The Story Surprise Podcast - Season 2, Ep 12 - This Small King

It’s important to mind your manners and always lead with kindness. Join Anthony, Lauren and Teddy bear Mick for a story, a song and The Manners Championship of the world! 

About the book:This small king has everything he’s ever wanted: ice cream, a magical moose, and playtime whenever he likes! Until an accident occurs and the king starts to wonder… has he taken his kinghood a little too far?

Drum roll please, on your knees…. It’s time for Story Surprise. 

Story: ‘This Small King’ by Lauren J Streifer and Rita Ivanova 

Song: ‘The Tooth Tooth Train’ 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. 

The Story Surprise Podcast! Season 2, Ep 11 - 'Solo Dan'

We hope you enjoy the latest episode!

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 C.

This podcast is proudly presented by The Moonee Valley City Council as part of the Clocktower Centre Podcast residency program.

Lauren is in That's Life Magazine!

My spots are a gift!

Hi everyone, it’s Lauren here! Any chance to tell my vitiligo story is a good one! Thanks to ‘That’s Life’ for sharing my vitiligo story. We chat all things diagnosis, the impact on my teen years, working in the performing arts and how I channeled my unique spots to empower young people through Story Surprise!

In 2022, the world, and the arts are more supportive than ever before when it comes to embracing my uniqueness. Representation on stage and screen is so important to me! And it should be important to you too! I think we’re working to make the world a more inclusive place one step at a time. My mission is to be a positive, unique role model for children.

Story Surprise Podcast - Season 2, Ep 10 - Koalas in Space

A brand new episode of the Story Surprise Podcast is here, and it’s the first one of the year!

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!

Available to listen to now on all Podcast Streaming platforms!

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

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.

Jump & Jiggle with us every day next week at The Clocktower Centre!

Jump & Jiggle with us every day next week!

❤️ To protect the community from the current Omicron wave, we’re moving next week’s sessions from face to face to online!

😍 Here are the pros!
🔺 100 spots per session!
🔺 You can join us no matter where you are in the world!
🔺 Happening every day all week!
🔺 Free to attend! Bookings essential
🌈 We can’t wait to Jump & Jiggle with you!

#schoolholidays #melbourneforkids #covidactivities #funathome #whatsoninmelbourne

Story Surprise at the Australian Podcast Awards!

Story Surprise was thrilled to be a finalist in the @australianpodcastawards this year! Lauren, Mick and Anthony’s head made it along to Sydney for last night’s celebrations and it was an absolute thrill to be amongst the best in the biz! The famous, the established… and then there’s little ol’ us. What a lot of people might not know is that Story Surprise podcast is just the two of us and one temperamental Teddy working behind the scenes. From ideas and concepts, to scripts, to marketing, liaising with authors and guests, to recording, editing - you name it, it’s either Lauren or Anthony working out of our living room to make it happen!

❤️ Story Surprise isn’t just a podcast. It’s a theatrical audio experience for families. Think of it as an audio musical if you will! We put our heart and soul (and our best bad jokes 😆) into every episode. We’re aiming to use our voices to celebrate inclusion and diversity for all children and to tackle big topics for little people. And we are so proud of everything we have achieved so far! From our living room to the biggest podcast awards in the country. Wowza! We can’t wait to see what happens from here!

🤩 Thank you to @littlerockersradio who help us share Story Surprise with the world and were the 1st people to believe in what we could do!

🎉Moonee Valley City Council who recently helped us graduate from recording in the wardrobe to a proper studio set up!

👏🏼 The MANY wonderful Australian authors who let us slide into their DMs and bring their beautiful children’s books to life on our show to help share some empowering lessons and themes!

😎 To our talented and diverse adult and children guests! You have helped to take our work to the next level!

😍 To the Story Surprise families out there who consume our silly stuff! You inspire us every day to grow, learn and to continue embracing our inner children! From the bottom of our hearts, and the heart of our bottoms, thank you!

Story Surprise interviewed by the Richmond Toy Library!

We had a chat with our friends over at the Richmond Toy Library about all things Story Surprise, and how beneficial Toy Library services are for Australian communities!

Toy libraries reduce the number of toys that families feel pressure to buy. Sustainability through play is so important! It also helps teach little ones to value and take care of the toys and means each toy is loved and thoroughly enjoyed instead of sitting in a cupboard collecting dust or eventually contributing to landfill.

Read the full interview HERE!

Season 2, Episode 8 - Home

Have a listen to the latest episode of Story Surprise!

Today’s episode celebrates friends from around the world who have moved to Australia and now call Australia home.

‘Home’ is a fantastic 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.

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

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.

Australian Podcast Award Nomination! Story Surprise!

The Story Surprise Podcast just got nominated for an Australian Podcast Award!

We have been nominated for 'The Bullseye Award'. The category recognises ‘exceptional listening experiences for niche audiences and those underrepresented in the media. It’s a big award for small shows making a real difference to their communities’.

We are over the MOON, and this is all thanks to your ongoing support. Thank you so much for coming on the ride with us, from our very humble and homemade beginnings to where we are now... which is still entirely humble and homemade! 😁

We're also in the running for 'The People's Choice Award'. This is up to the public vote so if you have a spare moment, it'd mean the word to us if you voted for Story Surprise! Vote here: https://australianpodcastawards.com/vote

Thanks so much again. We're so excited to share this big news with you! 😊

Happy Children's Week!

🎉 We kicked off our celebrations with a morning music session - Singalong with Story Surprise . Thanks to The City of Monash for having us along for the online session! We loved seeing all those smiling, singing faces!

Special thanks to Story Surprise band members Dom & Pia for joining us too! Fun fact, Dom & Pia work on Frozen the Musical ❄️ touring all around Australia! And Dom is the amazing man behind our musical arrangements! You’ll be seeing & hearing more of them both in some of our upcoming music releases!

🥳 How are you celebrating children’s week?

Season 2, Episode 7 - Are You Kidding Me?

The latest episode is out! 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!

HAVE A LITTLE LISTEN!

Story: ‘Are You Kidding Me’ by Trent Long, illustrated by Kris Lillyman

Purchase the book HERE!

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.

Season 2, Ep 6 - Rosie Leads the Way

HERE’S ANOTHER ONE FOR YOU!

The latest episode of the Story Surprise Podcast is out! This one features the book ‘Rosie Leads the Way’, by Renee Irving Lee & illustrated by Lisa Coutts. It’s 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!

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.

Season 2, Ep 5 - Come Home Ella

The latest episode of the Story Surprise Podcast is out!

Thanks to Melbourne restrictions slightly lifting, we’re now allowed back in the studio to keep the goods coming!

This podcast episode is all about premature babies!

One in ten babies are born premature. This 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! Have a Listen to Come Home Ella, by Chelsea Davies, illustrated by Lisa Coutts:

Sit Down Session with Melinda Cruz from Miracle Babies Foundation!

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: 

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.

Extra Extra! Story Surprise are feeling pretty EXTRA! 😬

Story Surprise got a half-page spread in today’s newspaper! The Age, page 18, 02/10/2021. Woohoo!

“I can’t imagine how tough this past year and a half has been for performers like Lauren and Anthony… What a wonderful turn of events the huge success of Story Surprise is! I guess it just shows that when the talent is combined with the right packaging, the world takes notice. Huge congratulations to you both.” - G. Morse (Facebook)