Tea, Tales, and Tomes

Gendered Book Lists: What If The First Manosphere Is A Bookshelf

We'd love your feedback. Send us a message. [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2455879/fan_mail/new] “Boy or girl?” sounds like a helpful question in a bookshop, but it can be the start of a much bigger problem. After watching Inside the Manosphere, I couldn’t stop thinking about where boys first learn the idea that empathy is weakness and softness is shameful. Long before algorithms and influencers, those messages show up in less obvious places: toy aisles, classrooms, and the way we sort children’s books into pink shelves and “poop and fart jokes” shelves. In today's episode, I dig into the gender divide in children’s books and why it isn’t just a quirky marketing trend. We talk about how publishing and retail use gendered marketing to maximise profit, why “books for boys” lists can narrow a child’s identity, and how self-censorship keeps kids from trying stories they’d genuinely love. I also unpack what research actually suggests about average differences, neuroplasticity, and socialisation, plus why the phrase “that’s so girly” carries such a heavy insult. And the best part, I get practical with book recommendations that cut straight through the stereotypes, from classics to middle grade series and graphic novels, and I share simple ways to talk about themes instead of gender. If you’re a parent, teacher, librarian, or caregiver who wants inclusive children’s literature, healthier masculinity, and stronger reading habits for boys and girls alike, this one is for you. Subscribe for more bookish conversations, share this with a fellow parent or educator, and leave a review if it sparks a rethink of your own bookshelf. What “wrong gender” book did you secretly love as a kid? Find us on Instagram @teatalesandtomes and don't forget to join us next time for more bookish wonder.  Podcast music by Lundstroem (Episode 1 onwards) and Audionautix (TTAT Trailer). Podcast edited by Timothy Wiggill.

Tea with a New York Times Bestselling Author: Beth Ferry

We'd love your feedback. Send us a message. [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2455879/fan_mail/new] Today's episode is truly special. We welcome New York Times bestselling author Beth Ferry for a rich, warm conversation about how wonder, research, and a love for a good story turn words into worlds that invite wonder.   We also tackle today’s thornier topics. Beth draws a line between personal digital styles and generative AI that flattens voice, arguing that heart can’t be prompted. On book bans, she makes a clear case for access: stories are mirrors and windows, and removing them narrows who gets to be seen. Along the way we talk about the writing process, ideas sparked by lyrics and catalogues, fifty or so revisions, treating each book like a child who deserves equal care, and look ahead to her new middle grade novel in verse about the hard art of being happy for a friend. If you love children’s literature, illustration craft, or the power of a perfect read‑aloud, this conversation will light you up and send you hunting for more Beth Ferry on your shelf. Subscribe, share with a bookish friend, and leave a review telling us which children’s book you’ll never outgrow.  Find us on Instagram @teatalesandtomes and don't forget to join us next time for more bookish wonder.  Podcast music by Lundstroem (Episode 1 onwards) and Audionautix (TTAT Trailer). Podcast edited by Timothy Wiggill.

An Episode for Kids’ Ears: How Reading Powers Everything, from Minecraft to Marvel

We'd love your feedback. Send us a message. [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2455879/fan_mail/new] In today's episode, I am asking parents to take a backseat and let the kids control the speakers. I am talking directly to kids about why books are not competing with screens but powering the worlds they love. We unpack the brain science of reading, the courage in choosing your own stories, and the reason books get banned when ideas scare people in positions of power. We dig deep into:  • how books seed games, films and shows we love • how reading lights up the brain and builds focus • how stories help us to feel seen and heard, and  • the truth about bans and why ideas frighten power I end with a gentle challenge to try one story this week and invite children to  ask their parents to drop me a message, tell me what type of story they hope to find, tell me what they like, what they don’t like, and I will find it them.  Find us on Instagram @teatalesandtomes and don't forget to join us next time for more bookish wonder.  Podcast music by Lundstroem (Episode 1 onwards) and Audionautix (TTAT Trailer). Podcast edited by Timothy Wiggill.

This Year, How Can We Make Books A Habit, Not A Hurdle?

We'd love your feedback. Send us a message. [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2455879/fan_mail/new] Do you think you can find 10 minutes in your day to do the one thing that is proven to not only boost academic performance, but also bring you closer as a family? Reading together. Just ten minutes.  In today's episode, we are talking about small rituals that will create big readers. It's a New Year and a great time for a reading reset. We share a practical plan to build a joyful reading culture at home in a screen‑heavy world, anchored by a ten‑minute read‑aloud that fits any day. From confidence gains to a school book swap, we show low‑pressure ways to make stories social, affordable, and fun. • why reading for pleasure drives cognition, mental health and empathy • designing low‑pressure rituals that make books the default • the 10‑minute read‑aloud challenge and rewards • early wins with pronunciation, confidence and classics • flexible timing that survives busy schedules • kids using apps to log, review and discover • launching a budget‑friendly school book swap • and lastly, cutting to our classic guide on home book club culture where we revisit Episode 11 (Season 1): Creating a Home Book Club Culture: No Homework Required to give you awesome tips for how you can incorporate reading in your home life this year.  A few links from this episode:  - Learn more about the RAR Read Aloud Challenge [https://readaloudrevival.com/challenge/] Some websites I mention in the episode revisit:  Art for Kids Hub [https://artforkidshub.com/] Little School of Smiths  [https://littleschoolofsmiths.com/2025/05/27/book-reports/?srsltid=AfmBOorItINS5gvZ1sthib-FiTdynt_ROQw9xMep6Uz5HZAPAw] Tea, Tales, and Tomes blog  [https://teatalesandtomes.wordpress.com/] Find us on Instagram @teatalesandtomes and don't forget to join us next time for more bookish wonder.  Podcast music by Lundstroem (Episode 1 onwards) and Audionautix (TTAT Trailer). Podcast edited by Timothy Wiggill.

A 2025 Reading Wrap: The Books That Held Me (and the One That Didn’t)

We'd love your feedback. Send us a message. [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2455879/fan_mail/new] The mic failed, the tea was hot, and the books were unforgettable. Come sit down with us as we reflect on a noisy 2025 and the stories that stayed: a Kyoto restaurant that recreates lost flavours to unlock memory, a graphic novel that treats young readers with uncommon respect, a middle grade marvel that made our whole family laugh and cry, a picture book that blooms like a botanical secret, and a nonfiction gem that turns lake lore into living curiosity. Not every pick landed. We unpack why a widely recommended fantasy for children failed our suitability test and talk frankly about choosing books with care: age-appropriate, safe, respectful. Then we look ahead to 2026: kids discovering the Warriors series on their own terms, family drives with The Mysterious Benedict Society, and a small, thoughtful adult book club starting with Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine. Expect new segments, author conversations, and episodes that ask brave, necessary questions about how stories are made and how they shape us. If these conversations light you up, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs a good read, and leave a review to help more bookish people find us. What was your standout read of 2025? Find us on Instagram @teatalesandtomes and don't forget to join us next time for more bookish wonder.  Podcast music by Lundstroem (Episode 1 onwards) and Audionautix (TTAT Trailer). Podcast edited by Timothy Wiggill.