Welcome to The Power of a Book podcast. The only podcast with the power to eradicate book poverty in children. It's a podcast with purpose.
Join our host, BAFTA-nominated comedian and author Rachel Parris (The Late Night Mash), as she talks with some much-loved public figures about the children's books that have been powerful enough to shape their lives.
A kind of desert-island-children's-book show - so who better to kick us off than the lovely Lauren Laverne?
Over the series, Rachel Parris brings listeners into intimate conversations where guests explore their literary inheritance and celebrate the universal power of stories to connect and inspire us all.
Brought to you by The Children's Book Project - the national charity that takes your preloved, unwanted children’s books and gives them to families with few, if any, of their own.
Just by listening, you help us achieve our goal - to eliminate book poverty in children.
Three books, Three stories
Each guest selects three titles that uncover personal revelations:
Childhood favourite - the book that shaped who they are today, a little window into their childhood
Shared book - an important book, read with someone significant today
Gift to the future - a title to donate to The Children's Book Project, inspiring a future generation
Guests include: Lauren Laverne, siblings Anita and Stephen Mangan, Andi Oliver, Ivor and David Baddiel, Clare Balding and Suli Breaks.
Tracy Chevalier and Our Esteemed Authors Live In Conversation: Patrice Lawrence, Francesca Simon, Jessie Burton
Season 1 · Episode 7
Wednesday, November 19, 2025 • Duration 51:06
Tracy Chevalier is an author (The Girl With the Pearl Earring), our compere for the evening and a former publisher.
Patrice Lawrence is an author (Orangeboy), journalist and feminist.
Francesca Simon is an author (Horrid Henry series), ambassador for children's literacy and a former trustee of The World Book Day charity.
Jessie Burton is an author (The Miniaturist), former actor and keen mudlarker.
Introduced by our host Rachel Parris (BAFTA-nominated comedian, actor, author), our esteemed panel of authors reveal (at least) three children's books that have helped make them who they are today.
Delivering not quite the soundtrack of their life, but the literary yarns that knit it together. A kind of "desert-island-children's-book" show.
Three books:
Childhood favourite - the book that shaped who they are today, a little window into their childhood
A childhood book that ignited their writing
Gift to the future - a title to donate to The Children's Book Project, inspiring a future generation
PLUS we hear from our illustrious supporters, Phoenix Court Works, with a walking tour of London's literary hot spot Somers Town alongside COO Catherine Lenson.
Brought to you by The Children's Book Project - the Queen's Award-winning national charity that takes your pre-loved, unwanted children’s books and gives them to families with few, if any, of their own.
Just by listening, you help us achieve our goal - to eliminate book poverty in children.
Guests this series:
Lauren Laverne
Stephen and Anita Mangan
Clare Balding
David and Ivor Baddiel
Andi Oliver
Suli Breaks
Bonus panel ep hosted by Tracy Chevalier
To discover the recommended books of all our guests, and support your local bookshop, visit the independent bookseller's website here.
Suli Breaks is a poet, a performer, a storyteller, an author and a father.
Together with our host Rachel Parris (BAFTA-nominated comedian, actor, author), Suli reveals (at least) three children's books that have helped make him who he is today.
Delivering not quite the soundtrack of his life, but the literary yarns that knit it together. A kind of "desert-island-children's-book" show.
Three books:
Childhood favourite - the book that shaped who they are today, a little window into their childhood
Shared book - an important book, read with someone significant today
Gift to the future - a title to donate to The Children's Book Project, inspiring a future generation
Brought to you by The Children's Book Project - the Queen's Award-winning national charity that takes your pre-loved, unwanted children’s books and gives them to families with few, if any, of their own.
Just by listening, you help us achieve our goal - to eliminate book poverty in children.
Guests this series:
Lauren Laverne
Andi Oliver
Season 1 · Episode 5
Wednesday, November 5, 2025 • Duration 44:21
Andi Oliver is a cook, an author, a TV personality and a mother.
Together with our host Rachel Parris (BAFTA-nominated comedian, actor, author), Andi reveals (at least) three children's books that have helped make her who she is today.
Delivering not quite the soundtrack of her life, but the literary yarns that knit it together. A kind of "desert-island-children's-book" show.
Three books:
Childhood favourite - the book that shaped who they are today, a little window into their childhood
Shared book - an important book, read with someone significant today
Gift to the future - a title to donate to The Children's Book Project, inspiring a future generation
To discover the recommended books of all our guests, and support your local bookshop, visit the independent bookseller's website here.
PLUS we hear more from our host Rachel Parris on her fabulous new book Introducing Mrs Collins - a sequel to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.
Brought to you by The Children's Book Project - the Queen's Award-winning national charity that takes your pre-loved, unwanted children’s books and gives them to families with few, if any, of their own.
Just by listening, you help us achieve our goal - to eliminate book poverty in children.
David and Ivor Baddiel
Season 1 · Episode 4
Wednesday, October 29, 2025 • Duration 51:48
David Baddiel is a comedian, writer, story-teller, football fanatic and father.
Ivor Baddiel is also a comedian, writer, story-teller, football fanatic and father.
Together with our host Rachel Parris (BAFTA-nominated comedian, actor, author), brothers David and Ivor reveal (at least) three children's books that have helped make them who they are today.
Delivering not quite the soundtrack of their lives, but the literary yarns that knit them together. A kind of "desert-island-children's-book" show.
Three books:
Childhood favourite - the book that shaped who they are today, a little window into their childhood
Shared book - an important book, read with someone significant today
Gift to the future - a title to donate to The Children's Book Project, inspiring a future generation
PLUS Ultimate Football Heroes authors and brothers Matt and Tom Oldfield, along with West London football team QPR, on the power of football books with reluctant readers.
To discover the recommended books of all our guests, and support your local bookshop, visit the independent bookseller's website here.
Clare Balding
Season 1 · Episode 3
Wednesday, October 22, 2025 • Duration 37:21
Fresh from Traitor's Castle is Clare Balding - sports commentator, author and radio presenter (BBC R4's Ramblings).
Together with our host Rachel Parris (BAFTA-nominated comedian, actor, author), Clare reveals (at least) three children's books that have helped make her who she is today.
Delivering not quite the soundtrack of her life, but the literary yarns that knit it together. A kind of "desert-island-children's-book" show.
Three books:
Childhood favourite - the book that shaped who they are today, a little window into their childhood
Shared book - an important book, read with someone significant today
Gift to the future - a title to donate to The Children's Book Project, inspiring a future generation
PLUS - we hear from Book Detectives Mariam Da Haan and Zoë Miller at the British Library, via The Children's Book Project unit in Leeds.
Brought to you by The Children's Book Project - the Queen's Award-winning national charity that takes your pre-loved, unwanted children’s books and gives them to families with few, if any, of their own.
Just by listening, you help us achieve our goal - to eliminate book poverty in children.
Guests this series:
Lauren Laverne
Stephen and Anita Mangan
Clare Balding
David and Ivor Baddiel
Andi Oliver
Suli Breaks
Stephen and Anita Mangan
Season 1 · Episode 2
Wednesday, October 15, 2025 • Duration 33:53
Stephen Mangan is a comedian, actor, writer and father.
Anita Mangan is an artist, graphic designer and mother.
Together with our host Rachel Parris (BAFTA-nominated comedian, actor, author), siblings Stephen and Anita reveal (at least) three children's books that have helped make them who they are today.
Delivering not quite the soundtrack of their lives, but the literary yarns that knit them together. A kind of "desert-island-children's-book" show.
Three books:
Childhood favourite - the book that shaped who they are today, a little window into their childhood
Shared book - an important book, read with someone significant today
Gift to the future - a title to donate to The Children's Book Project, inspiring a future generation
Also celebrating their latest novel Barrie Saves Christmas published by Scholastic.
PLUS we hear from the author of the Olivier Award-winning Roald Dahl play, Mark Rosenblatt, about his true inspiration for writing the smash hit 'Giant'.
Brought to you by The Children's Book Project - the Queen's Award-winning national charity that takes your pre-loved, unwanted children’s books and gives them to families with few, if any, of their own.
Just by listening, you help us achieve our goal - to eliminate book poverty in children.
Guests this series:
Lauren Laverne
Season 1 · Episode 1
Wednesday, October 8, 2025 • Duration 44:15
Lauren Laverne is a BBC 6 Music DJ, TV presenter, author, singer, musician and mother...
Together with our host Rachel Parris (BAFTA-nominated comedian, actor, author), Lauren reveals (at least) three children's books that have helped make her who she is today.
Delivering not quite the soundtrack of her life, but the literary yarns that knit it together. A kind of "desert-island-children's-book" show.
Three books:
Childhood favourite - the book that shaped who they are today, a little window into their childhood
Shared book - an important book, read with someone significant today
Gift to the future - a title to donate to The Children's Book Project, inspiring a future generation
Brought to you by The Children's Book Project - the Queen's Award-winning national charity that takes your pre-loved, unwanted children’s books and gives them to families with few, if any, of their own.
Just by listening, you help us achieve our goal - to eliminate book poverty in children.
Guests this series:
Lauren Laverne
Stephen and Anita Mangan
Clare Balding
David and Ivor Baddiel
The Power of a Book Trailer
Season 1
Monday, September 15, 2025 • Duration 01:31
Welcome to The Power of a Book podcast. The only podcast with the power to eradicate book poverty in children. It's a podcast with purpose.
Join our host, BAFTA-nominated comedian and author Rachel Parris (The Late Night Mash), as she talks with some much-loved public figures about the children's books that have been powerful enough to shape their lives.
A kind of desert-island-children's-book show - so who better to kick us off than the lovely Lauren Laverne?
Over the series, Rachel Parris brings listeners into intimate conversations where guests explore their literary inheritance and celebrate the universal power of stories to connect and inspire us all.
Brought to you by The Children's Book Project - the national charity that takes your preloved, unwanted children’s books and gives them to families with few, if any, of their own.
Just by listening, you help us achieve our goal - to eliminate book poverty in children.
Three books, Three stories
Each guest selects three titles that uncover personal revelations:
Childhood favourite - the book that shaped who they are today, a little window into their childhood
Shared book - an important book, read with someone significant today
Gift to the future - a title to donate to The Children's Book Project, inspiring a future generation
Guests include: Lauren Laverne, siblings Anita and Stephen Mangan, Andi Oliver, Ivor and David Baddiel, Clare Balding and Suli Breaks.
Brought to you by The Children's Book Project - the Queen's Award-winning national charity that takes your pre-loved, unwanted children’s books and gives them to families with few, if any, of their own.
Just by listening, you help us achieve our goal - to eliminate book poverty in children.
Guests this series:
Lauren Laverne
Stephen and Anita Mangan
Clare Balding
David and Ivor Baddiel
Andi Oliver
Suli Breaks
Bonus panel ep hosted by Tracy Chevalier
To discover the recommended books of all our guests, and support your local bookshop, visit the independent bookseller's website here.
This podcast is brought to you with the very kind support of Wonderbly, creators of personalised books for all ages. Blending imaginative storytelling with intricate personalisation, Wonderbly offers a range of books that inspire, delight, and bring loved ones closer together.
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