The Island of Brilliant!

Well I for one have rarely seen Nadia and Frank quite so excited about a book as 'The Worst Thing That Could Possibly Happen' by Guy Bass and David Roberts, though Frank very nearly blows his chance of chatting with the pair when he fails to resist the lure of the mysterious sideways door that's suddenly appeared on the beach. Fortunately Nadia is on hand to make them welcome, and Frank does return from the shoulder of Orion in time to help her quiz the pair about how exactly they managed to create such a terrifying masterpiece. Emily 'the Drabster' Drabble is on hand again to provide book recommendations from her comfy conch. These are:

The Teller of Tall Tales by Liz Hyder and Tom De Freston, published by Pushkin

Game of Pets book 1: The Boy Who Knew Too Much by  Aaron Blabey published by Macmillan

Who said Boo? Be Jeanne Willis and Brian Fitzgerald published be Scallywag

The Last Leaf by Ali Pye published by Penguin

Ravi’s Dancing Hands by Sumana  Seeboruth and Sayani Makhurjjee published by Faber

Frank's post-laureate slump is well and truly un-slumped by the arrival of A. M. Dassu, a benign force of nature to match anything he and Nadia have experienced on the island before. She appears from the waters to regale the pair with stories from her life as a children's writer, and how she is driven to tackle issues around racism and stereotyping head on. She also knows how to keep F&N onside with her excellent choice of snack. If that weren't enough to shake Frank from his blue funk, Nadia's hilarious wordplay with marvellous Emily Drabble's moniker finishes the job.  

Emily's Picks: 

Rust Head by Ross Mackenzie - Andersen Press

African Queens by Onyinye Iwu - Walker

Princess (Apparently) by Siren Knight - Usborne

The Other Boy by Hamed Amiri - Hachette

Bessie’s Bees by George Kirk and Ana Gomez -Templar

What's that coming over the dune, is it a monster? It is, a grizzly slimy sea monster, and look who it's vomited up onto the otherwise spotless sand on the Island of Brilliant seafront! Jack Meggitt-Phillips, the wunderkind author of the glorious 'The Beast And The Bethany' series, as well as a brand spanking new adaptation of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde. A shame he didn't bring a mop to clean up the vomit, but high tide should see to that. Emily Drabble of Booktrust recommends the best of the latest crop of books for August reading pleasure - and the Ukulele Uff Trio treat us to a dollop of blue skies and musical sunshine. 

Emily recommends: 

Squid Bits - That’s A Nice Hat by Jess Bradley. DFB

Worm’s Big Dig by Tom Inn-Disbury -  Anderson 

A Sister like you, Sarah Hagger-Holt - Usborn

They sent a Cat to Saturn by Valerie Bloom and Ken Wilson Max - Otter Barry

Lotta & Lola Pudding NOW Please by Lauren Child - Simon and Schuster

"The Old Order Changeth And Maketh Way For New" - but not without a fight. As Frank gives in to the inevitable, with the encouragement of some restraining techniques, he welcomes the magnificent Patrice Lawrence to his old job as Children's Laureate. In a coup for Nadia and Frank (and boy did they need one), Patrice has swum straight from her inauguration ceremony to the island. There, she tells them about her plans for her tenure - with vulnerable children as her top priority. It's an emotional day for certain - all a bit much for all concerned, particularly Nadia, who is heard inadvertently saying something nice about Frank. You heard it here first, dear listener. 

He's behind some of the most celebrated and beloved books of recent times - Goth Girl, The Edge Chronicles, Ottoline and a gazillion more - and he's also, it turns out, the captain of the Mellow Submarine! Which is excellent news for Frank and Nadia, as it means that Chris Riddell (for it is he) is able to swing on by for a piercing, no-holds-barred interview about wine gums among other things. Always keen to get his bearings, he whips out his trust pen and pad to sketch the first official cartographic sketch of the island, revealing coves to our two resident coves that they never knew existed. The big shock comes in the form of an orchard, the result of a certain someone palming them off with a bushel of apples some time ago.  It's a joy to have Chris run aground for awhile, why not pull up some driftwood and have a listen? 

Frank's been tipping out talcum powder on the sand, Nadia's spent hours ironing patches onto her bell-bottom jeans. It can only mean one thing - Patience Agbabi is on her way to the island to talk about her amazing new book, Wonderland. It's all about sixteen-year-old Tamilola who, like Patience before her, enjoys nothing more than dancing up a storm to Northern Soul records on Colwyn Bay pier. Patience wows Nadia and Frank with her tales of joyful all-nighters (not to mention her snacks) and has them pondering just how hard it would be to build a sprung dancefloor on the beach. 

When you're one of the most important writers of the 21st Century you think you'd have people looking out to make sure you didn't end up in a whale.. but that's exactly where the phenomenon that is Angie Thomas has found herself. Fortunately, being a whale this one knows a thing or too about pods, and has delivered Angie safe to the shores of the Island of Brilliant. Frank and Nadia can't believe their luck, and welcome Angie to shore to talk all things 'The Hate U Give' as well as her fabulous new Nic Blake book, 'TheBook of Anansi'. An absolute treat all round. 

Stepping out of his helicopter onto the golden sands of the island, it's only flipping Ramzee, cartoonist, storyteller and owner of some truly cracking jumpers. He tells Nadia and Frank about the genesis of his fabulously popular Cheat Book series, and reveals all about his formative training in a video rental store as a teenager. He also has news from the mainland of new Jaffa Cake flavours which has them in a panic that they'll never make it through the big pile of books they need to read before they're finally allowed back home. Fortunately Emily Drabble of Booktrust is on hand via the convenient shell to keep them company and also up to date with the latest news from the children's book world. 

Nadia's busy scribbling - so busy she hasn't even had chance to read the book she was set as part of the Island's National Year of Reading challenge, 'Three Men In A Boat'. Frank decides it might help her engage if he becomes her own personal audiobook and so reads two of his favourite passages for her, and your, delight. It is a thing of pure joy. Frank also summons the spirit of Emily Drabble from Booktrust with her fabulous recommendations to stop him getting too lonely. 

13th January marks the official launch of the National Year of Reading, and Nadia and Frank have set their coconut alarm to make sure they're up and ready for it after their annual hibernation. Of course they're reluctant to actually wake up so producer Geoff has to muscle in and get them chatting about what their hopes are for this most exciting of projects. They set each other reading challenges and challenge listeners to do the same - which story, in whatever format, would you like a loved one to read so they can understand you better? Happy national year of reading, all..