In this episode we talk with Teresa Cremin, the  co-director of the Open University's Literacy and Social Justice Center, about what the research says about children's reading for pleasure and about the work the OU is doing to support teachers develop reading for pleasure cultures in their schools.

You can find out more about the OU Reading for Pleasure activities here.

Some recent books by Teresa Cremin include:

Reading Teachers: Nurturing Reading for Pleasure, ed. Teresa Cremin, Helen Hendry, Lucy Rodriguez Leon and Natalia Kucirkova

Reading for Pleasure: International Perspectives, ed. Teresa Cremin and Sarah McGeown

Teaching English Creatively, by Teresa Cremin

Children Reading for Pleasure in the Digital Age: Mapping Reader Engagement by Natalia Kucirkova and Teresa Cremin

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Listen to Lisa Thompson talk about her new book, The Boy in the Tree (illustrated by Katie Kear), and also her many other books including the forthcoming follow up to The Goldfish Boy - The Skeleton Puzzle (out in September.)

Information about all Lisa's books and also extra resources can be found at www.lisathompsonauthor.com

Links to the books we talked about

The Goldfish Boy

Owen and the Soldier

The Treasure Hunters

Sidney and Carrie Have a Party

Worry Boots

The Boy in the Tree

The Magpie Riddle

The Skeleton Puzzle

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In this episode we talk with Tom Percival about his book The Wrong Shoes and also about some of his picture books.

Tom has a website here, but probably the best way to stay up to date with what he is up to is on Instagram @tompercivalbooks or on X @TomPercivalSays

His books can be found here:

The Wrong Shoes (currently in hardback, paperback available 8 May 2025)

Quiet (illustrated by Richard Jones)

The Invisible

Perfectly Norman

The Bridges

Squirrel and Duck - Mission Improbable

Some of the other books mentioned:

The Harder they Fall, Bali Rai

It's a No-Money Day, Kate Milner

The Great (Food) Bank Heist, Onjali Q Rauf

If you are doing something interesting in a school or other setting to support young people's reading for pleasure and would like to come and talk on the podcast, get in touch at info@mostlybooktalk.com

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An interview with debut author Brogen Murphy about their book, Wildlands. It’s 2050 and most of northern England and southern Scotland has been turned into a vast rewilding project. An interrupted train journey and series of mishaps leaves two sisters trying to survive in this untouched wilderness...

Brogen's website is here and they can be found on Instagram @brogen_murphy

We also mention the Carnegie shortlist which can be found here.

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Join us talking with Darrell Wakelam about his book Art Shaped - Sustainable 3D Art Projects to Kickstart Children's Creativity. There are lots of curriculum links and all the projects are made from easily obtained recycled materials - ideal for teachers, librarians and parents.

Darrell's website can be found here

And he can be found on social media here

BlueSky @darrellwakelam.bsky.social

Instagram @darrellwakelam

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In this episode we have an interview with Darren Chetty and Karen Sands O'Connor about their book Beyond the Secret Garden - Racialised Minorities in British Children's Books.

It's published by the English and Media Centre (a great resource too) and is available here.

It is based on Darren and Karen's regular column in Books for Keeps which is also well worth a read.

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In children's mental health week we talk to Rachel Fuller about her picture book Bee which explores how it feels to be misunderstood and celebrates difference. We also talk to Tanya Goodin about The Teenage Guide to Digital Wellbeing which offers lots of useful advice and activities to help achieve a balance between being in the digital world and the real world (something not just teenagers could benefit from!).

Books in this episode:

Bee by Rachel Fuller, illustrated by Emilia Wharfe

More information about Bee the ballet can be found here

The Teenage Guide to Digital Wellbeing by Tanya Goodin

More information about Tanya's work can be found here

The other book mentioned in this episode is People Like Stars by Patrice Lawrence.

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We have an interview with Susan Brownrigg about her new book, Wrong Tracks, and with Publisher, Hazel Holmes from UCLan about the importance of regional voices and regional publishing.

Here are Susan's books:

Wrong Tracks

Gracie Fairshaw and the Mysterious Guest

Gracie Fairshaw and the Trouble at the Tower

Gracie Fairshaw and The Missing Reel

Kintana and the Captain's Curse

Website: https://www.susanbrownrigg.com/

BlueSky: @susanbrownrigg.bsky.social

Instagram: @susanbrownrigg

And UCLan can be found here:

Website: https://uclanpublishing.com/

BlueSky: @uclanpublishing.bsky.social

Instagram: @uclan_publishing

Other books mentioned:

The History of Information by Chris Haughton

Cane Warriors, by Alex Wheatle

Beyond the Secret Garden, Darren Chetty and Karen Sands-O'Connor

When the Sky Falls, by Phil Earle

Resist, by Tom Palmer

The Line They Drew Through Us by Hiba Noor Khan

Birdie by J P Rose

Yours from the Tower, by Sally Nicholls

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