Legendary writer Cressida Cowell – creator of the How to Train Your Dragon and Wizards of Once series, and current Children’s Laureate – shares inspiring and motivational advice for children about the power of creativity, and why magic is at its most believable when based on the real wonders of nature! Will young listeners accept her challenge to create a magical creature of their own, supported by the free resources pack available at bit.ly/AIYCCCresourcepack? This episode is divided into...

Struan Murray – lecturer in biochemistry turned children’s author – talks to presenter Helen Mulley about his debut novel, Orphans of the Tide; a real page-turner, packed with drama and cliffhangers, and threaded through with deep emotional resonance. He has some great advice for young writers about how to keep readers gripped from page one, as well as an interesting take on the worlds of ‘art’ and ‘science’, and how they're not actually so different after all! Download a FREE resources pack...

The brilliant Jamie Littler joins presenter Helen Mulley to talk about his first book as both author and illustrator, Frostheart – a thrilling adventure set in a fantasy world of snow, ice, monsters and music – with plenty of tips for young listeners on creating their own literary worlds, and never giving up their writing dreams, along the way. Download a FREE resources pack to go with this episode at https://bit.ly/plazoomJLittler. This episode is divided into three sections, which can be...

In this episode, Sam Copeland – author of the hilarious ‘Charlie McGuffin’ books, about an ordinary nine-year-old boy with an extraordinary superpower – discusses how to create memorable characters, why certain jokes work (and others don’t), and the importance of empathy when you’re telling a story. This episode is divided into three sctions, which can be listened to in one go, as a sequence spread over several days, or in isolation. If you only have time to listen to one, we recommend...

Robin Stevens – best known for her brilliant Murder Most Unladylike series of books, in which two young girls form a detective agency and solve a succession of grisly crimes – joins presenter Helen Mulley to talk about how to plan plots, edit your own writing and deal with those times when the words just won’t come! Don’t forget to download your free resources pack for this episode, including a teaching guide, PowerPoint, book extracts and planning sheets, all from from Plazoom – where we are...

Welcome to the podcast for teachers where we speak to the writers your children love, about everything that goes into the stories they make happen. From why one word is better than another, to creating characters and planning plots, we ask the questions that will unlock the secrets of really brilliant writing, so your pupils can add a touch of professionalism – and magic! – to their own work.We know how much impact author visits can have in schools, and we also know just how hard it can be...