Ranger Hamza is in the house! Or would be if we had one. Frank and Nadia are all aflutter as Hamza comes in to land on the Island in the clutches of Assassin, the might Golden Eagle who lives round the corner from him in his Scottish home. Never takes the bins out but nobody dares mention it. With tales of pine marten poo, the superpower that is his dyslexia, and of course serious snack chat hamza offers something for everyone, and such is the enormity of his charm, intelligence and wit that two...
Jun 01, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 29
It's the one, it's the only... Charlie Higson!! Nadia's got a bit of a face on when she realises who's come to join her and Frank on the island, given that they've just created a book together, as this means breaking one of the island's golden rules - but soon she's ripping up said rule book (it's very thin) and eating it with glee as Charlie charms one and all with tales from his glorious career as a children's writer. If that's not enough, there are reflections on music and (semi?) quavers, an...
May 11, 2025•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 28
Well we're all delighted that the plague that beset the island last month has now vanished thanks to the diligent isolating from Nadia and Frank - though perhaps they were just not talking, it's hard to tell sometimes. The island is once again open to visitors and what a treat to see Her Highness of Horror Jennifer Killick emerging from the earth's crust to marvel at Frank's Deadwood puns and chat about why she's so drawn to filling her readers with fear. In geo-political news Frank and Nadia re...
Apr 01, 2025•49 min•Ep. 27
She’s won the prizes as well as the love of her adoring readers for her brilliant books - including 'Orangeboy', 'Eight Pieces of Silva' and 'Rat' - but the wonder that is Patrice Lawrence has never, until now, been able to show off her true skill… the ability to freeze large bodies of water. And aren’t we the lucky ones, as it means she’s been able to pay a visit and tell Nadia and Frank all about her writing, her rage and her tip top taste in doughnuts. Now that Patrice’s new book, ‘People Lik...
Feb 01, 2025•56 min•Ep. 26
Our two reluctant beachcombers have retired from the chilly sands to the cosy warmth of their makeshift hut for a wintery fireside chat about the hither, whither and thither of the Island of Brilliant's past, present and future. Expect insight, illumination, Count Duckula impressions and literary pyjama anecdotes as Nadia and Frank set their tiny island corner of the world to rights. And relax....
Jan 01, 2025•43 min•Ep. 25
The King of illustration Axel Scheffler arrives on the island with a sackful of Lebkukchen, for December is upon us and even Frank has allowed a degree of festive cheer onto the Brilliant shores. Nadia's so excited about the prospect of Axel's arrival she's even prepared some absolute zinger questions - unfortunately she did so in collaboration with Terry the famously duplicitous crab, who just might have sold her a pup or two. Oh well, ende gut alles gut, as they say in Germany; when you have t...
Dec 01, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 24
We will never, not ever, have a more splendid visitor to the island than the genius and former children's laureate Lauren Child - though the word 'visitor' might not necessarily be the most accurate in her case. Lauren is of course the creator of Charlie and Lola, Clarice Bean, Ruby Redford - a cast of characters the like of which any writer would give their left nib to have come up with. Nadia and Frank are so engrossed in what she has to say about her relationship with the people in her books ...
Nov 01, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 23
Frank has been desperate to start up a whole new mythology for the island with stories featuring various characters he's modelled out of seaweed and goggly eyes, so Nadia's relief was positively palpable when Louie Stowell turned up, courtesy of a feathery Loki, with enough Norse tales to sate Frank's ravenous appetite, at least for a little while. They chat about the wild success of Louie's Loki books, the brilliant ways myths can be retold (cue Frank's Elmer Fudd impression) and roll the Sisyp...
Oct 01, 2024•48 min•Ep. 22
A very special, dare we say unmissable, episode in lots of ways. Not only does Chris Haughton, the genius behind such books as 'Shh!', 'A Bit Lost' and 'Don't Worry, Little Crab' join us on the island and prove himself to be the most charming and brilliant of guests, Frank also shares a letter he was sent after the devastating arson attack on Liverpool's Spellow Library during the riots. It's a letter that is both the story of a life and a testament to the enormous power of public spaces and the...
Sep 01, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 21
How do you turn an island into a festival? This month's episode is recorded partly on the island and partly at the magical location that is Biddulph Old Hall in the Staffordshire Moorlands, which played host and provided a magnificent backdrop to the inaugural Festival of Brilliant, staged by the mighty Outside Arts organisation. Moorlands lad Steven Lenton came along with vital local patisserie expertise and charmed the audience with his Swanee whistle playing and tip-top question answering. Th...
Jul 31, 2024•40 min•Ep. 19
Nadia and Frank continue in their efforts to work out who their own favourite character from children's books is by asking other people who theirs is in the hope it'll give them inspiration. Fat chance, it takes them three hours to decide which side of their hammocks to get out of in the morning - but still, you never know. Today it's the turn of Jonny Vegas to recall his happy childhood days at Thatto Heath public library, pestering the librarians for new books featuring... well you'll just hav...
Jul 20, 2024•4 min•Ep. 20
A HUGE day on the island as our Frank becomes the new children's laureate! It's been quite the journey from Coronation Street to coronation, but nobody deserves it more. Everyone's delighted though he does seem to want to rub our noses in it just a touch so let's see how long that lasts. It could be a long two years. Nadia and Frank are joined by the glorious wonder that is Sophy Henn who talks brilliantly about the joy of facts, her circuitous route to the world of children's books - and why so...
Jul 02, 2024•44 min•Ep. 18
Nadia's been at the papaya juice again, only this time she SWALLOWED THE WORM! 🪱Thus ensues a fever dream in which she imagines her and Frank interviewing JULIA flippin' DONALDSON at @brightfest (never gonna happen obvs).. Frank's efforts to bring Nadia down from her brain-worm trip fail as he gets cross about not being Adam Kay - the only remedy is a blast of the St Trinians Battle Cry. Thank goodness Emily Drabble of Booktrust is on hand to bring everyone back to earth. Or sand.
Jun 01, 2024•48 min•Ep. 17
Who's your favourite character from children's books? Just the question Frank and Nadia have been asking themselves, and to help prompt them they're going to be asking some friendly folk to name theirs. First up is one of the funniest, warmest and most talented women you could hope to meet, that legend of stage and screen, the Accrington Thunderbolt herself, Julie Hesmondhalgh!!!!
May 24, 2024•5 min•Ep. 16
Well we've had some talented coves wash up in our coves but never a world record holder, not until now that is. Rob 'Draw With Rob' Biddulph is a triple-threat cubed: a Youtube sensation, a writer, illustrator and not least a snack-mongering champion-of-champions. He tells Nadia and Frank all about his life before children's books, working for the NME and The Observer among others, and how happy he is to have found his true calling as a storyteller for children - and that, as Frank says, really ...
Apr 30, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 15
GET OUT OF THE WATER!! Sharks spell trouble, unless of course they're in the employ of the one and only Elle McNicoll, who's heading to the island on the back of one with snacks aplenty and aplenty to say about her writing life. Since making a huge splash with 'A Kind of Spark' Elle has established herself as one of the most exciting writers back in Blighty, and a brilliant advocate for better representation of neurodiversity in children's books. Frank and Nadia are mustard-keen to hear about he...
Apr 01, 2024•51 min•Ep. 14
I hear that whistle blowing - the beautiful sound of a train emerging from beneath the waves with the fabulous M.G. Leonard aboard, ready to scatter joy with her fabulous snack choices and fascinating insights into her seemingly endless list of endlessly brilliant books - including Beetle Boy, the Adventures on Trains series and The Twitchers books. She's been translated into over forty languages but sadly, as yet, not the native language of the Island of Brilliant. Perhaps that's about to chang...
Mar 01, 2024•56 min•Ep. 13
Nadia has made the most of her extended Christmas break, but Frank’s been sleeping it off. For a month. He needs to get his act together sharpish, though, because there is a rip in the space time continuum just above one of the palm trees, and Christopher Edge, author of bestseller ‘The Escape Room’ and the forthcoming ‘Black Hole Cinema Club’, is hurtling towards the island at the speed of light, all the way from Eccles. Before he arrives Frank and Nadia discuss Truckers by Terry Pratchett and ...
Feb 01, 2024•49 min•Ep. 12
It's not easy turning a tropical island into a festive grotto but yule surely agree we've done our level best, with recommendations for books of the year from some of the most exciting names in children's books, including previous visitors to these shores Katherine Rundell and Maisie Chan. We also have a silver-lamé-bedecked Alex T Smith talking Nutcrackers and all things festive. We kick things off, though, with a tribute to that giant of a man Benjamin Zephaniah, whose body of work included so...
Dec 14, 2023•57 min•Ep. 11
J.T. Williams is the author of the incredible Lizzie and Belle Mysteries, featuring two girls who spend their time solving mysteries in 19th Century London - who better to come along to the island to try and solve the great mystery of the ages: why can't Frank get the name of the Ukelele Uff trio right? Though she's going to need more time to crack that particular conundrum, J.T. is more than up to the job of keeping Nadia and Frank enraptured with her tales of the real people Lizzie and Belle a...
Dec 01, 2023•55 min•Ep. 10
She may have sold over 11 million copies in 44 languages of her Tom Gates series but that doesn't mean Liz 'The Toaster' Pichon doesn't have time to swing by the island to chat with two of her biggest fans - Frank and Nadia. Being a publishing phenomenon, it seems, doesn't stop you being a wonderful human being and a brilliant guest... BookTrust's Emily Drabble recommends World of Dogs by Carlie Sorosiak and Luisa Uribe (Nosy Crow) The Snow Girl by Sophie Anderson, illustrated by Melissa Castril...
Nov 01, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 9
Last time, in a terrifying cliff-hanger, our Nadine flew off on Katherine Rundell's bi-plane - there's only one thing that could prompt such foolhardy behaviour in one os fearful - and that's the chance to fetch Jon Klassen (THE Jon Klassen) back to island. And not a minute too soon, the poor man was drifting out in the ocean with minutes left before the game was up. Fortified by Frank's crisps, he proceeds to give one of the best interviews you'll hear this year from any writer. Jon, truly one ...
Oct 01, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 8
Imagine having a new book coming out, one more hotly anticipated than a change of government - and still taking the time and trouble to visit the Island of Brilliant for a natter with Nadia and Frank. That's the kind of class that is exhibited as standard by the inestimably talented Katherine Rundell, who even manages to keep her composure when her kindly snack gift is met with (very) thinly veiled disappointment. Katherine offers invaluable insights into forthcoming novel 'impossible Creatures'...
Sep 01, 2023•56 min•Ep. 7
Frank's had his turn bigging up his new book and now Nadia's waking up to find he's jumped ship, leaving the coast clear for her to answer listeners' questions abode there new book Geoffrey Gets The Jitters as well as her fabulous Grimwood series.
Aug 03, 2023•11 min•Ep. 6
The ground rules were clear before they arrived on the island - no talking about their own books... but Frank and Nadia are too clever by half, and have sailed out to a lagoon in a home-made canoe so they can answer listeners' questions about their new titles without getting into trouble with the island's fearsome fairness umpires. Trouble is Nadia's fallen asleep so Frank's having to talk over the top of her snoring - but it's worth it to get the inside scoop on his terrific new title, 'The Won...
Aug 03, 2023•18 min•Ep. 5
There's bad blood on the island this month, as Frank's nemesis Danny Wallace turns up (uninvited, according to FCB) to stoke the flames of the pair's long-standing rivalry. Nadia, fortunately, is able to find higher ground and steers a sometimes begrudging but always illuminating, often hilarious conversation to the matter at hand, children's books. Danny discusses his own books, including 'The Day the Screens Went Blank' and 'The Boss of Everyone' - and also Brian Patten's brilliant poetry coll...
Aug 01, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 4
Another month, another pile of books to get excited about.. Nadia and Frank welcome the brilliant, goose-fat-slathered Ed Vere onto the island to talk about his terrific range of picture books, including most recently 'The Artist', and are surprised and moved to discover his long-standing connection with Jan Pieńkowski. What a shame such a lovely visit ends so tragically! Emily Drabble from BookTrust is on hand (via the magic shell) to cheer us up with her latest reviews of: This Rock is Mine Wr...
Jul 01, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 3
Nadia (of the 'lovely audio presence') and Frank welcome the fabulous writer Maisie Chan to the island to talk about some of her brilliant books - including 'Danny Chung Does Not Do Maths' and 'Keep Dancing Lizzie Chu'. They also chat about the books they've been reading to pass their days in the sunshine - and head to the sea shell shelf to listen to Emily Drabble from BookTrust reviewing these highlights from the recent crop of new children's books: Nature Trail be Benjamin Zephaniah illustrat...
Jun 01, 2023•54 min•Season 1Ep. 2
Frank and Nadia are shipwrecked on an island and have to finish a pile of children's books before they can even think about leaving. Along the way they chat about the books they are currently reading in their their hammocks, hear a review of some of the best new children's books (via seashell) from Emily Drabble, and are visited by recent Children's Literature Laureate Cressida Cowell, who naturally arrives on the back of a dragon. Music: The Ukulele Uff Trio Producer: Geoff Bird Books featured:...
Apr 30, 2023•59 min•Season 1Ep. 1
Nadia Shireen and Frank Cottrell Boyce are shipwrecked on the Island of Brilliant, with just a pile of books and the world's greatest Ukelele band (the Ukulele Uff Trio) for company. The first full episode will be available in May 2024 and will see recent Children's Literature Laureate Cressida Cowell fly across to the island on the back of a dragon. Producer: Geoff Bird In Episode 1 Nadia and Frank discuss Tyger by S F Said (illustrator Dave Mckean) and The Magician’s Elephant by Kate Dicamillo...
Apr 24, 2023•38 sec
