Francesca Simon

Children’s writer Francesca Simon is castaway by Kirsty Young

Educated at Yale and Oxford, Francesca initially thought she'd pursue an academic life - but within weeks of her son's birth, found that ideas for children's stories started flowing. She's now written 20 books featuring her creation Horrid Henry and they sell in their millions.

She sees Horrid Henry as sitting within the long tradition of anarchic characters in children's literature. She says:

"Everyone responds to Henry because I think everyone feels - however conventional they seem on the outside - that they are rebellious and unconventional, and Henry really taps into that."

DISC ONE: The Beach Boys - Surfin' USA
DISC TWO: Jacques Brel - Amsterdam
DISC THREE: Emma Kirkby - Abbess Hildegard of Bingen’s Columba Aspexit from a Feather on the Breath of God
DISC FOUR: Joan Baez - The Trees they Grow So High
DISC FIVE: The Judds - Why Not Me
DISC SIX: Crazy For You cast - Slap That Bass
DISC SEVEN: Darren Abrahams and James Laing with the Young Vic Chorus & Ensemble conducted by David Charles Abell - Tobias and the Angel
DISC EIGHT: Mandy Patinkin - Finishing the Hat

CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Mandy Patinkin - Finishing the Hat
BOOK CHOICE: The Eustace Diamonds - Anthony Trollope
LUXURY CHOICE: Cappuccino maker

Producer: Leanne Buckle

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 2011.