The Phantom Tolbooth

Norton Juster's Phantom Tolbooth is the gateway to a fantastical land filled with strange characters who provide the young hero with food for thought as he tries to  rescue the Princesses Rhyme and Reason. 

Eve Garnett's classic stories about The Family from One End Street broke new ground when they were published in 1937. In this episode you can listen to us discuss the strong contrast with modern parenting and hear Catherine's horror as Ursula fantasises about stowing away on a cargo ship. 

Ursula and Catherine reverse their usual roles for a discussion of Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens, a stone cold classic in the modern children's murder mystery genre.  

Joan Aiken's stories remind Ursula and Catherine of fairy tales, and they also look closely at Jan Pienkowski's incredible illustrations. 

We compare a Nancy Drew book to modern detective stories and solve the mystery of the identity of Carolyn Keene. 

Disguises! Secret messages! Tracking the enemy! Ursula, Catherine and their special guest learnt all these and more from this Usborne favourite. 

T H White's retelling of the Arthurian Legends began here, in the book from which Catherine learnt more about falconry than she ever knew she knew. 

Ann Scott-Moncrieff's novel was originally rejected as "too Scottish and too irresponsible." Neither Catherine nor Ursula let this put them off. 

The first book in C S Lewis's Narnia Chronicles was a better read for Ursula than it was for Catherine. We discuss why, and also whether it is in fact the first book in the series.  

Ursula and Catherine enjoyed different aspects of Thomas Rockwell's story, which is about exactly what it says on the cover. This episode features discussion on censorship and also gastronomy, obviously.