In this episode of Once Upon an Adventure, we explore family, belonging, and the role silence plays in shaping how children understand the people around them.

We begin with Running on Empty by S. E. Durrant, a pre-teen novel told from a child’s perspective, where much of family life is defined not by what is explained, but by what is left unsaid. The story offers a clear, realistic portrayal of how children interpret silence and how they often carry meaning adults don’t realise they’re making.

We then turn to We All Live Here by Jojo Moyes, a contemporary adult novel about a complex household shaped by divorce, shared space, and unresolved history. From the adult point of view, silence becomes a coping strategy; a way to keep life functioning even as it reshapes relationships within the family.

Together, these books invite us to think more carefully about who counts as family, how connection is built, and what children learn from the emotional gaps we leave unspoken. The episode also includes a simple, classroom-friendly Mini Mission designed to help children reflect on the people they rely on; at home, at school, and beyond.

This episode is for parents, teachers, and caregivers who want to use stories to open thoughtful conversations about family, belonging, and emotional honesty.

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In this episode of Once Upon an Adventure, we explore what adventure really means.

Through Once Upon a Fairytale by Natalia O’Hara and Bedtime Adventure Stories for Grownups by Anna McNuff, we look at adventure not as something planned or polished, but as something that unfolds in real time. For children, adventure often appears through story, full of choices, obstacles, and imagined worlds. For adults, it arrives through experience, disruption, uncertainty, and learning as we go.

We’re also joined on the Sibling Shelf by Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief and The Ice Monster, two stories that bridge fantasy and reality, showing how adventure shapes identity, empathy, and courage at different ages.

This episode invites listeners to rethink adventure... not as an outcome, but as a way of meeting what we don’t yet understand.

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Fear doesn’t disappear as we grow up...it just changes shape.

In this episode of Once Upon an Adventure, we explore overcoming fear through children’s literature and adult non-fiction, looking at what happens in the moments just before we act.

We begin with Be Brave Little Penguin by Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees, a picture book about hesitation, anticipation, and the quiet courage it takes to take a first step. We then turn to Susan Jeffers’ Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway, examining how fear evolves in adulthood, from immediate worries to layered “what ifs” about failure, identity, and consequence.

Looking at these two books, this episode explores how fear functions differently for children and adults, and how stories can help us move forward without pretending fear isn’t there. You’ll also find additional book recommendations for other ages and a grounded Mini Mission inviting both adults and children to face one small thing they’ve been avoiding.

A thoughtful listen for parents, educators, and anyone interested in how stories shape emotional resilience.

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Loneliness affects all of us, children, teenagers, and adults, often in quiet and unseen ways.

In this episode of Once Upon an Adventure, we explore the theme of loneliness and how it shows up across different stages of life, particularly during the winter months when feelings of isolation can feel heavier.

We begin with the 2025 picture book When I Feel Lonely by Britta Teckentrup, a gentle and emotionally thoughtful story for ages 3 to 6 that helps children recognise and talk about loneliness without dismissing the feeling.

For adults, we reflect on Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman, a novel that captures adult loneliness with warmth, humour, and honesty, and shows how healing can begin through small moments of connection.

The Sibling Shelf offers recommendations for other ages, including The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky for teens and My Lonely Book by Honor Head for younger children.

The episode closes with a simple family mini mission, encouraging small, safe acts of connection that help both children and adults practise being seen and noticing others.

If you are looking for a parenting podcast, a children’s book podcast, or thoughtful conversations around mental health, emotional wellbeing, and loneliness, this episode is for you.

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In this episode of Once Upon an Adventure, we explore the idea of transition, those moments when life shifts, routines change, and we find ourselves stepping into something new. January often brings that feeling into sharp focus, whether through resolutions, fresh starts, or the mixed emotions that come with looking back and looking forward.

Our children’s book spotlight features The Final Year by Matt Goodfellow, a verse novel that captures the final year of primary school with honesty and warmth. It follows a boy navigating friendship changes, family pressures, and the uncertainty of growing up, offering young readers reassurance that feeling unsteady during change is completely normal.

For adults, we turn to Ann Patchett’s The Dutch House, a reflective novel about siblings shaped by the home they once lived in. Through memory and perspective, it explores how transitions continue to affect us long after they’ve passed, and how returning to the past often reveals the ways we’ve grown.

Together, these two books show transition as it is felt across ages; immediate and emotional for children, layered and reflective for adults. They remind us that change is a universal experience, and that the way we approach it helps the young people around us understand their own shifts with more confidence and compassion.

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TRIGGER WARNING: MISCARRIAGE

In this episode of Once Upon an Adventure, we explore a feeling that touches children and adults alike: the pressure to be perfect. Through two very different books, we look at how perfectionism shapes the way we learn, love, and see ourselves.

On the children’s shelf, we discuss The Perfect Percival Priggs by Julie Anne Graham a warm and funny picture book about a boy who believes he must excel at everything. When his parents reveal their own mistakes, Percival discovers that failure is part of growth, not the opposite of it.

For adults, we turn to All Your Perfects by Colleen Hoover, a moving and honest novel about marriage, grief, and the quiet weight of expectations. It explores what happens when the life you imagined meets the life you actually have, and how letting go of “perfect” can make space for something real.

Together, these books remind us that perfection often isolates us, while honesty and vulnerability bring us back to connection. We finish with a simple family challenge that encourages creativity without correction, and an invitation to rethink what “perfect” really means in your home.

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In this festive episode of Once Upon an Adventure, we explore the heart of Christmas through two standout holiday books: one for children and one for adults. If you’re searching for meaningful Christmas stories, family-friendly holiday reading, or book-inspired activities to bring more connection into the season, this episode offers just that.

Our children’s pick is The Dinosaur That Pooped Christmas by Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter, a bestselling Christmas picture book that uses humour and chaos to highlight the pitfalls of holiday greed. For adult readers, we turn to John Grisham’s Skipping Christmas, the novel that inspired Christmas with the Kranks. It’s a sharp and funny look at the pressures of modern Christmas and what happens when we try to escape it entirely.

Together, these books spark a deeper conversation about gratitude, generosity, community, and the difference between a busy Christmas and a meaningful one. You’ll also hear recommendations for holiday books in our Sibling Shelf section, plus a simple family challenge designed to create more intentional, connected moments during the season.

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In this first episode of Once Upon an Adventure, we explore the experience of being busy, especially as the pace of life increases toward the end of the year. Through two thoughtfully chosen books, one for children and one for adults, we look at how constant activity shapes us and what it means to make room for rest.

Our children’s pick, The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister by Linda. R Lodding offers a humorous but recognisable picture of overscheduled childhoods and the value of unstructured play. For adults, we turn to Haemin Sunim’s The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down, which invites us to pay attention to what we miss when life becomes too full.

We consider how these two books speak to each other, why stillness matters at every age, and how small pauses can help us reconnect with joy, curiosity, and one another. The episode also includes further book recommendations for different age groups and a weekly mini mission designed to bring a little more calm into everyday routines.

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