Alice Roberts: ‘By the time I’d finished Richard Dawkins I’d left faith behind’

The TV presenter and author on the evolutionary biologists who inspired her, the genius of George Eliot – and fun with Frog and Toad My earliest reading memory The first books I remember were from The Village with Three Corners series Sheila K McCullagh.

I loved the – literally – colourful characters, like Johnny Yellow Hat.

I was reading with my Grandma, in her garden perhaps, sitting on a small patio, surrounded by bright begonias and busy lizzies.

My favourite book growing up Arnold Lobel’s wonderful Frog and Toad stories.

Toad would get himself tied up in knots, trying to find a button or fly a kite, but Frog was always there – a constant, caring and funny friend.

I enjoyed reading these stories to my own children when they were young, and we still sometimes go back and revisit them.

They’re so full of humour, heart and simple humanism.

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