Are you buying children’s books your kids will love — or ones you’ll secretly dread reading for the hundredth time? On this episode of The Parenting Police, host Sean Szeps is joined by ARIA-winning Australian musician and celebrated children’s author Josh Pyke to debate what makes a children’s book truly worth bringing into your home.

With a dozen children’s books to his name, Josh knows a thing or two about telling stories kids and their parents love. He shares how becoming a dad inspired his writing, why the best children’s books need to entertain parents as well as kids, and how stories can help families explore big emotions like grief, memory and loss.

Sean and Josh also put a number of children’s books under the microscope, tackling some big questions: Are celebrity authors helping reluctant readers discover a love of books? Do wordless picture books deserve a place on the shelf? Are expensive pop-up books worth the inevitable damage? And have we made children’s stories too safe by avoiding the strange, scary and uncomfortable?

From books that spark meaningful conversations to stories children want to revisit again and again, this episode is packed with thoughtful insights, lively debate and inspiration for your next trip to the bookshop.

LINKS :

• Follow @joshpyke on Instagram
• Josh's latest album Kingdom Within is out now
• Check out Josh's books

MORE FROM SEAN SZEPS:

• Watch The Parenting Police on YouTube
• Follow Sean (@seanszeps) on Instagram
• Like Sean on Facebook

CREDITS:

• Host: Sean Szeps
• Guest: Josh Pyke
• Video Producer/Editor: Aidan Parkes
• Theme song co-written and produced by Josh Pyke
• Executive Producer: Damien Haffenden
• Managing Producer: Ceci Herbert
• Follow @novapodcastsofficial on Instagram for videos from the podcast and behind-the-scenes content

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