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Season 2, Ep 11 – Solo Dan Welcome to season two of Story Surprise. This season, we are focused on impactful stories, diversity, representation, and inclusion!  All families are different. Some people are born into their family while other families are made up of people who are not bound by blood but instead by love. Today we are exploring the many different kinds of families. Who is in your family? About the book: A story for all the wonderful people who open their hearts and homes to children who need a place to belong. Drum roll please, on your knees…. It’s time for Story Surprise.  Story: ‘Solo Dan’ by Teena Raffa-Mulligan & Kym Langfield Song: ‘Beary Best Friend’ by Anthony & Lauren and Dominic from Story Surprise Introductions: Sophie Collins  This podcast is proudly presented by The Moonee Valley City Council as part of the Clocktower Centre Podcast residency program, in conjunction with Little Rockers Radio.  Our Links @storysurpriseau Website: www.storysurprise.com.au YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/storysurpriseau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storysurpriseau Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/storysurpriseau Tik Tok: www.tiktok.com/@storysurpriseau   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Did you know that some kids have the most magical and extraordinary ability to think in worlds that most of us could never even fathom! We call this neurodiversity. Sadly, neurodiverse children often feel like they come from another planet, and they are in a world of their own. This podcast celebrates neurodiverse children! About the book:A story about imagination, belief and adventure… it’s out of this world. Let’s go to space! Drum roll please, on your knees…. It’s time for Story Surprise. Story: ‘Koalas in Space’ by Eliza Cooper, illustrated by Binx in collaboration with Funky Sock Co. Song: ‘Let’s Go on an Adventure’ by Anthony & Lauren from Story Surprise Introductions: Sophie Collins Get your reading socks from Funky Sock Co: www.funkysockco.com.au   This podcast is proudly presented by The Moonee Valley City Council as part of the Clocktower Centre Podcast residency program, in conjunction with Little Rockers Radio.   Our Links @storysurpriseau Website: www.storysurprise.com.au YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/storysurpriseau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storysurpriseau Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/storysurpriseau Tik Tok: www.tiktok.com/@storysurpriseau   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

There’s lots to celebrate here at Story Surprise. You’re invited to join us for celebrations at The Sharktown Strutters Ball. A tantalizing rhyming tale!  About the book:Get yourself down to the Sharktown Strutters Ball… for a night of exquisite delightment! Drum roll please, on your knees…. It’s time for Story Surprise.   Story: ‘The Sharktown Strutters Ball’ by Robert H. Price & Susan McLaren Song: ‘Take a Deep Breath’ by Anthony, Lauren & Dominic Woodhead Introductions: Sophie Collins Support us! Vote for Story Surprise in the Australian Podcast Awards: https://australianpodcastawards.com/vote     This podcast is proudly presented by The Moonee Valley City Council as part of the Clocktower Centre Podcast residency program, in conjunction with Little Rockers Radio.   Our Links @storysurpriseau Website: www.storysurprise.com.au YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/storysurpriseau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storysurpriseau Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/storysurpriseau Tik Tok: www.tiktok.com/@storysurpriseau See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

There are lots of different reasons why a person might move to a new country. They might move for an awesome opportunity to do something cool in a new place. They might move to a new country to experience a new culture. If they live in a country which is unsafe, they might be a refugee and start a new life in a new country which is safer. That’s an important reason to move to a new country. Today’s episode celebrates friends from around the world who have moved to Australia and now call Australia home.   About the book: War ends, yet its dark shadow remains, a family is forced to flee their home. As they journey through hunger, long cold nights and homelessness, a heart locket whispers words of hope. And a country that's faraway calls for those that are no longer wanted. It offers new beginnings and a precious place, once more to call home.    This is the perfect story time resource for initiating conversations about refugees and multiculturalism in our country. Lots of people move to Australia every day for lots of different reasons. It’s important that we make them feel welcome and part of our big Australian family.   Guest Storyteller: Tamanna Kaul helps us share today’s story. Tamanna and her family moved from India to Australia when she was a child. If you’d like to learn more about Tamanna’s story of coming to Australia, check out our Sit Down Session’s interview with Tamanna and mother on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/storysurpriseau Drum roll please, on your knees…. It’s time for Story Surprise.   Story: ‘Home’ by Karen Hendriks and Alisa Knatko https://www.daisylanepublishing.com/ Mick’s Mate: Dominic was born in Vietnam, lives in America and is moving to Australia in 2022! Song: ‘Happy Song’ by Anthony & Lauren Introductions: Sophie Collins Support us! Vote for Story Surprise in the Australian Podcast Awards: https://australianpodcastawards.com/vote   This podcast is proudly presented by The Moonee Valley City Council as part of the Clocktower Centre Podcast residency program, in conjunction with Little Rockers Radio.   Our Links @storysurpriseau Website: www.storysurprise.com.au YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/storysurpriseau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storysurpriseau Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/storysurpriseau Tik Tok: www.tiktok.com/@storysurpriseau We are proud to be nominated for ‘The Bullseye Award’ in the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On this episode of Story Surprise, Anthony & Lauren remind kids NOT to judge a book by its cover. Sometimes, things are not what they seem, and everyone is unique and special in their own way! About the book: Owl, Mouse, Snail, Bird, Lion, Bee, Hippo, and Bat are tired of all these idioms. They are sick of people who still use silly phrases to define them. Are you kidding? This cheeky story uses rhyme, repetition, and rhetorical questions to send a powerful message to the world. Being true to yourself is more valuable to the world than the opinions of others. This is the perfect story time resource for teaching children not to judge a book by its cover. Drum roll please, on your knees…. It’s time for Story Surprise. Story: ‘Are You Kidding Me’ by Trent Long, illustrated by Kris Lillyman Purchase here: https://www.amazon.com/Are-you-kidding-Trent-Long-ebook/dp/B09CDFJ4SF Mick’s Mate: Billi Song: ‘I’ve Got Spots’ – originally by Danielle Wheeler & Nick Davio, covered by Anthony & Lauren   This podcast is proudly presented by The Moonee Valley City Council as part of the Clocktower Centre Podcast residency program, in conjunction with Little Rockers Radio.   Story Surprise is recorded and produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung, and we acknowledge them as the Traditional Owners. We pay our respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging.   Our Links @storysurpriseau Website: www.storysurprise.com.au YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/storysurpriseau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storysurpriseau Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/storysurpriseau Tik Tok: www.tiktok.com/@storysurpriseau See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today’s Story Surprise is all about leading the way with self-worth. With a smart mind, you can plan and explore. With a strong body, you can jump and climb. With a kind heart you can love, care, and protect. These qualities make you truly beautiful inside and out!    About the book: After talking with Mum, Rosie believed she was the most beautiful girl in the whole entire world – but the day she met Penelope Pennington she wasn’t so sure. Penelope Pennington had the perfect hair, perfect clothes, the perfect shoes and even the perfect cat! So, when Rosie and Penelope unexpectedly walk home together, they both make some meaningful discoveries along the way. This is the perfect story time resource for teaching children that true beauty comes from character, self-acceptance, and compassion for others. Drum roll please, on your knees…. It’s time for Story Surprise. Story: ‘Rosie Leads the Way by Renee Irving Lee, illustrated by Lisa Coutts https://reneeirvinglee.com/ Mick’s Mate: Sophie Collins Song: ‘The Finger Family’ by Anthony, Lauren & Dominic Woodhead Check it out on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/0kyo9WTTVJGEwvO1e6XiVf?si=c53249059f7e4631   This podcast is proudly presented by The Moonee Valley City Council as part of the Clocktower Centre Podcast residency program, in conjunction with Little Rockers Radio.   Story Surprise is recorded and produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung, and we acknowledge them as the Traditional Owners. We pay our respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging.   Our Links @storysurpriseau Website: www.storysurprise.com.au YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/storysurpriseau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storysurpriseau Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/storysurpriseau Tik Tok: www.tiktok.com/@storysurpriseau See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Come Home Ella Today’s story is about premature babies.  About Come Home Ella: My baby sister couldn’t wait to see the world. That’s why she came so early. She probably didn’t realise she would be stuck inside the hospital. She probably didn’t know that I wouldn’t be allowed to see her. Come Home Ella light heartedly follows the journey of a family after their baby’s early arrival. Told through the eyes of Baby Ella’s older sibling, it aims to educate children about premature babies and help families experiencing similar situations deal with the emotions involved.  This is the perfect story time resource for initiating conversations about babies, siblings, and family with your kids! One in ten babies are born premature. Today’s podcast is dedicated to children who were premature babies, or the sibling of a premature baby. Welcoming a premmie baby into the world is a life changing experience for a family. We hope that by sharing this story children will feel less alone. Interested in learning more about how you can support premature or sick babies and their families? Or perhaps you are the parent or sibling of a premature baby and you’re seeking support? Check out our ‘Sit Down Session’ interview with Melinda from Miracle Babies Foundation: https://youtu.be/MPXVbGh_RmM Drum roll please, on your knees…. It’s time for Story Surprise.   Story: ‘Come Home Ella’ by Chelsea Davies, illustrated by Lisa Coutts http://www.empoweringresources.com.au/come-home-ella   Mick’s Mate: Mahli Ella (Chelsea’s Daughter and inspiration for the story) Song: ‘Germs!’ by Anthony, Lauren & Dominic Woodhead (Remember to wash your hands to get rid of germs before touching a newborn baby) Introductions: Pippa and Baxter Riley Support: https://www.miraclebabies.org.au/ This podcast is proudly presented by The Moonee Valley City Council as part of the Clocktower Centre Podcast residency program, in conjunction with Little Rockers Radio. Our Links @storysurpriseau Website: www.storysurprise.com.au YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/storysurpriseau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storysurpriseau Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/storysurpriseau Tik Tok: www.tiktok.com/@storysurpriseau  www.littlerockersradio.com.au See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Fun at Home! With Story Surprise & Friends Welcome to a very special BONUS edition of Story Surprise. This episode is for all children who are spending lots of time at home due to Covid. Have you run out of ways to keep the kids entertained? If your answer is “YES! (AHHHHH),” then pop on this podcast, pop on the kettle and pop into your comfiest seat because we’ve got you covered! Anthony & Lauren from Story Surprise have been staying home for so long that they have run out of activities to do! Never fear… Say hello to Mr Snot Bottom, Emily Who and Bree from B Minor Music. Our kids entertainer pals from around the country have a bunch of great ideas to keep the kids busy at home. Join us for a topsy-turvey tea party, singing, dancing, music, scavenger hunt, craft, games and more! What’s even better is that this gives your family a chance to turn off your screens and switch on your imagination! All the activities for kids featured in this episode can be done in the comfort of home with things you have around the house. Prepare yourself. Story Surprise & friends make staying home the MOST FUN EVER! Thanks for keeping your community safe during these Covid times by staying home just like us! Don’t forget to subscribe to Story Surprise on Apple Podcasts or follow us on Spotify! If you’d like to learn more about the legendary entertainers featured in this episode, check out these links: Mr Snot Bottom: https://linktr.ee/mrsnotbottom Emily Who: https://www.youtube.com/c/emilywho B Minor Music: https://bminormusic.com/linktree The arts and entertainment is one of the hardest hit industries in Australia. If you’re a fan of our work and you’d like to support the podcast, we’d love for you to check out our Patreon page!   https://www.patreon.com/storysurprise   Our Links @storysurpriseau Website: www.storysurprise.com.au YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/storysurpriseau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storysurpriseau Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/storysurpriseau Tik Tok: www.tiktok.com/@storysurpriseau   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today’s episode is about responsibility! Join Anthony and Lauren for a ‘paw-some’ rhyming tail about Milo the Cat! From the Publishers: When Milo doesn’t come home after dark, his humans soon realise he’s missing! With the whole neighbourhood on the hunt for the beloved pet, it becomes clear that little Milo has been keeping a very sneaky secret. Can you guess what it might be? In this episode we talk about the important responsibility of owning a pet. You’ve got to feed them, bathe them, love them, give them a warm place to sleep and feed them lots of delicious treats like the ones Milo eats in our story. Mick the Teddy takes a ‘meow-ment’ with his mates, Oscar & Frankie to see what they would feed their dream pet, and Anthony & Lauren imagine the many kinds of pets you could have with a cat-tastic song. It’s called ‘People Wave’ and it was written by Anthony’s mum, Bernadette. “People wave and people smile, and people say hello But if you were a cat, what would you say when you meet someone you know?” MEOW! Jam packed with ‘paw-sibly’ too many cat puns! We hope you love this episode! Drum roll please, on your knees…. It’s time for Story Surprise. If you would like to support Anthony & Lauren’s podcast, you can do so via Patreon. All ideas, concepts, scripts, editing and production is done by Anthony & Lauren. Your support can help to continue to bring this podcast to families. Check out the podcast tier on our Patreon page. Your support means the world to us! https://www.patreon.com/storysurprise Story: ‘Milo’s Little Secret’ by Rebecca Ralfe, illustrated by Gabriella Petruso Song: ‘People Wave’ by Bernadette Sherriff Published by Larrikin House: https://larrikinhouse.com/   Mick’s Mates: Oscar & Frankie Robertson Introductions: Pippa and Baxter Riley This podcast is proudly presented by The Moonee Valley City Council as part of the Clocktower Centre Podcast residency program, in conjunction with Little Rockers Radio. Our Links @storysurpriseau Website: www.storysurprise.com.au YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/storysurpriseau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storysurpriseau Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/storysurpriseau Tik Tok: www.tiktok.com/@storysurpriseau See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Welcome to episode two, season two of Story Surprise. This season, we are focused on impactful stories, diversity, representation, and inclusion! Today’s story is about gender. Some people identify as a girl, some people identify as a boy and some people are both or neither. Today’s Story Surprise is called Betwixt. Gene isn’t a second-best boy or a second-best girl. They’re just Gene! Gene joins a new school and makes new friends who learn to accept Gene for who they are!   This is the perfect story time resource for initiating conversations about gender with your kids! Join Anthony (he/him) & Lauren (she/her) with guest reader, Katie Long (they/them). Katie says, “You have a right to dress, act and identify in a way that makes you feel good! Being non-binary is different for everyone! It all depends on the person!” In this episode, Teddy Bear Mick feels courageous when they hear Katie’s message. Mick shares that they are not a boy or a girl but instead, their own unique self! We should ask our friends and family what they like to be called, so that everyone feels comfortable. Like Gene in our story, our guest storyteller Katie (they/them) is also non-binary. Katie is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community. They are an amazing artist and performer who is passionate about educating children and parents on accepting people no matter how they identify. Parent’s and Carers, if you’d like to learn a little more about Katie and why Anthony and Lauren felt they would be best person to help share our message on gender and being true to who you are, check out our interview with Katie in our new video series. It’s called ‘Sit Down Sessions with Story Surprise’: https://youtu.be/dCeBVehILxc Drum roll please, on your knees…. It’s time for Story Surprise. Story: ‘Betwixt’ by Hazel Edwards https://www.hazeledwards.com/   Author of ‘There’s a Hippopotamus on the Roof Eating Cake’. Guest Reader: Katie Long – Artist Instagram @kteexart Mick’s Mate: Clara Belleville Introductions: Pippa and Baxter Riley This podcast is proudly presented by The Moonee Valley City Council as part of the Clocktower Centre Podcast residency program, in conjunction with Little Rockers Radio.  Our Links @storysurpriseau Website: www.storysurprise.com.au YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/storysurpriseau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storysurpriseau Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/storysurpriseau Tik Tok: www.tiktok.com/@storysurpriseau See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Welcome to season two of Story Surprise. This season, we are focused on impactful stories and inclusion! To get things started, join Anthony & Lauren with guest reader Juan Gomez for ‘My Shadow is Pink’. This story is about daring to be different and being true to who you really are. Scott Stuart wrote this story when he was forced to confront his own thoughts on gender stereotypes when his three-year-old son developed a love for Elsa from Frozen. In the story, the child has a secret. The child isn’t like the dad. The Dad has a blue shadow. And the child, has a pink shadow. Juan, our guest has experienced having a shadow of many shades and colours. We are very excited they have joined us to help us share this important story with your family! Parent’s and Carers, if you’d like to learn a little more about Juan and why Anthony and Lauren felt Juan would be best to represent the themes of breaking gender stereotypes in this episode, check out our interview with Juan in our new video series. It’s called ‘Sit Down Sessions with Story Surprise’: https://youtu.be/7rwHdCsnrbo Mick’s Mates: A brand new segment in season 2 where Mick the Story Surprise teddy sits down with a listener and finds out what important lesson they took away from the story. First up, we have Mick’s Mate, Nate! And of course, we couldn’t leave you without a song! Drum roll please, on your knees…. It’s time for season two! Story: ‘My Shadow is Pink’ by Scott Stuart https://scottstuart.co/ Song: ‘Who Could You Be!’ By Anthony & Lauren Guest Reader: Juan Gomez Mick’s Mate: Nate Belleville Introductions: Pippa and Baxter Riley This podcast is proudly presented by The Moonee Valley City Council Clocktower for the podcast studio residency program, in conjunction with Little Rockers Radio. Our Links @storysurpriseau Website: www.storysurprise.com.au YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/storysurpriseau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storysurpriseau Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/storysurpriseau Tik Tok: www.tiktok.com/@storysurpriseau See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Story Surprise. Season Two is Coming Soon... If you like stories, music and a little bit of silliness, then you will love Story Surprise! This Season Anthony & Lauren are looking at important topics like inclusion and sharing impactful and diverse stories from heaps of Aussie authors and fantastic story tellers. There's something for everyone. So, we'll see you soon for Series Two of Story Surprise. Find @storysurpriseau at these places… Website:www.storysurprise.com.au YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/c/storysurpriseau Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/storysurpriseau Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/storysurpriseau Tangi Videos:https://tangi.co/p/storysurpriseau Tik Tok:www.tiktok.com/@storysurpriseau See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.