Nadia Shireen and Frank Cottrell Boyce have been shipwrecked on the Island of Brilliant with nothing but a pair of hammocks, a pile of children’s books and the world’s greatest ukulele band (The Ukulele Uff Trio) to keep them going.
Everyone wants the best for their children. Everyone should know that reading for pleasure not only increases educational attainment but also helps build happiness and resilience. If you’re going to read for pleasure you need choice.
Nadia and Frank will be chatting about what’s new and brilliant in children’s writing with the help of visitors to the island and reviews delivered via sea-shell from the doyen of children’s literature critics, Emily Drabble from Book Trust.
Music: The Ukulele Uff Trio
Producer: Geoff Bird
Well I for one have rarely seen Nadia and Frank quite so excited about a book as 'The Worst Thing That Could Possibly Happen' by Guy Bass and David Roberts, though Frank very nearly blows his chance of chatting with the pair when he fails to resist the lure of the mysterious sideways door that's suddenly appeared on the beach. Fortunately Nadia is on hand to make them welcome, and Frank does return from the shoulder of Orion in time to help her quiz the pair about how exactly they managed to create such a terrifying masterpiece. Emily 'the Drabster' Drabble is on hand again to provide book recommendations from her comfy conch. These are:
The Teller of Tall Tales by Liz Hyder and Tom De Freston, published by Pushkin
Game of Pets book 1: The Boy Who Knew Too Much by Aaron Blabey published by Macmillan
Who said Boo? Be Jeanne Willis and Brian Fitzgerald published be Scallywag
The Last Leaf by Ali Pye published by Penguin
Ravi’s Dancing Hands by Sumana Seeboruth and Sayani Makhurjjee published by Faber
11 Sept 2026
A. M. Dassu
Frank's post-laureate slump is well and truly un-slumped by the arrival of A. M. Dassu, a benign force of nature to match anything he and Nadia have experienced on the island before. She appears from the waters to regale the pair with stories from her life as a children's writer, and how she is driven to tackle issues around racism and stereotyping head on. She also knows how to keep F&N onside with her excellent choice of snack. If that weren't enough to shake Frank from his blue funk, Nadia's hilarious wordplay with marvellous Emily Drabble's moniker finishes the job.
Emily's Picks:
Rust Head by Ross Mackenzie - Andersen Press
African Queens by Onyinye Iwu - Walker
Princess (Apparently) by Siren Knight - Usborne
The Other Boy by Hamed Amiri - Hachette
Bessie’s Bees by George Kirk and Ana Gomez -Templar
3 Aug 2026
Jack Meggitt-Phillips
What's that coming over the dune, is it a monster? It is, a grizzly slimy sea monster, and look who it's vomited up onto the otherwise spotless sand on the Island of Brilliant seafront! Jack Meggitt-Phillips, the wunderkind author of the glorious 'The Beast And The Bethany' series, as well as a brand spanking new adaptation of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde. A shame he didn't bring a mop to clean up the vomit, but high tide should see to that. Emily Drabble of Booktrust recommends the best of the latest crop of books for August reading pleasure - and the Ukulele Uff Trio treat us to a dollop of blue skies and musical sunshine.
Emily recommends:
Squid Bits - That’s A Nice Hat by Jess Bradley. DFB
Worm’s Big Dig by Tom Inn-Disbury - Anderson
A Sister like you, Sarah Hagger-Holt - Usborn
They sent a Cat to Saturn by Valerie Bloom and Ken Wilson Max - Otter Barry
Lotta & Lola Pudding NOW Please by Lauren Child - Simon and Schuster
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
19 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 31 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
28
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
85
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