Storyshaped

This week - the final episode of Season 1, Storyshaped fans! - Susan and Sinéad are indulging themselves with a Deep Dive into one of the books that profoundly shaped both of them. We're discussing Susan Cooper's 1973 classic The Dark Is Rising, which is a book that Susan describes as being part of her soul. It's an incredible story about a boy named Will Stanton, who steps into his power as an Old One on his eleventh birthday - and it involves such a wealth of mythology, folklore, allusions to medieval texts, and other stuff that pleases our nerdy hearts, that this episode was the MOST fun to record. Please do come with us as we dive deep into this beautiful book, which has Storyshaped us both, and get ready to whisper with us:When the Dark comes rising, six shall turn it back,Three from the circle, three from the track;Wood, bronze, iron, water, fire, stone; Five will return, and one go alone...Many different editions of Susan Cooper's classic book exist, but this is a recent edition which might be easily accessible: The Dark Is RisingBiographical details about Cooper's life and work are drawn from her website: The Lost Land of Susan Cooper We draw on Heritage Artefacts of County Cork by Denis Power and Mary Sleeman (2022) for some of our insights into the mandala symbolReferenced in the episode is this blog post: https://consolationofreading.wordpress.com/tag/piers-plowman/We also make reference to A Guidebook to Piers Plowman by Anna Baldwin, Palgrave Macmillan, 2007Susan draws on Britannic Myths by Steven O'Brien and Joe Machine (ill.) in our discussion of Herne the Hunter and Wayland SmithThe podcast dramatisation of The Dark is Rising can be found on Spotify here: BBC Sounds Robert MacFarlane The Dark is Rising AdaptationAnd the brilliant Backlisted Podcast episode with Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris is here: Backlisted PodcastThank you all so much for listening to Season 1 of Storyshaped! We're delighted to have reached so many ears, and we hope to reach many more in Season 2 - we'll be back in 2023 with more guest interviews and lots more bookish joy. Until then: all our best wishes for the Festive Season to everyone who celebrates, however you celebrate, and whatever you're doing: make sure to find a nice quiet corner to curl up in with a good book.Our podcast bookshop in Ireland is Halfway Up the Stairs: www.halfwayupthestairs.ieIn the UK, check out our storefront on: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/Storyshaped. Disclaimer: If you buy books linked to our site, we may earn a commission from bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops.

We have the splendid pleasure of speaking with Sharon Gosling this week on the podcast - yes, only the author of one of our absolute favourite books of 2022, The Extraordinary Voyage of Katy Willacott! The stories that shaped Sharon are wide-ranging and exciting, and our chat with her was fun, informative, and full of brilliant books. Come along with us as we take a walk through Sharon's Storyshaped life, and who knows? You might find she's Storyshaped in just the same way as you.Books mentioned in this episode include some of Sharon's own:The Diamond Thief, winner of the Redbridge Children’s Book Award 2014The Ruby Airship The Sapphire CutlassThe Golden ButterflyHouse of Hidden WondersThe Extraordinary Voyage of Katy Willacott. Her adult books have included The House Beneath the Cliffs and The Lighthouse BookshopAnd the stories that shaped her include:Little Grey Rabbit, by Alison UttleyMeg and Mog, by Helen Nicoll and Jan PienkowskiBoys' Best Adventures (any books that helped you to survive in the wild)The Circus of Adventure, by Enid BlytonAmazon Adventure, by Willard PriceBeaver Towers, by Nigel HintonWhen Marnie Was There, by Joan RobinsonThe Girl Who Ran Away, by Joan RobinsonThe Flight of the Doves, by Walter MackenTrixie Belden series, by Julie Campbell Tathem and othersThe Hardy Boys, by Franklin W. Dixon (collective pen-name)Little Women, by Louisa May AlcottThe Animals of Farthing Wood, by Colin DannTwenty-Five Years in the Word Mines, by Graham JoyceWhy Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? by Jeanette WintersonThe novels of Terry PratchettBabel, by R.F. KuangThe British Library collections of short storiesThe novels and short stories of Shirley JacksonThe work of Kelly LinkHag, edited by Carolyne LarringtonFolk, by Zoe GilbertParnassus on Wheels, by Christopher MorleyA Necklace of Raindrops and Other Stories, by Joan AikenThe Faithless Lollybird, by Joan AikenOur podcast bookshop in Ireland is Halfway Up the Stairs: www.halfwayupthestairs.ieIn the UK, check out our storefront on: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/Storyshaped. Disclaimer: If you buy books linked to our site, we may earn a commission from bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops.

It's Thursday, which means we've got another wonderful Storyshaped podcast for you all! We're speaking with the incredible Efua Traoré, author of Children of the Quicksands and The House of Shells, two beautiful Middle Grade novels set in Nigeria and infused with the folklore, magic, and culture of that vibrant country. Efua takes us through her early days as an adventurer, tree-climber, go-getter and dreamer, and how stories - both in her local library and in the culture all around her - shaped her imagination and sparked her creativity. Come with us as we learn about how her first published story was shaped, and by whom; listen in as she shares her dreams for the future of children's literature in Nigeria and in Africa, and stay with us till the end for some tantalising hints about what's next from this incredible author! Are you ready? Then, let's get Storyshaped.Books mentioned in this week's episode include Efua's own:Children of the QuicksandsThe House of ShellsThe stories which shaped Efua include:Tales by Moonlight - a TV show from Efua's childhood in Nigeria which retold stories from folkloreEnid Blyton, The Famous FiveAlf Proysen, Mrs PepperpotC.S. Lewis, The Chronicles of NarniaAstrid Lindgren, The Six Bullerby ChildrenOtfried Preussler, The Little Water-SpriteTales From... (A collection of folktales and legends from all around the world)Louisa May Alcott, Little WomenArthur Conan Doyle, The Speckled Band (Sherlock Holmes)Arthur Conan Doyle, The Hound of the Baskervilles (Sherlock Holmes)Chinua Achebe, Things Fall ApartChimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Purple HibiscusSabine Adeyinka, Jummy at the River SchoolTolá Okogwu, Onyeka and the Academy of the SunTomi Adeyemi, Children of Blood and BoneNnedi Okorafor, Akata WitchNatasha Bowen, Skin of the SeaNamina Forna, The Gilded OnesJordan Ifueko, RaybearerOur podcast bookshop in Ireland is Halfway Up the Stairs: www.halfwayupthestairs.ieIn the UK, check out our storefront on: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/Storyshaped. Disclaimer: If you buy books linked to our site, we may earn a commission from bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops.