James Norbury, the author-illustrator of the globally bestselling Big Panda and Tiny Dragon, has joined writer, broadcaster and blind adventurer Red Széll for the latest episode of AMI-audio’s My Life in Books podcast.

In the episode, which you can listen to in full here and here, James discusses his story, the messages behind his work and how he adapted his illustrations for audiobooks.

“Throughout the history of talking books, the question of how to bring illustrations to life has posed problems for authors and audio producers. But it’s a challenge that artist James Norbury was eager to meet.

Following the international success of his illustrated book Big Panda and Tiny Dragon, James set about adapting his story to bring its message of friendship, hope and acceptance to a listening audience.

It is a craft that he has honed in Big Panda’s sequel, The Journey, and perfected in his latest book The Cat Who Taught Zen. And, as we’ll hear, it all began in a second-hand bookshop!

Join James, Red, and a litter of kittens, as they explore mindfulness and the power of words to change the way we think.”

You can find James’s first three titles in both hard copy and audiobook:

Big Panda and Tiny Dragon is available here.

The Journey is available here.

The Cat Who Taught Zen is available here.

And James’s latest book, Following the Moon, is also out now in hardback in the UK. Grab your copy here or, better, via your local bookshop or Bookshop.org.

Follow James on Instagram @jamesnorburyofficial.