APPROX AGE RATING: 15+ (NATIONAL 5/HIGHER MODERN STUDIES/POLITICS)

Welcome to The Reading Cafe - the podcast from Holy Cross High School that aims to get people talking about reading!

The Reading Cafe LIVE 2025 audience event featured an interview with Darren McGarvey, award-winning BBC documentarian and Orwell Prize-winning author of Poverty Safari and The Social Distance Between Us.

During this excellent interview, Darren was in conversation with outstanding S6 Reading Leaders, Elsa and Grace. Our audience of National 5/Higher Modern Studies and Politics students had the opportunity to hear the writer’s responses to questions about key topics (poverty, health, gender and the criminal justice system) in preparation for the exam in May. 

They also enjoyed live self-written scenes ('Tone Deaf' and 'The Glass Ceiling') performed by Advanced Higher Drama pupils focused on poverty and gender.

This is an invaluable resource for all pupils who are studying for the National 5 and Higher Modern Studies and Politics exams, so make sure you take lots of notes as you listen!

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FOLLOW: @ReadingCafePod on Instagram

APPROX AGE RATING: 9-11

Welcome back to The Reading Cafe!

Pari Thomson is the author of the acclaimed eco-fantasy series Greenwild, which won the 2024 Waterstones Children's Book Prize for both the overall category and the Younger Readers prize. In addition to her own writing, Pari works as the Editorial Director at Bloomsbury Children's Books. Her Greenwild series has been praised for its imaginative storytelling and environmental themes.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL DISCOVER:

This episode also features Holy Cross Geography teachers, Stephanie Murphy and Dawn Honnet, who will be talking about their connection to nature and literature.

To learn more about Pari Thomson, visit: https://us.macmillan.com/author/parithomson

You wouldn't want to miss any episodes of The Reading Cafe, so be sure to subscribe!

Please leave a rating, review wherever you listen to podcasts and... keep reading!

APPROX AGE RATING: 14+

WINNER - Best Children and Young Adults' Podcast 2024 (Independent Podcast Awards)

Welcome back to the Reading Cafe!

Kat McKenna is author of Look What You Made Me Do: A Love-Letter to the Fandom Era. As a massive long-term Swiftie, Kat evaluates the phenomenon of Taylor Swift's success and looks at the concept of fandom itself. 

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT:

- How Taylor makes her fans feel “seen”. 

- Swiftmas and the Easter Eggs Taylor leaves throughout her songs, performances and videos. 

- Why fans care so much about Taylor as a person, not just as a pop star.

...AND MUCH MORE!

This episode also features two members of The Tortured English Department, Miss Gallagher and Miss Quigley, who will be telling you about their most prized poets and treasured Taylor Swift songs. 

To learn more about Kat McKenna, visit: https://www.katmckenna.com

You wouldn’t want to miss any episodes of The Reading Cafe, so be sure to subscribe. Please leave a rating and review wherever you listen to podcasts and… keep reading!

APPROX AGE RATING: 14+

Welcome back to The Reading Cafe!

Kayvion Lewis is the author of Thieves' Gambit, winner of the 2024 Waterstones Children’s Book Prize for Older Readers. This thrilling and wildly imaginative crime novel is the first in a series which looks certain to become the next big YA hit. Excitingly, it is now on its way to the big screen, having been sold to Lionsgate who have brought Creed and Transformers director, Steven Caple Jr, onto the project.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

Plus, Kayvion reads an EXCLUSIVE preview of her new book, Heist Royale, which arrives in November.

This episode also features Holy Cross History teacher, Lucy Kinnie, who will be revealing the historical crime that has arrested her attention above all others...

To learn more about Kayvion Lewis, visit: https://www.kayvionlewis.com/

You wouldn’t want to miss any episodes of The Reading Cafe, so be sure to subscribe!

APPROX AGE RATING: 15+ (NATIONAL 5 ENGLISH)

Welcome to The Reading Cafe - the podcast from Holy Cross High School that aims to get people talking about reading!

The inaugural Reading Cafe LIVE audience event featured an interview with Ann Marie Di Mambro, writer of the popular National 5 English set text, Tally’s Blood.

During this excellent interview, Ann Marie was in conversation with two of our outstanding S5 Reading Leaders, Elsa and Grace. Our audience of National 5 English pupils had the unique chance to hear the writer’s responses to questions about the characters, setting and themes of Tally’s Blood in preparation for the exam in May. 

They also enjoyed live scenes from the play performed by National 5 Drama pupils, Caroline and Martha, and Higher Drama students, Maria and David. After each scene, Ann Marie provides answers to an 8-mark style commonality question, focused on theme/relationships.

This is an invaluable resource for all pupils who are studying Tally’s Blood for their National 5 English exam, so make sure you take lots of notes as you listen!

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Intro/Welcome to The Reading Cafe

00:04:37 - Ann Marie Di Mambro bio/Interview part 1 (setting/Rosinella/relationships)

00:14:38 - Act 1, Scene 11 and 8-mark discussion: theme of love

00:19:15 - Interview part 2 (setting/character/theme of identity/conflict)

00:23:49 - Act 2, Scene 8 and 8-mark discussion: relationship between Massimo and Rosinella

00:28:52 - National 5 Q & A: 1) Rosinella’s childlessness 2) Key scene: Italian experience 3) Theme of loss

00:34:21 - Final questions: If you could change one thing.../favourite character

00:39:24 - Thanks and closing remarks

SUBSCRIBE: @ApplePodcasts @spotify @audible @podbeancom

FOLLOW: @ReadingCafePod

APPROX AGE RATING: 11+

Welcome back to The Reading Cafe!

Elle McNicoll is an award-winning author and screenwriter whose debut novel, A Kind of Spark, won the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, the Blackwells Book of 2020 and the Blue Peter Book Award. The novel was recently adapted into a fantastic CBBC show. She also established The Adrien Prize - an award for novels which feature disabled characters.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT:

This special transition episode also features P7 pupils from Holy Cross associated primaries, St Paul’s and St Mary’s, as well as guests from Support for Learning, James McManus and Aimee Gibson.

To learn more about Elle McNicoll, visit: https://www.ellemcnicoll.com/

You wouldn’t want to miss any episodes of The Reading Cafe, so be sure to subscribe!

APPROX AGE RATING 11+

Welcome back to The Reading Cafe for a new season of awesome author interviews and riveting reading recommendations!

Matt Oldfield is a hugely popular author of non-fiction (Ultimate Football Heroes, Unbelievable Football) and fiction (Johnny Ball: Football Genius) books about... you guessed it, football!

His books fly off the library shelves and bring the lives of soccer stars into focus for young fans with interesting details of their journeys from "playground to pitch".

Listen to this superb interview to hear about Matt's "training routine" for writing, his approach to research and lots more, including his thoughts on the rise of women's football and the unsung heroes he'd love to see make their way into the Ultimate Football Heroes series. You'll also hear a reading from Matt and some half-time wisdom from two of our teachers from the Holy Cross High School PE team.

We have lots of amazing content coming up on this season of The Reading Cafe, so be sure to subscribe and please leave a 5 star review on the podcast platform of your choice!

Follow on X/Twitter: @ReadingCafePod

APPROX AGE RATING: 14+

Welcome back to The Reading Cafe for the second part of our interview with Comic King, Mark Millar!

In this episode, S6 Reading Leaders Ellie and Emma ask Mark about his opinions on the state of comic movie adaptations, his feelings about graphic novels finding their way into the classroom and lots more. It's a brilliant listen and we are very grateful to Mark for making time in his relentlessly busy schedule time to appear on the show.

Be sure to subscribe to The Reading Cafe on your podcast platform of choice as we have lots of exciting guests and shows planned. Also, please do leave a review if you enjoy what you hear, and follow us on Twitter at @ReadingCafePod to keep up-to-date with all our news.

As always... keep reading!

APPROX AGE RATING: 14+

This is the first episode of our two-part interview with Comic King and New York Times best-selling writer, Mark Millar.

Mark is the creator of the best-selling Marvel book of all time, Civil War, and his own Millarworld franchise was purchased by Netflix in 2017.

Listen to Mark talking about his writing process, his own heroes and advice for young people who hope to get into the comic industry.

Follow The Reading Café on Twitter at @ReadingCafePod

APPROX AGE RATING: 11+

Today’s episode arrives just in time for World Book Day 2023!

This is a discussion special in which our S1 pupils talk about Reading Resolutions, classic quotes, captivating covers & thought-provoking themes.

Also, listen to find out who we have lined up for The Reading Cafe as our next interview guest…

If you aren’t already following The Reading Cafe on Apple Podcasts/Audible, hit that subscribe button to make sure each new episode reaches you!