Get settled into your favourite chair, a glass of whatever pleases you in hand, and come with us on a journey through Joan Aiken's tiny masterpiece, The Wolves of Willoughby Chase. In it, we discuss not only Aiken's book, but also make mention of The Way Past Winter by Kiran Millwood Hargrave, The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis, and lots of other snowy, wintry children's stories.

This year, 2024, marks Joan Aiken's centenary - she would have turned 100 years old in September - so it's doubly appropriate that we salute the end of the year with a trip through one of her best loved books. Have you got your ice-skates on? Let's go - and watch out for the wooooooooooooolves....

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's episode is a chat with the brilliant Cariad Lloyd - podcaster extraordinaire (make sure to check out her award-winning and brilliant shows Sara and Cariad's Weirdos Book Club and Griefcast), actress and improv genius, parent, comedian, and author. We were delighted to have her join us on Storyshaped for a heartfelt and hilarious discussion about the stories which have shaped her throughout her remarkable life. Get settled... grab a cup of something delicious... and enjoy!

Books mentioned in this week's episode include Cariad's own:

You Are Not Alone

The Christmas Wish-Tastrophe

And the books which shaped her include:

The Moomins series by Tove Jansson

The Harry Potter series by JK Rowling

The Redwall series by Brian Jacques

The work of Judy Blume

The Brambly Hedge books by Jill Barklem

The Fairy Rebel by Lynne Reid Banks

The work of Anne Fine

The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien

The Collected Work of the Brothers Grimm

Shogun by James Clavell

The Asterix comics by René Goscinny, Albert Uderzo, Jean-Yves Ferri, Didier Conrad

The Tin-Tin comics by Hergé

Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild

The work of Terry Pratchett, including Carpet People, Diggers, and Truckers

Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

The Grimwood series by Nadia Shireen

Billy and the Pirates by Nadia Shireen

Clarice Bean by Lauren Child

The work of John Burningham

On-screen stories include:

Pride and Prejudice (BBC, 1995)

Some Like it Hot (1959)

The Ricki Lake Show (1993 - 2004)

Neighbours (1985 - present)

The Simpsons (1989 - present)

And... the Stephanie Burgis books Sinéad mentions are: A Most Improper Magick (Bk 1); A Tangle of Magicks (Bk 2); A Reckless Magick (Bk 3), available via Piccadilly Press or your fave bookseller! More information is available here: stephanieburgis.com

Our podcast bookshop in Ireland is Halfway Up the Stairs: www.halfwayupthestairs.ie

In the UK, check out our storefront on: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/Storyshaped. Disclaimer: If you buy books linked to our site, we may earn a commission from bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

WE'RE BACK, Storyshapers!

Today's episode is a MEGA AWESOME EPIC BUMPER Christmas gift guide - and when we say 'gift', we mean 'books'. Obviously. We're sharing some of the brilliant reads we've enjoyed this year and which we think would make great Christmas presents (or just 'Midwinter' presents, or indeed 'Holiday' presents, if Christmas ain't your vibe. It's all good!) This isn't to say that there aren't a TON more fantastic books out there - we know we missed some! - so please do let us know which ones you think we could've included, what you think of our choices, and if you've enjoyed any of them already.

On with the show!

Books mentioned in this episode include:

Last Stop on the Reindeer Express by Maudie Powell-Tuck and Karl J Mountford

Little Lion Girl by Olivia Hope and Fiona Woodcock

Dinosaur Pie by Jen Wallace and Alan O’Rourke

Panda and Penguin Find a Thing by Zehra Hicks

Wolf and Bear by Kate Rolfe

Faedom by Lorna White, Agnes Monod-Gayroud, and Nadzeya Makeyeva

Bertha and Blink: Rumble in the Jungle by Nicola Colton

Jasper and Scruff (series) by Nicola Colton

A Dublin Christmas by Nicola Colton

Lola and Larch Make a Winter Wish by Sinéad O’Hart and Rachel Seago

The House at the End of the Sea by Victoria M. Adams

The Christmas Wish-tastrophe by Cariad Lloyd, illustrated by Ma Pe

The World Between the Rain by Susan Cahill

Sword of the Sun by Sinéad O'Hart

The Imaginary by AF Harrold and Emily Gravett

The Worlds We Leave Behind AF Harrold and Levi Pinfold

The Song From Somewhere Else AF Harrold and Levi Pinfold

The October Witches by Jennifer Claessen

The November Witches by Jennifer Claessen

The December Witches by Jennifer Claessen

Magicalia: Race of Wonders by Jennifer Bell

Spooksmiths Investigate: The Cinderman by Alex Atkinson

Bird Boy by Catherine Bruton

I Am Wolf by Alastair Chisholm

Dreamhunters by Nazima Pathan

The Kingdom Over the Sea by Zohra Nabi

Safiyyah's War by Hiba Noor Khan

The Stitchwort Curse by Alexandra Dawe

One Chance Dance by Efua Traoré

Tide Magic: The Many Faces of Ista Flit by Clare Harlow

Gargoyles: Guardians of the Source by Tamsin Mori

The Storm Swimmer by Clare Weze

Flame Chasers by Julie Pike

Terra Electrica: The Guardians of the North by Antonia Maxwell

These Stolen Lives by Sharada Keats

Braids Take a Day by Zainab Boladale

Don't Touch My Hair by Emma Dabiri

Splinters by Rachel Delahaye

Steady for This by Nathanael Lessore

Thunder City by Philip Reeve

The Haunted Wood: A History of Childhood Reading by Sam Leith

Wolfish: The Stories We Tell About Fear, Ferocity and Freedom by Erica Berry

A Map for Falasteen by Maysa Odeh, Aliaa Betawi

In the UK, check out our storefront on: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/Storyshaped. Disclaimer: If you buy books linked to our site, we may earn a commission from bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops.

In Ireland, check out www.kennys.ie for free shipping within Ireland (yay!)

Please try to support your local bookshops with your purchases. Happy reading!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.