A pocket podcast where families pause the busy world and step into stories together. Every fortnight we share one theme, two books, and one simple way to connect - because the feelings we carry as adults, kids carry too.
Episode 8: Family Dynamics and the Sound of Silence
In this episode of Once Upon an Adventure, we explore family, belonging, and the role silence plays in shaping how children understand the people around them. We begin with Running on Empty by S. E. Durrant, a pre-teen novel told from a child’s perspective, where much of family life is defined not by what is explained, but by what is left unsaid. The story offers a clear, realistic portrayal of how children interpret silence and how they often carry meaning adults don’t realise they’re making...
26 Jan 2026
Episode 7: Adventure & Choosing the Path Without Knowing the Ending
In this episode of Once Upon an Adventure, we explore what adventure really means. Through Once Upon a Fairytale by Natalia O’Hara and Bedtime Adventure Stories for Grownups by Anna McNuff, we look at adventure not as something planned or polished, but as something that unfolds in real time. For children, adventure often appears through story, full of choices, obstacles, and imagined worlds. For adults, it arrives through experience, disruption, uncertainty, and learning as we go. We’re also ...
12 Jan 2026
Episode 6: On Fear, Hesitation, and Taking the Leap
Fear doesn’t disappear as we grow up...it just changes shape. In this episode of Once Upon an Adventure, we explore overcoming fear through children’s literature and adult non-fiction, looking at what happens in the moments just before we act. We begin with Be Brave Little Penguin by Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees, a picture book about hesitation, anticipation, and the quiet courage it takes to take a first step. We then turn to Susan Jeffers’ Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway, examining how ...
29 Dec 2025
Episode 5: The Quiet Weight of Loneliness
Loneliness affects all of us, children, teenagers, and adults, often in quiet and unseen ways. In this episode of Once Upon an Adventure, we explore the theme of loneliness and how it shows up across different stages of life, particularly during the winter months when feelings of isolation can feel heavier. We begin with the 2025 picture book When I Feel Lonely by Britta Teckentrup, a gentle and emotionally thoughtful story for ages 3 to 6 that helps children recognise and talk about loneline...
15 Dec 2025
Episode 4: Holding Steady in Transition and Change
In this episode of Once Upon an Adventure, we explore the idea of transition, those moments when life shifts, routines change, and we find ourselves stepping into something new. January often brings that feeling into sharp focus, whether through resolutions, fresh starts, or the mixed emotions that come with looking back and looking forward. Our children’s book spotlight features The Final Year by Matt Goodfellow, a verse novel that captures the final year of primary school with honesty and w...
1 Dec 2025
Episode 3: Perfectionism & Why 'Perfect' Isn’t the Goal
TRIGGER WARNING: MISCARRIAGE In this episode of Once Upon an Adventure, we explore a feeling that touches children and adults alike: the pressure to be perfect. Through two very different books, we look at how perfectionism shapes the way we learn, love, and see ourselves. On the children’s shelf, we discuss The Perfect Percival Priggs by Julie Anne Graham a warm and funny picture book about a boy who believes he must excel at everything. When his parents reveal their own mistakes, Perc...
1 Dec 2025
Episode 1: Busyness & The Art of Slowing Down
In this first episode of Once Upon an Adventure, we explore the experience of being busy, especially as the pace of life increases toward the end of the year. Through two thoughtfully chosen books, one for children and one for adults, we look at how constant activity shapes us and what it means to make room for rest. Our children’s pick, The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister by Linda. R Lodding offers a humorous but recognisable picture of overscheduled childhoods and the value of unstructur...
1 Dec 2025
Episode 2: Christmas, Greed & What Really Matters
In this festive episode of Once Upon an Adventure, we explore the heart of Christmas through two standout holiday books: one for children and one for adults. If you’re searching for meaningful Christmas stories, family-friendly holiday reading, or book-inspired activities to bring more connection into the season, this episode offers just that. Our children’s pick is The Dinosaur That Pooped Christmas by Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter, a bestselling Christmas picture book that uses humour and...
28 Nov 2025
Once Upon an Adventure Trailer: Hello!
Once Upon an Adventure is a gentle, reflective podcast created for adults. Each episode pairs a children’s book with a companion read for grown-ups, exploring universal themes, like busyness, change, perfectionism, and belonging and how they show up at every age, just through different lenses. Along the way, as well as discussion of those two chosen reads, you’ll hear the Sibling Shelf, a short selection of extra children’s books that relate to the theme, and a simple Mini Mission...
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