In this episode of BookQuest, we’re lacing up our boots and taking the pitch. We’re exploring the beautiful game from two completely different angles: the ultimate thrill of winning the cup, and the heavy choices that come when you discover the truth behind the gear we wear.

On the Shelf This Week:

• Mitch Johnson joins the show to discuss his gripping novel, Strike. A football-obsessed boy is finally on the verge of achieving his ultimate dream of turning professional. But when he uncovers a hidden message stitched into his boots by the workers who made them, he's forced to confront the real human cost of the game and decide what truly matters.

• Gordon D'Arcy and Paul Howard also feature with their brilliant interactive picture book, Let's Play Football!. This high-energy story puts young readers directly into the boots of a footballer competing for the championship cup, teaching real skills and encouraging movement as the match unfolds.

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In this episode of BookQuest, we are exploring the ultimate map of discovery. Whether we are traveling deep inside our own skin to unlock the mysteries of the human body, or stepping into a magical land of lost family secrets, the real quest is finding out what lies beneath the surface.

On the Shelf This Week:

• Dr. Ranj joins the show to discuss Dr Ranj's Human Body Encyclopedia. Get ready to explore the wonders of the human body with your trusty NHS guide! From why you get goosebumps to how your brain works, we're answering your biggest questions about the amazing science happening inside you right now.

• Emma Smith-Barton also features with her enchanting magical fantasy, Atlas & Skye. Follow two siblings as they uncover long-hidden family secrets, discover extraordinary hidden powers, and embark on an unforgettable journey that has the potential to change their entire world forever.

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In this episode of BookQuest, we’re celebrating what makes every single mind work differently! Whether you’re learning to embrace the unique way your brain processes the world or watching your teachers go head-to-head with extraterrestrial invaders, we’re exploring how our differences can become our greatest super powers.

On the Shelf This Week:

• Scott Evans joins the show to discuss All Brains Are Wonderful. This uplifting and accessible guide is a celebration of neurodiversity, exploring how every brain works differently and why those unique strengths should be understood, valued, and celebrated across our classrooms and communities.

• Steve Williams also features with his laugh-out-loud sci-fi adventure, Teachers vs Aliens. Get ready for absolute chaos as normal school life is turned upside down when an alien invasion forces teachers and pupils to team up in a wildly unexpected battle to save the planet!

🏆 Award Nominees: Both of today's books have been shortlisted for The Week Junior Book Awards! With reader voting currently live across 14 categories, head online to cast your vote for your favourites before the grand ceremony on September 28.

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In this episode of BookQuest, we’re diving into the power of wild imagination and razor-sharp curiosity! Whether you’re stepping back into a legendary, gloriously chaotic world of nonsense or piecing together clever clues with a detective who sees the world differently, we're celebrating the art of thinking outside the box.

On the Shelf This Week:

• Andy Stanton joins the show to celebrate an unbelievable milestone—20 years of Mr Gum! Revisit the wonderfully bonkers world of bizarre adventures, outrageous characters, and the gloriously chaotic humor that has been making readers laugh out loud for two whole decades.

• Cecelia Ahern also features with her inventive new mystery, introducing an unconventional young detective who relies on sheer creativity, curiosity, and clever thinking to crack cases that leave everyone else totally stumped.

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Surviving the Wild & Uncovering Ancient Egypt: How Do You Brave the Unknown? 🐾🇪🇬 | BookQuest

In this episode of BookQuest, we’re stepping into unknown territory and traveling across time! Whether you’re learning how a group of everyday pets adapts to survive in a world without humans, or journeying thousands of years into the past to see what growing up in the shadow of the Pyramids was really like, we’re exploring how courage and curiosity help us conquer the unfamiliar.

On the Shelf This Week:

• Steve Cole joins the show to introduce his epic new survival story, The Wild Ones. When all the humans suddenly vanish, a group of pampered pets is forced to brave a dangerous, untamed new world. Can they learn to rely on their wild instincts before it's too late?

• Bettany Hughes also features, bringing history vividly to life as she reveals what life was really like for children in Ancient Egypt. Uncover surprising stories, incredible archaeology, and mind-boggling facts from one of the greatest civilisations to ever exist.

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In this episode of BookQuest, we’re exploring what it means to find your crew—whether that’s a mismatched pack of dragons on the high seas or a massive, unexpected family right here on Earth.

On the Shelf This Week:

• Cressida Cowell joins the show to discuss How to Train Your Dragon School: Fight of the Flamestrike. When a routine Viking training lesson goes completely off course, Hiccup, Toothless, and the gang find themselves trapped on a mysterious, abandoned vessel at sea. Get ready for a hilarious, action-packed adventure full of dragon chaos and hidden dangers!

• Kristina Rahim also features with her heartfelt and moving contemporary story, The Doughnut Club. Twelve-year-old Quinn has always felt like the odd one out in her adventurous family. But when she makes the life-changing discovery that she has sixteen donor siblings, she sets off on a journey of identity, belonging, and true self-discovery.

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In this episode of BookQuest, we’re dealing with the ultimate test of survival: stepping into the unknown! Whether you’re accidentally blinking across different centuries or just trying to survive the terrifying halls of secondary school, growing up is a wild ride.

On the Shelf This Week:

• Amelia Tait joins the show to chat about her hilarious diary-style adventure, Lily Tripp: Diary of an Accidental Time Traveller. Imagine ringing in the New Year only to wake up in a completely different point in history! We follow Lily as she tries to balance mind-bending time-travel mishaps with regular friendship drama, family life, and growing up.
• Tola Okogwu also features with her funny, relatable new story, Bim Blake's Hot Takes. Step inside the chaotic first year of secondary school with Bim as she takes on new friendships, family madness, crushes, and the ultimate quest to find her own self-confidence when everything feels completely new.

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The Carnegie Awards take place on 23 June, and to celebrate, this special episode of BookQuest features two authors shortlisted for the 2026 Carnegie Medal for Writing.

Rob Harrell joins the show to discuss his funny and heartfelt novel about a boy trying to survive a disastrous school picture day while juggling anxiety, family worries, and a series of increasingly chaotic mishaps.

JP Rose also features with a thoughtful and moving story exploring friendship, identity, and what it means to find your place in the world when everything around you seems to be changing.

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