Rephonic
Artwork for The Island of Brilliant!
Children's Literature
Reading For Pleasure
Festival Of Brilliant
Book Trust
Creativity
Picture Books
Three Men In a Boat
Lizzie and Belle Mysteries
Steven Lenton
Little Women
Christmas
Emily Drabble
Children's Books
Biddulph Old Hall
People Like Stars
Nadia Shireen
Frank Cottrell Boyce
Reading
The Gruffalo
Illustration In Children's Books

Nadia Shireen and Frank Cottrell Boyce have been shipwrecked on the Island of Brilliant with nothing but a pair of hammocks, a pile of children’s books and the world’s greatest ukulele band (The Ukulele Uff Trio) to keep them going. Everyone wants the best for their children. Everyone should know that reading for pleasure not only increases educational attainment but also helps build happiness and... more

PublishesMonthlyEpisodes44Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BooksArtsKids & FamilyStories for Kids

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Island of Brilliant!

Latest Episodes

What's that coming over the dune, is it a monster? It is, a grizzly slimy sea monster, and look who it's vomited up onto the otherwise spotless sand on the Island of Brilliant seafront! Jack Meggitt-Phillips, the wunderkind author of the glorious 'Th... more

"The Old Order Changeth And Maketh Way For New" - but not without a fight. As Frank gives in to the inevitable, with the encouragement of some restraining techniques, he welcomes the magnificent Patrice Lawrence to his old job as Children's Laureate.... more

He's behind some of the most celebrated and beloved books of recent times - Goth Girl, The Edge Chronicles, Ottoline and a gazillion more - and he's also, it turns out, the captain of the Mellow Submarine! Which is excellent news for Frank and Nadia,... more

Frank's been tipping out talcum powder on the sand, Nadia's spent hours ironing patches onto her bell-bottom jeans. It can only mean one thing - Patience Agbabi is on her way to the island to talk about her amazing new book, Wonderland. It's all abou... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Jack Meggitt-Phillips
Author of Beast And Bethany series; new book Jekyll vs. Hyde: The Potion Of Doom
Author
Episode: Jack Meggitt-Phillips
Chris Riddell
Illustrator and author of Ottoline and The Edge Chronicles
Episode: Chris Riddell
Angie Thomas
Leading contemporary American author known for The Hate U Give and Nic Blake series
Author
Episode: Angie Thomas
Emily Drabble
Booktrust critic and curator who reads shell recommendations
Book Trust
Episode: Ramzee
Phil Tite
Primary school teacher and reading advocate
Edward Bryant School
Episode: Phil Tite
Michael Rosen
Prolific children's author and poet
Episode: Michael Rosen
Phil Earle
A well-known author of children's books
Episode: Phil Earle
Emma Carroll
Author known for children's literature, including the trilogy 'Dracula and Daughters'
Author
Episode: Emma Carroll
Adeola Sokunbi
A very gifted writer and illustrator, author of Destiny Ink
Episode: The Brilliant Quiz!

Hosts

Nadia Shireen
Host of The Island of Brilliant with a focus on children's literature and author conversations.
Frank Cottrell Boyce
Co-host with a long-running involvement in children's literature and storytelling.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 86 ratings
  • Laugh out loud funny!!!!!!!!!!

    Humour is to die for!!!!! Nadia and Frank are brilliant host. Interesting conversations.Funny,imaginative and great script.I recommend this podcast for anybody who loves books 📚 .I wish they had Brian Jacques❤️,Sufiya Ahmed ❤️,Jasbinder Bilan ❤️,Anna James ❤️,Katherine Woodfine❤️ ,Pamala Butchart and SF Said on the show.Do the hosts read the reviews?

    Audible
    5
    Tomasf
    United States3 months ago
  • Incredible

    I love this podcast, but where is the 2025 March episode? I am paying this up on. the 5th of March and there’s still no new episodes I hope this podcast hasn’t been discontinued

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Startailsthetherin
    United Kingdom2 years ago
  • This is amazing😍

    I think that this is a PERFECT audiobook for kids and adults🤩❤️🧡💛💚💙🩵💜🩷🩶🤍🤎

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    I❤️books (they are the best
    United Kingdom2 years ago
  • The best podcast

    I ❤️❤️❤️ this podcast. It is amazing and so funny!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    jigsaw2019
    United Kingdom2 years ago
  • Brilliant

    This show gets better and better. So great to hear such passionate, informed conversations about children’s books.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jake_TygerTale
    United Kingdom3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners love the guest diversity and book recommendations.
Many appreciate practical insights for teachers and parents, plus the playful island vibe.
Fans praise the warmth, humor, and lively conversations about kids' books.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Chris Riddell
Q: How did your publishing career begin, and what did you do when the publisher asked for stories?
I told a bluff at first, then went home and wrote a story overnight, which the publisher read and decided to publish, effectively launching my career.
Michael Rosen
Q: What was it that kind of flipped a switch and made you really excited about reading when you were kids?
Michael shares that his mother read to him from a very young age, creating a bonding ritual that fostered a love for reading, and he describes how his father's engaging storytelling further supported this passion.
Emma Carroll
Q: What can you tell us about your new book 'Dracula and Daughters'?
It's a trilogy featuring three cousins who discover they're descendants of Dracula, gaining special powers while battling vampire threats.
Ranger Hamza
Q: What's your favorite animal that you've lived with?
Hamza mentions a silverback gorilla as his favorite but shares that ‘Storm’, a rescued kittywake, has a special story in his heart.
Ranger Hamza
Q: How did you get the pine martins to poo in a box?
Hamza explains that pine martins have a strong sense of smell and like to mark their territory by pooing in specific areas. He used their own scent to attract them to a designated spot.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Island of Brilliant!

What is The Island of Brilliant! about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A warm, playful show centered on children's literature, with hosts bantering about new and brilliant kids' books, authors, and literacy initiatives. Episodes mix author interviews, book recommendations, and practical insights for readers, teachers, and families, anchored by shell reviews from a Book Trust critic. Notable strengths include long-form author conversations, thoughtful discussions on representation and reading for pleasure, and an island-family vibe that blends humor with serious ideas about access to books and encouragement of reading among children. The format tends to feature a balance of light, humorous banter and substantive conversations about craft, publishing, and education, making it a strong fit for parents, teachers, ... more

Where can I find podcast stats for The Island of Brilliant!?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Island of Brilliant!. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Island of Brilliant! and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Island of Brilliant! get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Island of Brilliant!, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Island of Brilliant!?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Island of Brilliant!, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The Island of Brilliant! have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Island of Brilliant! has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Island of Brilliant!?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Island of Brilliant!:

1. Off Air with Jane & Fi
2. Desert Island Discs
3. The Rest Is Entertainment
4. Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth
5. THE ADAM BUXTON PODCAST

How many episodes of The Island of Brilliant! are there?

The Island of Brilliant! launched 3 years ago and published 44 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Island of Brilliant!?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Island of Brilliant!?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Island of Brilliant! from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Island of Brilliant!?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Island of Brilliant!. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The Island of Brilliant!?

Recent guests on The Island of Brilliant! include:

1. Jack Meggitt-Phillips
2. Chris Riddell
3. Angie Thomas
4. Emily Drabble
5. Phil Tite
6. Michael Rosen
7. Phil Earle
8. Emma Carroll

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days