Radical with Amol Rajan

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Books v Screens: Why Every School Needs a Library (Katherine Rundell)

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Aug 7, 2025

Guest

Katherine Rundell

Katherine Rundell, a best-selling children's author known for her works like The Explorer, discusses the alarming decline in children's reading enjoyment in the UK. She argues that every school should have a library, emphasizing its role in cultivating literacy and tackling disinformation. Rundell also shares her views on the need for literacy-focused teacher training and explains her decision to donate royalties from her book to climate charities in light of political events. A compelling exploration of reading's importance and the intersection of education and social justice.

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ANECDOTE

Reading Felt Like Breathing

Katherine Rundell read relentlessly as a child and said it felt like breathing.
Local libraries and adult books fed her imagination and launched her writing life.

insights

INSIGHT

Reading Rates Have Plummeted

Only about a third of 8–18-year-olds say they enjoy reading and daily reading is at historic lows.
The gender gap and steep drops among the poorest make this a widening social crisis.

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ADVICE

Recreate Sure Start And Bookstart

Rebuild Sure Start/Bookstart style hubs to give parents community support and get books to young children.
Early language interventions prevent severe deficits when children start school.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

The Roots of Storytelling

02:08 • 7min

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Words, Trauma, and Change

08:51 • 23min

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Reviving the Joy of Reading in Education

31:39 • 2min

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The Challenges of Education and the Value of Knowledge

33:32 • 5min

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Climate Action and Social Justice

38:57 • 11min

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Cultivating Hope and Community Engagement

And Other Vanishing Treasure

Katherine Rundell

In *The Golden Mole*, Katherine Rundell presents a captivating bestiary of endangered species, from pangolins to seahorses, urging readers to treasure and protect these vanishing wonders. The book is both an educational journey and a call to action against climate change and species extinction.

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Ultra-Processed People

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In this book, Chris van Tulleken marshals the latest evidence to show how governments, scientists, and doctors have allowed transnational food companies to create a pandemic of diet-related disease. He undertakes a self-experiment, eating a diet of 80 percent ultra-processed food for a month, under the supervision of colleagues at University College London. The book explores the origins, science, and economics of ultra-processed foods, revealing their catastrophic impact on our bodies and the planet. Van Tulleken proposes real solutions for doctors, policymakers, and consumers, emphasizing the need for global action to address the issue.

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To Kill a Mockingbird

Harper Lee

Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" is a classic novel that explores themes of racial injustice, childhood innocence, and moral courage in the American South. The story is narrated by Scout Finch, a young girl who witnesses the trial of Tom Robinson, a Black man falsely accused of a crime. Lee's powerful storytelling captures the complexities of race relations in the Jim Crow South, highlighting the prejudice and injustice faced by Black people. The novel's enduring appeal lies in its exploration of universal themes of empathy, compassion, and the importance of standing up for what is right. It remains a powerful reminder of the ongoing struggle for racial equality in America.

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The uses of literacy

Richard Hoggart

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Ravenous

Henry Dimbleby

Jemima Lewis

Henry Dimbleby's "Ravenous" delves into the complexities of the UK's food system, examining its environmental impact, health consequences, and economic implications. The book advocates for a more sustainable and equitable approach to food production and consumption. Dimbleby presents a comprehensive analysis of the challenges and proposes practical solutions to improve the system. He emphasizes the need for systemic change, highlighting the interconnectedness of various factors influencing food security and public health. The book serves as a call to action, urging readers to consider their role in shaping a more resilient and responsible food future.

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Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Jeff Kinney

The book follows Greg Heffley, a middle school student, as he navigates the challenges of school and friendships. It includes his attempts to boost his popularity, his relationships with his family and best friend Rowley, and various misadventures such as the infamous 'Cheese Touch' and a disastrous school play. The book is known for its deadpan humor and engaging illustrated diary format.

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Impossible Creatures

Katherine Rundell

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The Lion, The witch and the Wardrobe

C.S. Lewis

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a portal fantasy novel that follows the story of four English siblings - Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy - who are evacuated to the countryside during World War II. While exploring the large, old house of Professor Kirke, Lucy discovers a wardrobe that serves as a portal to the land of Narnia. In Narnia, they encounter various magical creatures and the evil White Witch, who has cast a spell to keep Narnia in perpetual winter. The siblings soon learn that they are part of an ancient prophecy to save Narnia, aided by the lion Aslan. The story is an allegory of Christianity, with Aslan's sacrifice and resurrection mirroring the story of Jesus Christ. The novel also incorporates elements from Germanic, classical Greek and Roman, and Celtic mythology.

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Paddington 3

Annie Wilson

Only one in three children in the UK enjoy reading in their spare time – the lowest rate recorded in 20 years, according to a survey for the National Literacy Trust.

Best-selling children’s author Katherine Rundell, whose books include Impossible Creatures and The Explorer, says that represents a crisis of reading which will make it harder to tackle disinformation.

She thinks every school should have a library that is subject to an Ofsted inspection and literacy should be included in teacher training programmes to try to tackle the decline in children reading for pleasure.

Amol and Katherine also discuss why Donald Trump’s re-election as US president led her to donate all the royalties from US sales of The Golden Mole (published under the title Vanishing Treasures in America) to climate charities.

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* WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk

Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan

Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.

Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Izzy Rowley. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by James Piper. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

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