Imagine you are 11-years-old and live in a bookshop with your grandparents. Then one day, Anne Shirley is sitting on a bench on the top floor. If this sounds like a dream come true, then this episode is definitely for you.

I'm super lucky to chat with fellow book lover and super talented author, Anna James. For the past two years, Anna's Pages & Co books have been flying off the shelves. Beloved by readers of all ages, this series (the third one is out later this year)is magical, whimsical and such a treat to read.

In the first book, 'Tilly and the Bookwanderers,' which was published in 2018, we meet 11-year-old Tilly Pages who lives with her grandparents in their bookshop, Pages & Co. On a very special day in the shop, Tilly encounters her favourite book characters and with the help of her grandparents and best friend, Oskar, she learns all about the magic of bookwandering. This new power leads to some fantastic adventures and the important answers that Tilly has been searching for her whole life.

The second book, 'Tilly and the Lost Fairy Tales,' which was published last year, is another must-read. The adventures continue when Tilly and Oskar travel to Paris to spend time with Oskar’s family at Christmas. It’s so exciting to get lost in popular fairy tales, meet new characters and see Oskar learn more about his equally special bookwandering family.

I had so much fun chatting with Anna about our mutual love of books, what inspires Anna’s writing and why storytelling will always be essential and important for readers today and in the future.

Hope you enjoy our episode!

Buy Anna's books here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/pages-and-co-tilly-and-the-bookwanderers/anna-james/9780008229870

https://www.waterstones.com/book/pages-and-co-tilly-and-the-lost-fairy-tales/anna-james/9780008229917

Pre-order 'Tilly and the Map of Stories' here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/tilly-and-the-map-of-stories/anna-james/9780008229948