Pictures and Conversations: Recent Episodes
Jane Sandell
I’m a collector of children’s books. My particular interest is girls’ books from the mid twentieth century, but I also have a more general collection of books from about 1850 to now. I love reading books, meeting their authors and sharing them with others.
I freelance as a children’s book specialist, blogging, reviewing, writing articles, working with authors to promote their books and doing bits and pieces for BBC Scotland. I'm a regular at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, chairing panels and interviewing authors.
Three books linked only by the flowers in their titles!
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2021/02/24/a-posy-of-books/
The first of a series in which each episode covers more than one book!
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2021/02/20/the-colour-of-reading/
Two for the price of one today! Once Upon a Penguin by Magda Brol and There's a Mouse in my House by Ross Collins.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2020/09/21/polar-opposites/
Just a very short episode to day about a VERY funny picture book.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2017/11/08/oi-cat-by-kes-gray-and-jim-field/
Today sees the beginning of a series featuring picture books. We begin with Benny.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2020/07/27/one-button-benny-and-the-gigantic-catastrophe-by-alan-windram/
Some wonderful storytelling from New Zealand.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2018/07/02/the-mapmakers-race-by-eirlys-hunter/
Another novel from the storyteller extraordinaire Elizabeth Laird.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2017/05/15/welcome-to-nowhere-by-elizabeth-laird/
Back to Barrington Stoke and the Great War.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2018/10/02/armistice-runner-by-tom-palmer/
Return to Flambards.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2018/10/04/the-key-to-flambards-by-linda-newbery/
Another wonderful story by Frank Cottrell Boyce with a very familiar setting (for me).
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2017/05/16/sputniks-guide-to-life-on-earth-by-frank-cottrell-boyce/
Edinburgh through and through.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2020/02/14/the-prime-of-miss-jean-brodie-by-muriel-spark/
Just gripping storytelling.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2020/07/28/elizabeth-wein-2/
Historical fiction at its very best.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2020/09/13/the-great-revolt-by-paul-dowswell/
These books by Michael Gerard Bauer remain amongst my favourite teenage novels.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2013/04/11/ishmael-by-michael-gerard-bauer/
Julia Green's latest novel might have been written as a response to COVID-19. But it wasn't.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2020/09/26/the-children-of-swallow-fell-by-julia-green/
The final episode in this series considers a book about the career I chose.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2020/06/06/molly-hilton-library-assistant-by-bertha-lonsdale/
Still travelling, this time with children.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2020/12/14/travels-of-a-nursery-nurse-by-beatrice-lloyd/
I found this book to be both interesting and perplexing.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2020/11/09/two-young-missionaries-celia-and-margaret-in-africa/
Not much story but I did like the details setting it firmly in history.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2020/06/03/amanda-in-floristry-by-jane-sheridan/
Hester finally makes it to sea.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2020/05/31/hester-ships-officer-by-valerie-baxter/
This is a book that made me very cross as I read it/
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2020/05/30/june-grey-fashion-student-by-lorna-lewis/
How to carve out a job as a writer.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2020/05/29/jane-young-author-by-valerie-baxter/
After yesterday's foray into flight, there we are again but this time in the forces.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2020/05/28/sarah-joins-the-wraf-by-shirley-darbyshire/
A career novel that really takes off!
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2020/05/27/air-hostess-ann-by-pamela-hawken/
This could have been me!
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2020/05/26/janet-carr-journalist-by-josephine-kamm/
Medicine for beginners.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2020/05/25/margaret-becomes-a-doctor-by-joan-llewelyn-owens/
An introduction to this series about career novels.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2009/07/07/helen-dore-boylston/
David Roberts' art is always fascinating but the subject matter of this book is what sold it to me initially.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2018/08/30/suffragette-the-battle-for-equality-by-david-roberts/
Paul Dowswell, the First World War and Barrington Stoke: three excellent reasons to read this novel.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2017/05/17/wave-by-paul-dowswell/
Mal Peet wrote too few novels in his too short life and I loved them all. This panegyric comes from 2008 and I stand by every word of it.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2008/10/17/exposure-by-mal-peet/
Here are three more recent books that would make it on to my desert island.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2009/03/30/more-desert-island-books/
This was a book of the year for me when it was published. I had a promotional postcard which asked the question: How can you live in one world when your heart is in another? That is what the novel considers.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2018/10/28/the-light-between-worlds-by-laura-weymouth/
My children's book collection started many years ago and three authors featured strongly in it. The familiarity of these books makes them special to me.