SEASON 2 - EPISODE 2

In this episode we are choc-full of celebrities whether they come from the world of writing, illustration, bookselling or teaching.

Our author & illustrator guest Tom Percival navigates us down some dark alleys with his three choices of books from his childhood, before filling us in on the latest projects he's working on.

We're also joined by the wonderful Kirsty Woods of Kibworth books who recommends another wonderful picture book from the Read for Empathy collection. 

To top things off we also have Instagram favourite Esther Brown, curator of 'Mrs Brown's Bookbox' on Instagram. She chooses a 'scrambled' title for us to enjoy!

BOOKS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE

Paul - Bunny's First Birthday by A.J McGregor and W.Perring

Kirsty - The Bicycle by Patricia McCormick, Mevan Babakar and Yas Imamura

Tom - Tim and the Hidden People by Sheila McCullach, The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper & The Devil on the Road by Rober Westall

Esther - Scrambled Legs by Jahanna N.Malcolm

USEFUL LINKS

Tom Percival

WEB:www.tom-percival.com/

INSTA: @tompercivalbooks

Kibworth Books

Bookshop

Kirsty Woods

Insta : @homelovinguk

EmpathyLab

WEB: www.empathylab.uk

INSTA: @empathylabuk

Paul Jenkins WEB: www.pauljenkinspoet.co.uk

INSTA: @teacherwriterPJ  

For any enquiries about the podcast contact Paul on [email protected]

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 2

Recorded at the Ramsbottom Come Together Festival somewhere between the toilets and the fire esacpe (Oh the glamour!) my guest this week is the fantastic Dominic Berry (AKA Dommy B) - we delve into the brilliant books his Mum introduced him to, the graphic novels he loved as a child and the books he was terrified by - but loved. We also take a few meandering turns through politics, autism and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It's the perfect discussion.

I also speak this week to Sarah Mears about another book in the Read for Empathy Collection and we get a book recommendation all the way back to the 60's with former teacher Paul Heaton. Jump in your time capsules kids - we're off to the library!

BOOKS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE

Paul - Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte.

Imogen - The Boy I Love by William Hussey

Dom - He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, The Magic House series by Joe Austen, The Deptford Mice by Robin Jarvis & Green Smoke by Rosemary Manning

Paul H - The Happy Venture Series by Fred J Schnoell

USEFUL LINKS

Dominic Berry

WEB: www.dominicberry.net

INSTA: @thepoetdominic

EmpathyLab

WEB: www.empathylab.uk

INSTA: @empathylabuk

Paul Jenkins WEB: www.pauljenkinspoet.co.uk

INSTA: @teacherwriterPJ  

For any enquiries about the podcast contact Paul on [email protected]

EPISODE 10

And so - the end is near. And now we face...the final curtain. :(

But don't cry too much we'll be back in a few months with season 2. 

What? One last MASSIVE episode? Oh, ok then.

Today's guest is the brilliant Hannah Gold talking about her brilliant books and three choices of her own that she read when she was younger. From rats, lions and ducks came the stories of whales, turtles, bears & huskies that we know and love from Hannah's back catalogue. Hannah also speaks candidly about her worries that she was somehow 'not good enough' before her first book deal and opens up on the insecurities you can have has as a young writer. 

Mari Bowen will also be filling us in on a her choice from the Read for Empathy collection - a Catherine Johnson classic.

We also pay tribute to the inimitable Brian Patten, who sadly signed off his final stanzas this week. What an inspiration to me and so many more. Raised by Writers, inspired by writers. The words live on. :)

BOOKS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE

Paul -Gargling with Jelly by Brian Patten.

Mari - Race to the Frozen North by Catherine Johnson

Hannah - Mrs Frisby and the Rats of N.I.M.H by Robert C.O Brien, The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S.Lewis and The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Andersen

USEFUL LINKS

Hannah Gold

WEB: https://www.hannahgold.world/

INSTA: @hannahgold_author

EmpathyLab

WEB: www.empathylab.uk

INSTA: @empathylabuk

Paul Jenkins

WEB: www.pauljenkinspoet.co.uk

INSTA: @teacherwriterPJ

For any enquiries about the podcast contact Paul on [email protected]

EPISODE 9

The penultimate episode in the series? How did we get so close to the end of the book? What's going to happen to the characters? Will there be a sequel?!? Yes. We announced that last week Pay at the attention you at the back!

This week, we're talking all things cats, tigers, geese and trees. It's a fine combination. S.F.. Said joins me to discusses the books that influenced him but also highlights the importance of storytelling, fable and reading in our lives. And he talks about his cat. What's not to love?

As for geese, Helen Mulligan has that covered with her recommendation from the Read for Empathy collection this week as we meet 'The Meanest Goose on Earth'

Lastly, our teacher guest this week chooses a book that we've had on the pod before - proving yet again that despite the fact that Enid Blyton is not the 'trendiest' of authors to discuss - they clearly hold very firm memories for anyone who came across their books in childhood. (Me included!)

BOOKS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE

Paul -1984 by George Orwell

Helen - Gordon, The Meanest Goose on Earth by Alex Latimer

S.F.Said - The Cat in the Hat by Dr Seuss, Watership Down by Richard Adams and The Tyger by William Blake

Simon - The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton

USEFUL LINKS

S.F.Said

WEB: www.sfsaid.com

INSTA: @whatsfsaid

Simon Hunt

INSTA: @mrhuntfromthefront

EmpathyLab

WEB: www.empathylab.uk

INSTA: @empathylabuk

Paul Jenkins

WEB: www.pauljenkinspoet.co.uk

INSTA: @teacherwriterPJ

For any enquiries about the podcast contact Paul on [email protected]

EPISODE 8

We motor on into a giant of an episode with not one but two brilliant authors? More bang for your buck. Which is an even better deal when you consider this baby is free.

Attie Lime, poet and author of Blue Jelly & Strawberries is my guest as we go through the books that have stayed with her since childhood and shaped the poet she has become. We also chat about her upcoming Chrsitmas collection "A welly full of Christimas" and her involvement with the Swadlincote Festival of Words.

But as if that wasn't enough we also speak to the fantastic Rashmi Sirdeshpande about her 2023 book "We've Got This" - the six step guide to developing your empathy superpower she wrote in collaboration with EmpathyLab. Rashmi will be back in series 2 (Yes, it's official - we're having a series 2!) to chat about her won books from childhood.

Finally, our teacher guest, Andrea Humberstone introduces me to a book that had gone under my radar - and it sounds like its right up my street. Time to do a trawl of the old t'internet to find me a copy methinks!

BOOKS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE

Paul -Stories from Rainbow

Rashmi -We've Got This by Rashmi Sirdeshpande, illustrated by Juliana Eigner

Attie - The Puffin Book of Funny Verse, The Enormous Turnip and Mr Strong by Roger Hargreaves.

Jennifer - The Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott Odell

USEFUL LINKS

WEB: www.attielime.co.uk/

INSTA: @attielime

Rashmi Sirdeshpande

WEB: www.rashmisirdeshpande.com

INSTA: @rashmiwriting

EmpathyLab

WEB: www.empathylab.uk

INSTA: @empathylabuk

Paul Jenkins

WEB: www.pauljenkinspoet.co.uk

INSTA: @teacherwriterPJ

For any enquiries about the podcast contact Paul on [email protected]

EPISODE 7

Episode 7 already? Unbelievable. But what a week. To say that our guest this week is a legend is a little bit of an understatement. Author of Orangeboy, Needle, Our Story Starts in Africa and of course the Elemental Detectives series, Patrice Lawrence is one of the most powerful authors in UK Children's literature. A former journalist, Patrice has numerous accolades including winning the Waterstones book prize & the Bookseller Prize in 2017 & being elected as a fellow to the Royal Soicety of Literature in 2023.

Patrice chooses some fabulous titles and lets us peep behind the curtain of her early reading experiences, growing up in Brighton in the 60's and 70's. 

Miranda McKearney, formerly of the Reading Agency and co-founder of EmpathyLab discusses her choice(s) from the Read for Empathy collection and our teacher guest, Jennifer Young manages to pick out our first double of the series. 

Blyton clearly still holds a place in people's hearts!

BOOKS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE

Paul - The Conker as Hard as a Diamond by Chris Powling

Miranda - The Grand Hotel of Feelings by Lydia Brankovic and The Cat who Couldn't be Bothered by Jack Kurland

Patrice - The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame, The Wishing Chair by Enid Blyton and The Didakoi by Rumer Godden.

Jennifer - The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton

USEFUL LINKS

Patrice Lawrence

WEB: www.goodreads.com/author/show/646810.Patrice_Lawrence

INSTA: @lawrencepatrice

EmpathyLab

WEB: www.empathylab.uk

INSTA: @empathylabuk

Paul Jenkins

WEB: www.pauljenkinspoet.co.uk

INSTA: @teacherwriterPJ

For any enquiries about the podcast contact Paul on [email protected]

EPISODE 6

Over halfway through the series now and today Paul meets the brilliant award winning poet, Joshua Seigal. Author of Who Let the Words Out?, I Don't Like Poetry and Little Lemur Laughing to name but three, Joshua is a twice winner of the Laugh Out Loud award as well being chosen as the Reading Rocks award winner in 2024.

We chat about his first brush with poetry being read to as a child through to his explorations of his teenage years alongside a very famous keeper of diaries.

Rebecca Horswill is the Communications and Design Officer for EmpathyLab with a background herself in chlidren's book illustration. It's no surprise that she's chosen an amazing picture book to talk about. Out teacher recommendation this week comes from Samantha Nunnery, who is our first sixth form teacher on the pod. Sam takes us back to a book that has been with her since the age of 7.

Prepare to go down the rabbit hole!

BOOKS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE

Paul - The Sonnets of William Shakespeare

Rebecca - Grandad's Star by Frances Tosdevin, Illustrated by Rhian Stone

Joshua - There's a Wocket in my Pocket by Dr Seuss, There Are a Lot of Weirdos in Our Neighbourhood by Colin McNaughtonand The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4 by Sue Townsend

Samantha -  Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

USEFUL LINKS

Joshua Seigal

WEB: https://www.joshuaseigal.co.uk/

INSTA: @joshuaseigal

EmpathyLab

WEB: www.empathylab.uk

INSTA: @empathylabuk

Paul Jenkins

WEB: www.pauljenkinspoet.co.uk

INSTA: @teacherwriterPJ

For any enquiries about the podcast contact Paul on [email protected]

Raised by Writers (c) is a Double Rainbow production

EPISODE 5

This week Paul gets out and about with the 'Nature Connected Storyteller' Danny English. Author of books such as 'The Happiness Tree' and 'Tales of the Timeless Forest' Danny is rarely found indoors, sharing his love of the natural world with families across the North West of England and beyond. We talk about his early brushes with nature books (and pigeons) and how a magazone subscription as a boy probably shaped his future before he even was even out of short trousers.

Jenny Ford, a former Headteacher and the lead in bringing secondfary level empathy education to Wales chooses a book for us from the Read for Empathy collection and the brilliant Ed Finch has an 'ordinary' book to share with us in our teacher recommendation section. 

It's non-stop action around these parts we tells ya!

BOOKS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE

Paul - Talking in Whispers by James Watson

Jenny - The Blue Book of Nebo by Manon Steffan Ros

Danny - A series of unidentified wildlife encyclopedias, The Eagle Annual from some time in the 80's and The Storyteller Magazine

Ed -  Ordinary Jack by Helen Cresswell

USEFUL LINKS

Danny English

WEB: https://www.dannyenglish.co.uk/

INSTA: @natureconnectedstoryteller

EmpathyLab

WEB: www.empathylab.uk

INSTA: @empathylabuk

Paul Jenkins

WEB: www.pauljenkinspoet.co.uk

INSTA: @teacherwriterPJ

For any enquiries about the podcast contact Paul on [email protected]

Raised by Writers (c) is a Double Rainbow production

EPISODE 4 

In this episode Paul is joined by the multi-talented, multi-discipline, multi-award winning poet and hip hop artist, Karl Nova. After winning the CLIPPA prize in 2018 for his debut collection Rhythm and Poetry Karl has gone from strength to strength - releasing a second collection in 2021 -The Curious Case of Karl Nova. His music and lyrics are both upbeat and incisive - giving the reader or listener a window on what has been a very unique life.

Born in London, moving to Lagos at the age of 7 and then returning as he turned 18 - Karl gives a wonderful insight into growing up in both the UK & Nigeria - and his book choices from his youth totally reflect this.

Caroline Scott, a former deputy head, co-founder of EmpathyLab and specialist in inclusive education joins us to talk about her experiences of sharing the Read for Empathy collection with her grandaughter and we hear from Victoria - a brand new, fresh out of the box teacher who chooses a classic to share. (Congratulations on getting your RQT status Victoria!)

BOOKS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE

Paul - Ramona Forever by Beverley Cleary

Caroline - Luna Loves Gardening by Joseph Coelho, illustrated by Fiona Lumbers

Karl -Things fall apart by Chinua Achebe, The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Alex Haley, Go Tell it on the Mountain by James Baldwin

Victoria -  The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by C.S Lewis

USEFUL LINKS

Karl Nova

WEB: https://karlnovaworld.wordpress.com/

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6YrVMG1ucMkO2nUGdLsbFw

INSTA: @karlnova

EmpathyLab

WEB: www.empathylab.uk

INSTA: @empathylabuk

Paul Jenkins

WEB: www.pauljenkinspoet.co.uk

INSTA: @teacherwriterPJ

For any enquiries about the podcast contact Paul on [email protected]

Raised by Writers (c) is a Double Rainbow production