Down The Rabbit Hole – Details, episodes & analysis

Pack your marmalade sandwiches, because this week we're going on a bear hunt - and we're NOT scared.

Hannah Gold, author of The Last Bear, and Sophy Henn, writer and illustrator of Where Bear? join Sam on a quest through the rabbit hole's bookshelves to find the best bears in children's fiction. Along the way, we discover why bears are especially good animals to draw in picture books, hear the unexpectedly horrific origin story of the teddy bear, and try to work out why bears are so over-represented in the bookshop menagerie.

In short: "Bears! Why do we like 'em so much?"

Find more about Hannah at her website and on Twitter

Find more about Sophy on Twitter and on Instagram

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This episode was produced by Sam Sedgman.

Our music is Hustle by Kevin MacLeod from ⁠incompetech.com⁠, licensed by Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0

This week we're joined by two brilliant writers to discuss the role feminism has played in Young Adult novels.

Laura Bates, creator of Everyday Sexism and the author of Men Who Hate Women now brings us Sisters of Sword and Shadow, an epic YA fantasy reimagining Arthurian legend with a fearless sisterhood of knights.

And Holly Bourne, bestselling author of Am I Normal Yet? and The Places I've Cried in Public, returns to our bookshelves with You Could Be So Pretty, a gripping dystopian thriller that puts modern beauty standards under the microscope.

Together we talk through the challenges and opportunities YA fiction presents when engaging with feminism, and share some of our favourite recommendations for YA books that are written by and about women.

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This episode was produced by Hannah Love.

Our music is Hustle by Kevin MacLeod from ⁠incompetech.com⁠, licensed by Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0

Kicking off the new season, Hannah and Sam are joined by Frances Hardinge and Martin Brown to talk all things spooky. Get ready for a deep dive into curses and ghosts, and prepare yourself to hear the answers to questions such as 'which gentle children's classic terrified one of our guests?' 'why can adding colour to an illustration make it more scary?' and 'Just how many types of scary ARE there in children's books?'

The DTRH team are joined in the studio by special guests journalist Anna James and author Phil Earle to talk about three new children’s books - plus an interview with US YA author Jenny Han.

For their annual picture book special to celebrate the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal, the DTRH gang are joined by picture book creators Steve Antony and Helen Hancocks. Plus an interview with 2015 CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal William Grill, and comments from some of the children who took part in this year’s Carnegie Greenaway shadowing scheme.

Guardian journalist, author and children’s book enthusiast Lucy Mangan joins the team in the studio to discuss three new children’s books. Plus blogger Daphne of Winged Reviews interviews US YA author Sarah J Maas about her new book A Court of Thorns and Roses.

The team are joined by two children’s book experts - Nosy Crow’s Tom Bonnick and journalist Imogen Russell Williams - to discuss three new books for young readers. Plus blogger Jim of YAYeahYeah interviews author Siobhan Curham about her new teen non-fiction book, True Face.

With the gang away for the Bologna Book Fair, this pre-recorded episode features an interview with founders of new illustrated non-fiction imprint Wide Eyed Editions, a look at favourite children’s book author Dick King Smith, and an interview with debut young adult author Anna McKerrow about her novel Crow Moon.

To celebrate one year since Down the Rabbit Hole’s first show, Katherine and Louise are joined by two children’s books insiders - David Maybury, Commissioning Editor at Scholastic, and author Louie Stowell - to discuss a selection of brand new books. Also featuring a special trip down to the farm with author Helen Peters

The team are joined in the studio by picture book creator Rob Biddulph and author Non Pratt to discuss three new children's books. Plus a feature about forthcoming YA fantasy The Sin Eater's Daughter by debut author Melinda Salisbury.