BorrowBox App on iTunes or Google Play to get started.
Thanks
To illustrator Marianne Khoo for designing the One More Page podcast logo and other associated images.
Want to know more?
Find us online at:
Facebook: @onemorepageAU
Twitter: @onemorepageAU
Instagram: @onemorepageAU
You can also tag us on social media with: #onemorepageAU
Do you have any feedback or suggestions for future episodes? Want to share with us what you’re reading? Email us at onemorepagepodcast@gmail.com or send us a message through our CONTACT page.