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....

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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.

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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!

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In this S2 Finale episode, we are delighted to bring you an interview with an author who, we feel, wholly embodies the Storyshaped ethos - the brilliant SF Said. SF's writing is immersive, absorbing, mind-expanding, and thrilling, crafted with care and passion; truly, the best sort of writing, which also happens to be for children (though, as SF says, 'children's literature includes children, but excludes no-one'). We're delighted to get a chance to sit down with SF, whose thoughts on the power and value of children's literature, the importance of making stories available to all children, and the profound impact that stories have on the minds, hearts, and lives of those who consume them, are truly worth hearing - so come and spend an hour with us!

And a quick housekeeping announcement from your hosts:

We'll return in a wee while with a special bonus Q&A episode, where we'll answer some brilliant questions sent in by listeners, and after that we'll be taking a hiatus from Storyshaped while we sort out one or two pesky things (like life, family, and work!) But rest assured, Storyshapers: we, like the Terminator, will be back. Thank you all for listening, rating, reviewing, sharing, and sitting down with us over the past two seasons, while we've asked a variety of excellent people: Are you Storyshaped? We can't wait to get back to it, just as soon as we can. While you're waiting for our return: please help yourselves to our back catalogue and any bonus episodes we release, and do continue sharing, rating, and reviewing the show, as it really does help us to keep producing it for you.

But for now: have some fantastic Storyshaped chat with the brilliant SF Said.

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

Varjak Paw

The Outlaw Varjak Paw

Phoenix

Tyger (all published by David Fickling Books)

And the stories which shaped him include:

The Cat in the Hat, by Dr Seuss

The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

On Liberty, by John Stuart Mill

The work of William Blake

Comics, including:

Marvel

Asterix

Tintin

Peanuts

Mad Magazine

Calvin & Hobbes

Watership Down, by Richard Adams

The Sandman, by Neil Gaiman and various artists (incl. Dave McKean)

Cages, written and illustrated by Dave McKean

A Wizard of Earthsea, by Ursula K Le Guin

His Dark Materials, by Philip Pullman

Noughts and Crosses, by Malorie Blackman

Skellig, by David Almond

Journey Back to Freedom, by Catherine Johnson

The Essays of C.S. Lewis

The Letters of JRR Tolkien

The work of George MacDonald, including The Princess and the Goblin

The work of William Morris

The work of Lord Dunsany (1878-1957)

Film and TV:

Star Wars

Star Trek

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 had a fascinating chat with the amazing Ann Sei Lin this week on the podcast, where we got an insight into the stories that have been shaping her since her earliest days. Ann's fantastic debut, Rebel Skies, is an amazing story about what makes a human, all told through the fabulous surrounds of a Japanese-folklore inspired fantasy world complete with skyships, dragons, and living origami. It's a truly memorable debut and we were so pleased to get a chance to discuss it with Ann, and to find out more about the stories that helped her to become an author and create such a rich, immersive story world. We hope you're not afraid of heights...

Books mentioned this week include Ann's own:

Rebel Skies (Walker Books)

Rebel Fire (Walker Books)

And the stories which have shaped her include:

The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd

The Phantom of the Opera, by Gaston Leroux

The work of JRR Tolkien

The work of Terry Pratchett

The work of Robin Hobb

The work of Robert Jordan

The work of Julie Kagawa

The Twelve Kingdoms (manga), by Fuyumi Ono

His Dark Materials, by Philip Pullman

Orihima and Hikoboshi - a Japanese folktale

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Immortal Rain (manga), by Kaori Ozaki

The Shadow Skye trilogy, by Joseph Elliott

Lonely Castle in the Mirror, by Mizuki Tsujimura

Yellowface, by RF Kuang

Babel, by RF Kuang

Sixteen Souls, by Rosie Talbot

Catfish Rolling, by Clara Kumagai

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.

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Susan had the chance to sit down with brilliant debut author Alice Ross this week, where they discussed Alice's novel The Nowhere Thief and Alice's journey to becoming an author, as well as SO MANY wonderful books and stories which shaped her into the author she is today. Alice is as big a fan of Diana Wynne Jones as we are here on the podcast, but as well as the work of the incomparable DWJ, there are loads of other fantastic stories mentioned here - each one a portal to an amazing world of story. Strap in, and join us as we get Storyshaped!

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

The Nowhere Thief (Nosy Crow)

And the books and stories which shaped her include:

The Mr Men books, by Roger Hargreaves

The work of CS Lewis

The work of Roald Dahl

The work of Laura Ingalls Wilder

Ramona and Beezus, by Beverly Cleary

Malory Towers, by Enid Blyton

Gobbolino the Witch's Cat, by Ursula Moray Williams

Charmed Life, by Diana Wynne Jones

The Lives of Christopher Chant, by Diana Wynne Jones

The Magician's Nephew, by CS Lewis

The Homeward Bounders, by Diana Wynne Jones

Hidden Turnings, ed. Diana Wynne Jones

(inc. The Walled Garden, by Lisa Tuttle)

Tom's Midnight Garden, by Philippa Pearce

Fire and Hemlock, by Diana Wynne Jones

Reflections: On the Magic of Writing, by Diana Wynne Jones

Howl's Moving Castle, by Diana Wynne Jones

The work of Holly Jackson

One of Us Is Lying, by Karen McManus

This Book Kills, by Ravena Guron

The Thief of Farrowfell, by Ravena Guron

The work of Anne Rice

Lockwood and Co., by Jonathan Stroud

The work of Stephen King

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.

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We had the *most* fun this week sitting down with one of the Queens of Children's Historical Fiction (that's her official title, right), Ally Sherrick! We chat all things writing and story, including how much research Ally's rich, immersive novels take; where her love of history came from; what historical period she hasn't written about (yet), and what might be coming next from her talented pen. This episode was a wonder. Ally is a generous, inspirational, fascinating and truly wonderful podcast guest, and we hope you'll enjoy listening to our chat as much as we enjoyed recording it. Now! Let's get Storyshaped.

Find Ally online at her website

Books mentioned in this week's episode include Ally's own (all published by Chicken House):

Black Powder

The Buried Crown

The Queen's Fool

Vita and the Gladiators

And the stories that shaped her include:

Winnie the Pooh, by A.A. Milne and E.H. Shepard

My Naughty Little Sister, by Dorothy Edwards and Shirley Hughes

Charlie and Fred - stories made up by Ally's (wonderful) dad!

Just-So Stories, by Rudyard Kipling, especially The Elephant's Child

The Highwayman, by Alfred Noyes

Le Petit Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, by Joan Aiken

Black Hearts in Battersea, by Joan Aiken

Nightbirds on Nantucket, by Joan Aiken

A Small Pinch of Weather, by Joan Aiken

A Necklace of Raindrops, by Joan Aiken

A Traveller in Time, by Alison Uttley

The Ghost of Thomas Kempe, by Penelope Lively

Carrie's War, by Nina Bawden

The Wake, by Paul Kingsnorth

The Eagle of the Ninth, by Rosemary Sutcliff

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.

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This week we're talking to Alan Titley - emeritus professor, scholar, author, dramaturg, teacher, folklorist, journalist, seanchaí (storyteller) - about the stories that shaped him. This discussion was fascinating; we could have listened to Alan all day! Come with us and hear him talk about his earliest days of being told stories by a pipe-smoking teacher, right up to the scholarly work that went into creating his edition of the ancient Irish battle epic. Táin Bó Cuailgne (published as 'The Táin', illustrated by Eoin Coveney, published by Little Island, 2023). Alan's Storyshaped life has a unique depth and breadth, and it was a privilege to get a window into it. Come and join us!

Books mentioned in this week's episode include some of Alan's own:

Amach (An Gúm, 2004)

The Táin, ill. Eoin Coveney (Little Island, 2023)

Leabhar Nóra Ní Anluain (Cló Iar-Chonnacht)

And the stories that shaped him include:

The New Testament of the Bible

Don Quixote, by Miguel de Cervantes

Comics including The Beano, The Dandy, Topper, Rupert the Bear

Black Beauty, by Anna Sewell

The work of Jack Kerouac

The work of DH Lawrence

The short stories of Frank O'Connor

The Touch/An Teagmháil, by Liam O'Flaherty

The Majesty of the Law, by Frank O'Connor

The work of Seosamh MacGrianna

The work of W.M. Thackeray

The work of Jane Austen

The work of Pádraic Ó Conaire

The work of Seamus Delargy and the Irish Folklore Commission, including:

Leabhair Seán Uí Chonaill/Seán O'Connell's Book

The work of W. Somerset Maugham

The work of Thomas Kenneally

Cré na Cille, by Máirtín Ó Cadhain

(Alan's translation: The Dirty Dust, Yale University Press, 2015)

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.