Rogue Librarians

Join us for our silliest conversation yet, goodness knows we needed a good laugh.  Today we read and discuss two delightful picture books.   Ogilvy was written by Deborah Underwood and illustrated by T.L. McBeth, and was published in 2019.  It received a starred review in Kirkus , and positive reviews in Publishers Weekly, Horn Book, and Booklist .   Worm Loves Worm, written by J.J. Austrian and i...

Join us for a fascinating and enlightening conversation with debut author Debby Show as she discusses her book, Paper Roses. The book explores Show’s real history and intimate truths as she grapples with the effects of generational trauma and with her experiences as the sister, and victim, of a rather infamous public figure. That said, this is not a book about her sister’s exploits; instead, it ex...

Today we talked to author and podcast host, Heather Hester.  Heather is the host of the podcast More Human. More Kind. and the author of Parenting with Pride: Unlearn Bias and Embrace, Empower and Love Your LGBTQ+ Teen.   As a speaker, author, coach, and LGBTQ+ advocate, she helps parents, allies, and organizations move from fear to fierce, informed love with clarity, compassion, and courage. She...

"Stories bond us, but so does struggle" ~Sam Helmick In this episode of Rogue Librarians, we speak with Sam Helmick, President of the American Library Association.  This is our third conversation with Sam!  This time we are focusing on the upcoming Youth Media Awards and what this event means to children, librarians, and book lovers everywhere.  Below are all the pertinent links. Stream...

In this episode we do a close reading of the book I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood up for Education and was Shot by the Taliban , by Malala Yousafzai. As always, we found the conversation enlightening and cathartic.  Learning about Pakistan’s history and the Pashtun people was fascinating.  We also found that the struggle between religious conservatives and those challenging traditiona...

First, we apologize for some sound issues we were having in this episode.  We’ve changed a few things and are learning as we go.  We hope to solve this problem before our next recording.  In this Part 1 episode we discuss the book I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood up for Education and was Shot by the Taliban , by Malala Yousafzai.  In Part 1 we discuss why the book is banned, share some...

In Part 2 of Cemetery Boys we do a close reading of the book.  There are generally a few spoilers, but trust me, there is so much more to discover in the book! Cemetery Boys is a young adult urban fantasy novel written by Latinx American author Aiden Thomas. Published in 2020, this is  Thomas’s debut  novel.  It became the first book by a transgender author featuring a trans character to be on the...

In this Part 1 episode we discuss the book Cemetery Boys , by Aiden Thomas.  In Part 1 we discuss why the book is banned, share some context to help understand the book, and give our assessment of why it’s worth reading.  Cemetery Boys is a young adult urban fantasy novel written by Latinx American author Aiden Thomas. Published in 2020, this is  Thomas’s debut  novel.  It became the first book by...

In Part 2 of our discussion of 1984 by George Orwell, we were inspired by Harry Potter and the Sacred Text to use the sacred reading practice, Lectio Divinia. We modeled our discussion after the “sacred reading” format used by Casper ter Kuile, Vanessa Zoltan and Matthew Potts in their podcast . Here is the link to their webpage, which explains the process in more detail. Harry Potter and the Sacr...

We’re celebrating Banned Books Week by reading 1984 by George Orwell.  In Part 1, we discuss how this classic tale of censorship taken to the nth degree ended up being one of the most banned books of all time.  Here are a few links to articles mentioned in the episode.  Banned Bits references the article Baker County Library gives away copies of Orwell’s ‘1984’ as part of anti-censorship campaign...

It’s fall and we are ready to get in a spooky Halloween mood.  In this episode we interview the delightful duo Shannon Watters and Branden Boyer-White, co-creators of the YA Graphic Novel series Hollow.  The books are beautifully illustrated by Berenice Nelle and take place in Sleepy Hollow where a group of teens discover the secret of the Headless Horseman.  The first book, Hollow , was published...

In this episode we interview author Khadijah VanBrakle about her second book, My Perfect Family , which came out on August 26th.  Khadijah is a Muslim woman of color, born and raised in Canada to American parents. She writes coming-of-age stories featuring Black American Muslim teens.  Her debut novel, Fatima Tate Takes The Cake was published in 2023.  You can find Khadijah at her website, https:/...

In this special episode we interview freelance writer Kaila Yu on the publication of her first book, Fetishized:  A Reckoning With Yellow Fever, Feminism, and Beauty .  Kaila has written for The New York Times , Los Angeles Times , Rolling Stone , CNN , Glamour , and more. Formerly, she was a model and the lead singer for the all–Asian American female rock band Nylon Pink. Below are links to some...

In this episode we discuss Patricia McCormick’s beautiful and heartbreaking Book, Sold .  The book is written in poetic vignettes and follows the story of Lakshme, a Nepalese girl who is sold into prostitution.  Join us as we discuss how McCormick brought her characters to life and humanized them despite their dehumanizing situation.  We took inspiration for our conversation from the  Book Resume...

In this episode we discuss why the book Sold , by Patricia McCormick, appears in ALA’s Top 10 most challenged books of 2024. Here are some links relevant to our conversation: About Patricia McCormick and the book Patricia McCormick’s Web page for the Sold Unite Against Banned Books.  Book Resume: Sold Information on why Sold has been banned.  Texas Freedom to Read Project.  Information on human tr...

Join us for our discussion with Melissa Kantor about her newest book, Biology Lessons.  Melissa wrote the book in response to the Dobbes Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v Wade.  Below are a few links to things discussed in the podcast.   Supreme Court Case Roe v Wade Supreme Court Case Dobbes v Jackson Women’s Health Organization    Here is a link to a documentary about the original Jane Co...

In this episode, we discuss The Family Book by Todd Parr.  We’ve combined our usual 2 episode format since the book is so short.   Here are the sources referenced in our Banned Bits segment. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt Briefs Members of the Media, May 09, 2025 - statement on Carla Hayden is at minute 27:30 Fired librarian of Congress on losing history during Trump 2.0 | GBH News Rooted LDF De...

Milk & Honey Part 2:  In this episode, we discuss Rupi Kaur’s beautiful and emotional work, choosing poems to illustrate the different sections of the book as well as the many themes and motifs that run through the poems.   While doing so, we digress quite a bit, as we do.  Here are some of the books, music, and television we related to Kaur’s work.  Blog:  Discover Rupi Kaur’s Poems: A Deep D...

milk and honey Part 1:  Why It’s Banned   In this episode we discover why Rupi Kaur’s book of poetry, milk and honey , consistently makes lists of banned books. Kaur self-published milk and honey in November of 2014 and it was later picked up by publisher Andrews McMeel .  According to their web site, the book spent more than three years on the New York Times bestseller list.   It’s been published...

Hold on, Sam Helmick is coming.  In this episode of Rogue Librarians, we speak with Sam Helmick, president-elect of the American Library Association, for a second time.  We explore the many challenges facing libraries, the upcoming ALA Annual Conference, and ways you can advocate for your library. Here are links to some things we talk about in the interview: Stand Up For Libraries : an ALA program...

In this episode, we do a close reading of Sarah J. Maas's A Court of Mist and Fury .  We discuss our personal histories with romance novels, the evolution of romantic tropes, and the implications of freedom and control in relationships as depicted in the book. We explore themes such as patriarchy, agency, empowerment, consent, and sexuality within the context of the story. 

In this episode, we discuss Sarah J. Maas's A Court of Mist and Fury . In addition to discussing why the book has been banned, we touch on some history of the Romance Novel, and the new hybrid genre Romantasy.    Today’s Banned Bit, comes to us from School Library Journal in their article Librarians and Allies Must Act to Secure the Future of Libraries and Intellectual Freedom | ” The resources we...

In this episode, we delve into part two of our discussion on Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell. We share some school bus hijinx and the transformative power of love. The  conversation highlights themes of bullying, body image, and the importance of consent in young relationships, all while emphasizing the emotional depth and relatability of the characters' experiences. 

In this episode, we discuss Rainbow Rowell’s book Eleanor & Park , why it’s banned, and the controversy over Korean-American representation in the novel.  Our banned bit today is about the Department of Education’s Press Release entitled, “U.S. Department of Education Ends Biden’s Book Ban Hoax.”   Other articles referenced during our discussion include:  “ The importance of representation,” b...

In this episode we do a close reading of Fahrenheit 451, tracing Montag’s journey from book burner to hunted dissident and reader.  We had so much fun digging into the nuance of Bradbury’s timeless classic.  We hope you enjoy our conversation.