Episode 60 - Precious Stones (These Are My Rocks and The Weirdstone of Brisingamen)

Our picture book this week is less of a story and more of a tour of the narrator's very tastefully curated collection. The categories travel from totally mundane (small things) to very high concept (invisible things), passing lunch on our way through and ending up at bedtime. Bethan Woollvin's use of texture and colour are on full display in this masterpiece of interactivity. How many legs are too many legs? And what is the difference between pointy things and prickly things?

For our chapter book, we've a classic of British fantasy literature, it's Alan Garner's debut from 1960: The Weirdstone of Brisingamen. Matt read this one as a child and has lingering memories of being deeply disturbed and impressed. This one is worth seeking out and revisiting. It is formally so strange, linguistically so beautiful, often very funny and not infrequently terrifying. We read a lot aloud from this one because it's just too good not to. Come play with us by Alderley Edge - just watch you don't fall down any disused mine shafts or the svarts'll get ya.

Matt mentioned the review of The Weirdstone of Brisingamen over on Eleanor & Alaisdair Read That. Shoutout to a fellow kidlit podcast!

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What A Wonderful Day is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Shane Ivers of silvermansound.com

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Episoder(80)

Episode 66 - Return to the Fairytale Multiverse (Rumpelstiltskin and Rumaysa Ever After)

It's been a while since we did a fairytale retelling, so this week we have two for you! First up, a sumptuous and modern (if faithful) retelling of Rumpelstiltskin by Mac Barnett and Carson Ellis. We'...

6 Aug 1h 4min

Episode 65 - Heartstrings (Rooftoppers and The Sad Story of Veronica Who Played the Violin) with Ria Ashcroft

This week, our books are linked by instruments from the strings section of the orchestra, and the way their music makes us feel. Special guest Ria suggested our chapter book. It's Rooftoppers by Kathe...

30 Jul 50min

Episode 64 - Don't Try This At Home (The Whiz Mob And The Grenadine Kid and The Three Robbers)

This week, we're reading books in which people steal (and do other reprehensible, dangerous or immoral things)! First up, our chapter book is The Whiz Mob and the Grenadine Kid, written by Colin Meloy...

23 Jul 1h 12min

Episode 63 - Portal Fantasy (Another and The Barren Grounds)

This week we're reading portal fantasies! Our picture book is Another by Christian Robinson. This is a gorgeous mixed media wordless adventure about a girl and her cat travelling through a mysterious ...

16 Jul 1h 8min

Episode 62 - Small Folk (Chirri and Chirra, Underground and The Gammage Cup)

To kick off this new season we're reading books about tiny people - small folk. Our picture book is Chirri and Chirra, Underground, by Kaya Doi (translated from the Japanese by David Boyd). An absurd,...

9 Jul 1h 12min

Episode 61 - Terrors by Torchlight (The Dark and When the Storm Comes)

To wrap up this tenth season, we're reading some thrillers for kids. Yes, they do exist, even in picture book form! The Dark by Lemony Snicket and Jon Klassen is a stunning piece of art. It's a horror...

14 Mai 1h 5min

Episode 59 - True Colours (Is it red? Is it yellow? Is it blue? and Entangled)

This week we've two fantastic books focused on the theme of colour. Our picture book is a classic by Tana Hoban from 1978: Is it red? Is it yellow? Is it blue? This might be the first non-fiction pict...

30 Apr 1h 5min