Russell Reads with the Rach(a)els

Russell, Rachel, and Rachael chat about our September reading challenge, books set in a library! We discuss the wonders libraries can bring into your life and Russell’s library fever dreams. Books we discuss include: “The Great Library” series by Rachel Caine “The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry” by Gabrielle Zevin “The Secret, Book & Scone Society” by Ellery Adams “The Haunted Library Mysteries” s...

Russell, Rachel, and Rachael chat with special guest and local bookfluencer Jasmine Sutton of @JazzysReadingCorner on Tiktok and Instagram. We discuss the wonders of the online reading community, #Booktok drama, and Russell admits to more crimes!  Books we discuss include: “The BFG” by Roald Dahl “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley “The Hobbit, or There and Back Again” by J.R.R. Tolkien “The Call o...

Russell, Rachel, and Rachael chat about our August reading challenge, True Crime novels. We discuss ethical aspects of consuming true crime, what fascinates people about crime, and the wide variety of stories in this genre. Books we discuss include: “Trail of the Lost: The Relentless Search to Bring Home the Missing Hikers of the Pacific Crest Trail” by Andrea Lankford “Bandit Heaven: The Hole-in-...

Russell, Rachel, and Rachael chat with our guest Josh Lineberry, on-air personality for WBTM/WAKG, dubbed by Russell “The Voice of Danville”. We discuss the power of telling your own story, the wonders of audiobooks, and how to foster a love of reading in the next generation. Books we discuss include: “The Indian in the Cupboard” series by Lynne Reid Banks “Encyclopedia Brown” series by Donald J....

Russell, Rachel, and Rachael chat about our July reading challenge, a book that takes place in another world. We discuss how we define ‘another world’, our love of all things cozy, and Russell’s many animal adventures.  Books we discuss include: “The Lord of the Rings” series by J.R.R. Tolkien “The Spider Chronicles” series by Tony DiTerlizzi “Lightraider Academy” series by James R. Hannibal  “A W...

Danville Public Library's Youth Services Department, Chrislyn Gardner and Jess McAllister, join Russell to talk all things children's programming, summer reading, and library memories. 

Russell, Rachel, and Rachael chat with our guest Freja Bridgen, library circulation specialist, about public speaking anxiety, mean college professors, and finding the right books for you. Books we discuss include: “Hidden Figures” by Margot Lee Shetterly “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall” by Anne Brontë “Throne of Glass” by Sarah J. Maas “The Book of Doors” by Gareth Brown “Pachinko” by Min Jin Lee

Russell, Rachel, and Rachael chat about our June reading challenge, books with movie adaptations. We discuss the power of nostalgia, the many valid ways art can be interpreted, and why Tippi Hedren keeps falling down. Books we discuss include: “The NeverEnding Story” by Michael Ende “Mary Poppins” by P.L. Travers “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll “Charlie and the Chocolate Factor...

Russell, Rachel, and Rachael chat with our guest Grace Mamon, Danville reporter for Cardinal News. We discuss the joys of reading children’s literature, how reading enhances your writing, and Grace surprises us with an interview question of her own.  Books we discuss include: “Gregor the Overlander” by Suzanne Collins “Harry Potter” series by Joanne Rowling “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” Series...

Russell, Rachel, and Rachael chat about our May reading challenge, Short Story Collections. We discuss life, the universe, and of course baseball. Let us know how many letters a woodchuck could write if a woodchuck could write letters. Books we discuss include: “Haunted Maine” by Charles Stanfield “Something Rich and Strange” by Ron Rash (“Three AM and the Stars Were Out”) “The Illustrated Man” by...

On this special edition of Russell Reads with the Rach(a)els, Russell and Rachel get the opportunity to sit down with National Bestselling Author Alencia Johnson to discuss "Flip the Tables; The Everyday Disruptor's Guide to Finding Courage and Making Change," now available for purchase or at your Danville Public Library.  For more information, visit www.alenciajohnson.com.  Click t...

Russell, Rachel, and Rachael chat with our guest Susanne Bell, Senior Program Officer at Danville Regional Foundation, about setting realistic reading goals, recommending the right book, and a horrifying movie adaptation of one of our favorite childhood classics. Susanne created a wonderful reference for the books she shared with us. Childhood reads: “Make Way for Ducklings” by author and illustra...

Russell, Rachel, and Rachael discuss our April challenge, childhood favorites, with one of our favorite childhood experts here in the library, Jess McAllister. We discuss how children's literature shaped us, opened our worlds, and continues to delight us to this day! Books we discuss include: “The Borrowers” by Mary Norton “The BFG” by Roald Dahl “Dear Mr. Henshaw” and “Strider” by Beverly Cl...

Russell and solo Rachel chat with our guest, Scott Longerbeam, city GIS coordinator, about almost every Stephen King book, filming locations, and the love of a good librarian. Books we discuss include: “Foucault's Pendulum” by Umberto Eco “Pet Sematary” by Stephen King “Fourth Wing” by Rebecca Yarros “The Demon of Unrest” by Erik Larson “The Pillars of the Earth” by Ken Follett “The Empusium”...

Russell, Rachel, and Rachael discuss our March challenge, first book in a series, with surprise guest Colton. Consequently there are a lot of dad jokes in this one. Listener beware. Books we discuss include: “The Dark Is Rising” series by Susan Cooper “Dragon Masters” series by Tracey West “Goosebumps” graphic novel series by R.L. Stine “Ghost on Haunted Street” by Colton Carter “Done and Dusted”...

Russell, Rachel, and Rachael chat with our guest, Honorable Doctor Corey Williams about his long title, and many other titles that shaped his love for reading. Books we discuss include:  “The Word Bird” by Nicola Davies, Abbie Cameron (illustrator) “Darius the Great Is Not Okay” by Adib Khorram “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway “Moby-Dick or, The Whale” by Herman Melville “Don Quixo...

Russell, Rachel, and Rachael discuss  our next challenge, love stories and go on an important tangent about 90's teen movies. Books we discuss include: “The Princess Bride” by William Goldman “Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare “The House in the Cerulean Sea” by TJ Klune “The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife” by Anna Johnston “The Weight of the Stars” by K. Ancrum “A Novel Love Story” by...

Russell, Rachel, and Rachael chat with our guest Catherine Carter, owner of The Dog-Eared Page bookstore and teahouse. We discuss the deep and abiding friendship between libraries and bookstores, books about rabbits, and so much more. Books we discuss include: “House of Leaves” by Mark Z. Danielewski “Manacled” by SenLinYu “Fifty Shades of Grey” by E.L. James “After” by Anna Todd “Quicksilver” by...

Russell, Rachel, and Rachael discuss our January challenge, Memoirs and Autobiographies, and new Rachael lore just dropped. Books we discuss include: “Gone to the Woods: Surviving a Lost Childhood” by Gary Paulsen “Sonny Boy” by Al Pacino “Greenlights” by Matthew McConaughey “Pageboy” by Elliot Page “Officer Clemmons” by Dr. Francois S. Clemmons “Sociopath” by Patric Gagne “Born a Crime: Stories F...

Russell, Rachel, and Rachael chat with our first two-time guest, Chrislyn Gardner, about our favorite winter holiday reads past and present. Books we discuss include: “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” by Robert L. May “The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition” by Carol Aebersold and Chanda Bell “The Christmas Tree That Grew” by Phyllis Krasilovsky, Kathy Wi...

Russell, Rachel, and Rachael discuss our December challenge, award winning books, and learn a lot about the fortitude of the human spirit.  Books we discuss include: “James” by Percival Everett (National Book Award for Fiction 2024) “Notes on an Execution” by Danya Kukafka (Edgar Award for Best Novel 2023) “Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption” by Laura Hillenbrand...

Russell, Rachel, and Rachael chat with Charles Perkins, known to us as “Jerry Beardman”. Listen to find out why. Books we discuss include: “The Ministry of Time” by Kaliane Bradley “The Time Machine” by H.G. Wells “Where The Sidewalk Ends” by Shel Silverstein “The Hardy Boys” series by Franklin W. Dixon “Encyclopedia Brown” series by Donald J. Sobol “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen “Where Wolv...

Russell, Rachel, and Rachael discuss our November challenge, books written by an Indigenous author. Books we discuss include: “The Sentence” by Louise Erdrich “Where Wolves Don’t Die” by Anton Treuer “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” by Sherman Alexie “The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fightfight in Heaven” by Sherman Alexie “Heart berries : a memoir” by Terese Marie Mailhot “Crazy brave :...

Colleen Barnes, DPS coordinator for ELA and Media Specialists, joins Russell and the Rach(a)els to discuss her favorite books, DPS reading challenges, and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.  Books we discuss include: Books of Essays, especially: “The Best of Me” by David Sedaris “Wow, No Thank You” by Samantha Irby “Here For It: Or, How To Save Your Soul in America” by Eric Thomas “The Absolute...

Russell, Rachel, and Rachael discuss our October challenge, books with a supernatural (or spooky) element.  Books we discuss include: “My Darling Dreadful Thing” by Johanna van Veen “‘Til Death” by Jason Anspach “Parade: A Collection of Delightfully Odd Stories” by V.R. Christensen “Mile 81” in “The Bazaar of Bad Dreams” by Stephen King “Flight or Fright: 17 Turbulent Tales” edited by Stephen King...