For the National Year of Reading, we are sharing a series of short conversations with people who are involved in promoting reading with young people. This could be a programme, resources or a literary event, and we're giving them the opportunity to share what they do and how people can get involved.

In this episode we are joined by Louisa Farrow from The Federation of Children's Book Groups.

The Federation is a national voluntary self-funded organisation whose aim is to promote enjoyment and interest in children’s books and reading and to encourage the availability of books for children of all ages, from first picture books to young adult. They have groups around the country, whose members include parents and carers, teachers, and librarians, along with individual and professional members, who all want to nurture a love of reading through the sharing of books with children. They have strong national links with children’s publishers, authors, illustrators, and all organisations who support their aim of encouraging children to enjoy, read and share books and stories.

The FCBG's National Share a Story Month is running throughout May and is an annual event designed to celebrate the fabulous world of children’s fiction and to inspire a love of reading by sharing stories. This year it has been chosen as a featured event for the National Year of Reading

In 2026, the theme of National Share a Story Month is Once Upon a Storytime and will shine a spotlight on the joy of reading aloud and the power of stories to bring people together. This nationwide celebration invites children, families, schools, and communities to connect through books, storytelling, and the spoken word. More information and resources can be found here and there recommended read aloud books can be found here.

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In this episode we are joined by author Rashmi Sirdeshpande about her new books - Hari Kumar Ultimate Superstar (illustrated by Mamta Singh) which is a diary style middle grade and Super Uma (illustrated by Nakul P.) which is picture book with lots of sparkle and the all important unicorn.

Rashmi is as ever super busy with a number of new books coming up (details of the books mentioned below). She is also out and about doing festivals and events. The event she mentioned at the London Schools Literature Festival can be found here. She is also at the Brighton Festival on 17 May. There is a free online Super Uma event on 8th May with Puffin Schools and she is doing a free online event for the British Library about guidebooks, and discovering fascinating and delightful ways to explore place.

Books mentioned

Hari Kumar Ultimate Superstar (illustrated by Mamta Singh)

Hari Kumar Ultimate Superstar: Going for Gold (illustrated by Mamta Singh) out 13 August

Super Uma (illustrated by Nakul P.)

Amazing Asia (illustrated by Jason Lyon)

This is who I am (illustrated by Ruchi Mhasane) out in paperback 7 May

Never Show a T-Rex a Book (illustrated by Diane Ewen)

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For the National Year of Reading, we are sharing a series of short conversations with people who are involved in promoting reading with young people. This could be a programme, resources or a literary event, and we're giving them the opportunity to share what they do and how people can get involved.

In this episode we are joined by Imogen Bond from EmpathyLab

EmpathyLab develops, activates, and celebrates the power of stories to increase real-life empathy. Through reading, they help children and young people understand others, grow emotionally, and thrive. Through free events and resources to school programmes and learning webinars, EmpathyLab offers the tools to turn empathy into action. Look out for their Empathy Day Festival running 4-11 June 2026.

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For the National Year of Reading, we are sharing a series of short conversations with people who are involved in promoting reading with young people. This could be a programme, resources or a literary event, and we're giving them the opportunity to share what they do and how people can get involved.

In this episode we are joined by Emma Bell, CEO of Chapter One.

Through their volunteer reading partners, Chapter One provide one-to-one reading support to nearly 3,500 children in Birmingham, Bradford, Doncaster, East Sussex, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Leeds, Peterborough, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Warrington and West Cumbria.

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For the National Year of Reading, we are sharing a series of short conversations with people who are involved in promoting reading with young people. This could be a programme, resources or a literary event, and we're giving them the opportunity to share what they do and how you can get involved.

In this episode we are joined by Amy Lewis, Head of Coram Beanstalk.

Coram Beanstalk work with primary, secondary and virtual schools to enable children to grow a love for reading. They provide one-to-one in person reading support, giving children the help and encouragement they need to find books that inspire and delight, setting children on a path to become readers for life.

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For Part 6 we asked all our interviewees for one thing they would do to address the reading crisis. Properly funded libraries and librarians were unsurprisingly a strong theme, but also a rethink about how we position children's reading - how do we find the space for children to read and support children to experience the power and enjoyment of reading so they find their own routes into reading, and choose to do it.

For this series we interviewed the following people (not all feature in every episode):

Dapo Adeola - Author and the illustrator of many books including Look Up!, Clean Up!and My Dad is a Grizzly Bear.

Sita Brahmachari - Author of many books including Artichoke Hearts, When Shadows Fall and Phoenix Brothers

Dr Darren Chetty - Lecturer at UCL Institute of Education and author, with Professor Karen Sands O'Connor, of Beyond the Secret Garden

Professor Teresa Cremin - Professor of Education and Co-Director of the Literacy and Social Justice Centre at The Open University

Charlotte Hacking - Teacher Engagement Lead at the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Pedagogy and Research and Curriculum Lead at Herne Hill School

Jenny Hawke - Children's Librarian and Chair of the Youth Library Group

Tom Palmer - Author of many books including Angel of Grasmere, Resist and War Dog

Glynn Palmer–Bell - Assistant Director of English at Castle View Enterprise Academy, Sunderland

Louie Stowell - Author of many books including the Loki series, Otherland and the Dragon in the Library

Sabrina Sulliman - English teacher at Southfields Academy, South West London

At the end of the series we will invite comments and ideas from listeners so look out for how you can contribute to the discussion.

Many thanks to everyone we interviewed and to our Co Producer Belinda Naylor.

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For the National Year of Reading, we are sharing a series of short conversations with people who are involved in promoting reading with young people. This could be a programme, resources or a literary event, and we're giving them the opportunity to share what they do and how people can get involved.

In this episode we are joined by Andrea Reece who is the Managing Editor of the children's book magazine Books for Keeps.

Started in the 1980s, Books for Keeps is a treasure trove of information about children's books and authors. It includes reviews and recommendations, a news and events section and regular essays about topics in children's literature, as well as an extensive digital archive going back over 40 years. It is a must read for anyone interested in children's literature and reading.

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In this episode we talk with Nadia Shireen about the mad and upredictable world of Grimwood and book five in the series, Rock the Vote! which has recently come out in paperback.

Listen in to find out where Nadia gets her ideas from, how she writes, why illustrations are so important and what Titus's best cake would be.

Nadia can be found on Instagram here

Her Grimwood books can be found here:

Grimwood

Grimwood: Let the fur fly!

Grimwood: Attack of the Stink Monster!

Grimwood: Party Animals

Grimwood: Rock the Vote!

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