Required Reading

Kevin T Porter joins me to discuss the second book in Louis Sachar's Wayside series: Wayside School is Falling Down! Our original Wayside episode with Jenny Cavallero ! Listen to Kevin's podcast Good Christian Fun ! Support the podcast ! I'll send you MAIL!! Follow Erin!

Natalie Ortega (Wicked!!!) joins me to discuss Scott Westerfeld's 2005 library staple: UGLIES. Also, a movie of this 19 year old book is coming to Netflix in a few weeks. That's called serendipity, baby. Uglies is a 2005 science fiction novel by Scott Westerfeld. It is set in a future post scarcity dystopian world in which everyone is considered an "ugly," but then turned "Pretty" by extreme cosme...

Grace Bahler joins me to discuss the first book in Ally Carter's Gallagher Girls series: I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You from 2006! The Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women is a fairly typical all-girls school—that is, if every school teaches advanced martial arts in PE, chemistry always consists of learning about the latest in chemical warfare, and everyone breaks...

Jess Woodworth joins me to discuss Newbery Medal winner The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo (one of only 6 authors to win 2 Newberys!) The main plot follows the adventures of a mouse named Despereaux Tilling, as he sets out on his quest to rescue a beautiful human princess from the rats. (Wikipedia) Support the podcast! Follow Jess! Follow Erin!

Chelsea Pope joins me to discuss Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey! Trigger warnings for discussions of mental health, institutionalization, suicide, and more. The book is narrated by Chief Bromden, a gigantic half-Native American patient at a psychiatric hospital, who presents himself as deaf, mute, and docile. Bromden's tale focuses mainly on the antics of the rebellious R...

It's another dealer's choice episode! Returning guests Hua Chen and Ashley Westover join me to discuss a book I hated in high school (I was wrong! I know!) Jane Austen's PRIDE AND PREJUDICE! Book summary: While the arrival of wealthy gentlemen sends her marriage-minded mother into a frenzy, willful and opinionated Elizabeth Bennet matches wits with haughty Mr. Darcy. (IMDB) Support the podcast! Fo...

I didn't mean to have the American Revolution episode come out on July 3rd, but! I'll take any serendipity I can get. Another Dealer's Choice episode - professor Carly O'Brien returns to discuss Esther Forbes' 1943 Newberry winning novel Johnny Tremain. Book summary: Johnny, a young apprentice silversmith, is caught up with Otis, Hancock, and John and Samuel Adams in the exciting and dramatic oper...

Don't look now, it's the Gruffalo! Book summary: Walk further into the deep dark wood, and discover what happens when a quick-witted mouse comes face to face with an owl, a snake . . . and a hungry Gruffalo! (Storygraph) Support the podcast! Follow Hayley Follow me!

I'm launching a series called DEALER'S CHOICE where I pick the book!! So I picked my middle school backpack staple, my entry into adulthood, the book that made me say "teenhood? i'm here!" it's Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn! The novel is told from the alternating perspectives of Nick, the only straight member of a queercore rock band, and Norah, the daughter...

ITS EPISODE 30! Don't bring back jelly sandals unless you're cosplaying the Big Lebowski!

Original guest Georgia Shenk joins me to discuss Meg Cabot's AIRHEAD - a book about modeling, full body transplants, and a chinchilla named Anna Nicole Smith. Check out Georgia's previous (and our first!) episode on The Summer I Turned Pretty ! Follow Erin ! Support the show !

Flop Soup's Justin Crosby joins me to discuss Lemony Snicket's first Unfortunate Event: The Bad Beginning! Why is Erin's audio so bad? We don't know but hopefully she'll figure it out. Or else!

Sarah Dessen has LANDED. Cassandra Kyriazis of Flop Soup joins me to discuss Sarah Dessen's novel LOCK AND KEY, 2008s jewelry, and the power of having 2-3 friends. Flop Soup: https://www.flopsoup.com/ Substack: https://goodlinksbycassandra.substack.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/CassandraKy

MERMAIDS, ARE YOU READY? Zannah Schorer joins me for episode 26 to discuss Liz Kessler's tale of a girl probing the mysteries of her absent father, the weird lighthouse operator, and why her legs are becoming a tail!

ITS EPISODE 25!!! And one of the best books in American literature in my opinion. Corryn Diemer joins us to read Louis Sachar's 1998 classic - its both twinkling fairytale and sweaty gritty story about the juvenile penal system. And of course, the movie. Follow Corryn! Support the show! Follow Erin!

Grab your gear, we're looking for dragons. Ashley Westover joins me to discuss Dugald Steer's interactive DRAGONOLOGY and his OLOGIES series! Support the podcast! Follow Ashley's podcast QueerPG! Follow Erin!

Its a Required Reading first - childhood friend Hua Chen joins Erin to discuss a book they read together in Mr Swift's 10th grade English class: THE GRAPES OF WRATH, a book which both love, but could not remember. Spoiler: it's really good!

This week writer and artist Emily Caulfield joins me to discuss Sydney Taylor's ALL OF A KIND FAMILY! I can't believe we recorded the whole episode and I forgot to ask what a Whatnot is!

Trigger warnings abound but its a goodie all the same - Zoë Dennis joins me to discuss Sylvia Plath's 1963 novel The Bell Jar! The Bell Jar is the story of 19-year-old Esther Greenwood, the breakdown she experiences, and the beginnings of her recovery. The year is 1953 and Esther Greenwood, having finished college for the academic year, has won a one-month paid internship at Ladies Day magazine in...

ITS OUR TWENTIETH EPISODE!!!! A classic among classics, book one of the His Dark Materials series, The Golden Compass

ITS THE BODY EPISODE, MOM AND DAD DON"T LISTEN. Dive in to Valorie Lee Schaefer's THE CARE AND KEEPING OF YOU from American Girl Magazine in 1998.

We're going to the dump and making a swimming pool! Madeline Douglass joins us to talk Gertrude Chandler Warren's 1942 THE BOXCAR CHILDREN! Mystery grandfathers abound!

Grab the tissues, it's everyone's favorite heartbreaking dog book: Wilson Rawls' WHERE THE RED FERN GROWS

It's 2009 and you are in a Hot Topic. You are wearing glitter and a henley with a cami underneath. Your best friend is no longer speaking to you because she is team Jacob. This week, April Consalo joins me to discuss the horny 00s global phenomenon classic TWILIGHT

We take a little break to talk about the best books I read this year!