The Adventures of Gabriel began as a Friday night project between a mum and her 10-year-old son.

Today, it’s a national literacy model featured in major media outlets, school programmes, and education conferences across the UK and beyond.

One story started it. Thousands of children are continuing it.

• Gabriel Khan, age 10, co-authored a book with his mum, Kate Markland

• Their framework became StoryQuest™, now used in schools to inspire young writers

• The project is being recognised by educators, psychologists, and national press

• It’s part storytelling, part safeguarding, part literacy revolution

International Media Highlights

• Children unlock the wonderful world of their imagination through storytelling. Yahoo News (July 2025).

• Children become authors for Bradford UK City of Culture anthology. Yahoo News (July 2025).

• Boy's storytelling method puts 'joy' back into literacy. BBC News (June 2025).

• 11-year-old's story sparks educational revolution as boys rediscover love of writing. MSN (May 2025). 

• The Adventures of Bradford where every child’s story comes to life. MSN (April 2025). 

• Bradford children find their voice through new storytelling initiative. MSN (April 2025).

UK Media Highlights

• Children unlock the wonderful world of their imagination through storytelling. Gloucestershire Live (July 2025).

• Bradford children become authors for city's literature festival. Telegraph & Argus (July 2025).

• Bradford children shine as authors in City's Literature Festival. Yorkshire Post, Yorkshire Evening Post (July 2025).
• Pupils go wild with words. Yorkshire Post (June 2025)
• Cheltenham schoolboy’s story becomes national model for helping kids reconnect with writing. Cheltenham Post (May 2025).

Further UK Media Highlights

• 11-year-old's story sparks educational revolution as boys rediscover love of writing. Harrogate Advertiser, Halifax Courier (May 2025). 

• Bradford initiative shows 90% success rate as boys rediscover love of writing through storytelling. Yorkshire Post, Yorkshire Evening Post (May 2025).

• Every child has a story. Yorkshire Post, Yorkshire Evening Post  (May 2025).

• The Adventures of Bradford where every child’s story comes to life. Yorkshire Post, Yorkshire Evening Post (April 2025). 

• Bradford children find their voice through new storytelling initiative. Yorkshire Post, Yorkshire Evening Post (April 2025).

Radio Highlights

• The Adventures of Gabriel. Day Time Show. BBC Radio Gloucestershire (May 2025).
• The Adventures of Bradford. Bradford and Beyond. Bradford Community Broadcast (May and April 2025). 
• Children's stories, by children. Featured on Steel FM, the Business Show (April 2025). 
• Featured on Times Radio during the Cheltenham Literature Festival (October 2024). 

Professional Publications & Research

• Markland, K. (2024). From Adversity to Agency: Storytelling as a Tool for Building Children’s Resilience. Journal of Novel Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, ISSN 2573-6264.

• Markland, K. (Spring 2025 Edition). Storytelling as a Tool for Building Children’s Resilience. Canadian Teacher Magazine.

• The Adventures of Gabriel: Stories of Resilience for Children and Mothers in the Family Courts. SHERA Research Group (2024). 

Presentations & Conferences

• Markland, K. (2025). Giving Children a Voice: How Storytelling Safeguards Children. The Barcelona Conference on Education.
• Markland, K. (2025).
  From Adversity to Agency: Storytelling as a Tool for Building Children’s Resilience. The 13th European Conference on Education.

• Markland, K. (January 2025).
  From Adversity to Agency: Storytelling as a Tool for Building Children’s Resilience. Presented at the British Psychological Society.