The Island of Brilliant!

The King of illustration Axel Scheffler arrives on the island with a sackful of Lebkukchen, for December is upon us and even Frank has allowed a degree of festive cheer onto the Brilliant shores. Nadia's so excited about the prospect of Axel's arrival she's even prepared some absolute zinger questions - unfortunately she did so in collaboration with Terry the famously duplicitous crab, who just might have sold her a pup or two. Oh well, ende gut alles gut, as they say in Germany; when you have the man responsible for the look of that monster with the terrible teeth and terrible claws - as well as countless other characters in too many books to count - you know you're in for a fabulous episode.  

We will never, not ever, have a more splendid visitor to the island than the  genius and former children's laureate Lauren Child - though the word 'visitor' might not necessarily be the most accurate in her case. Lauren is of course the creator of Charlie and Lola, Clarice Bean, Ruby Redford - a cast of characters the like of which any writer would give their left nib to have come up with. Nadia and Frank are so engrossed in what she has to say about her relationship with the people in her books that they almost forget (almost) that they manage to win a prize for previous island musings - many thanks to to the Independent Podcast Awards for making their jabberings the best indie books podcast of the year! Toot toot!!

Frank has been desperate to start up a whole new mythology for the island with stories featuring various characters he's modelled out of seaweed and goggly eyes, so Nadia's relief was positively palpable when Louie Stowell turned up, courtesy of a feathery Loki, with enough Norse tales to sate Frank's ravenous appetite, at least for a little while. They chat about the wild success of Louie's Loki books, the brilliant ways myths can be retold (cue Frank's Elmer Fudd impression) and roll the Sisyphean rock of Katherine Rundell's snackaggedon back up the hill. 

A very special, dare we say unmissable, episode in lots of ways. Not only does Chris Haughton, the genius behind such books as 'Shh!', 'A Bit Lost' and 'Don't Worry, Little Crab' join us on the island and prove himself to be the most charming and brilliant of guests, Frank also shares a letter he was sent after the devastating arson attack on  Liverpool's Spellow Library during the riots. It's a letter that is both the story of a life and a testament to the enormous power of public spaces and their capacity to offer a beacon of light in the darkness. We also hear from Alex McCormick, the woman who set up the Go Fund Me page that she hoped would raise £500.00 to help restore Spellow Lane. At the time of writing it has already raised £250,000.  And in case that's not enough, Frank and Nadia get into it over which Simpsons character they most closely resemble. They've been on the island too long, some might say...

How do you turn an island into a festival?  This month's episode is recorded partly on the island and partly at the magical location that is Biddulph Old Hall in the Staffordshire Moorlands, which played host and provided a magnificent backdrop to the inaugural Festival of Brilliant, staged by the mighty Outside Arts organisation. Moorlands lad Steven Lenton came along with vital local patisserie expertise and charmed the audience with his Swanee whistle playing and tip-top question answering. The Ukelele Uff Trio were even persuaded to come ashore for the first time in years to play along live. If you weren't able to come along in person, here's the next best thing (though you really did miss out on some excellent chips). 

Nadia and Frank continue in their efforts to work out who their own favourite character from children's books is by asking other people who theirs is in the hope it'll give them inspiration. Fat chance, it takes them three hours to decide which side of their hammocks to get out of in the morning - but still, you never know. Today it's the turn of Jonny Vegas to recall his happy childhood days at Thatto Heath public library, pestering the librarians for new books featuring... well you'll just have to use your noggin and have a listen to find out. 

A HUGE day on the island as our Frank becomes the new children's laureate! It's been quite the journey from Coronation Street to coronation, but nobody deserves it more. Everyone's delighted though he does seem to want to rub our noses in it just a touch so let's see how long that lasts. It could be a long two years.  Nadia and Frank are joined by the glorious wonder that is Sophy Henn who talks brilliantly about the joy of facts, her circuitous route to the world of children's books - and why some books just wouldn't be quite the same without sugary sweets to light their spark. 

Nadia's been at the papaya juice again, only this time she SWALLOWED THE WORM! 🪱Thus ensues a fever dream in which she imagines her and Frank interviewing JULIA flippin' DONALDSON at @brightfest (never gonna happen obvs).. Frank's efforts to bring Nadia down from her brain-worm trip fail as he gets cross about not being Adam Kay - the only remedy is a blast of the St Trinians Battle Cry. Thank goodness Emily Drabble of Booktrust is on hand to bring everyone back to earth. Or sand. 

Who's your favourite character from children's books? Just the question Frank and Nadia have been asking themselves, and to help prompt them they're going to be asking some friendly folk to name theirs. First up is one of the funniest, warmest and most talented women you could hope to meet, that legend of stage and screen, the Accrington Thunderbolt herself, Julie Hesmondhalgh!!!!

Well we've had some talented coves wash up in our coves but never a world record holder, not until now that is. Rob 'Draw With Rob' Biddulph is a triple-threat cubed: a Youtube sensation, a writer, illustrator and not least a snack-mongering champion-of-champions. He tells Nadia and Frank all about his life before children's books, working  for the NME and The Observer among others, and how happy he is to have found his true calling as a storyteller for children - and that, as Frank says, really is something to be.. EMily Drabble from Booktrust is back with more picks from the May bookshelves, and Nadia breaks Frank's heart by telling him in no uncertain terms that there are occasions she just needs a bit of me-that-means-not-you time.