The Books We Loved

Made in Michigan (w/Andrew Collard)

Grab your Faygo pop and your Better Made chips-- today we're talking about all of our favorite Michigan-made-media! 
Our guest today is local author Andrew Collard-- learn more about him and his award-winning collection, Sprawl, here. 

Principals and Picture Books

Shari Pawlus, Principal of Hill Elementary, and Stephan Henning, Assistant Principal at Larson Middle School, join Manda and Olivia to talk about all things picture books. Tune in if you want to discover some beautiful books while learning about what it means to be a school principal. 

Community Theater (w/The Ridgedale Players)

Grab your stage makeup, your character shoes, and your copy of the Scottish Play-- today we're talking about all things community theater with our friends from the Ridgedale Players, Sandra and Scott! Manda and Olivia ask the tough questions-- who picks the shows and how do they choose? Who should audition? What if someone is shy but wants to be involved? Is community theater really a community? Tune in to find out. 
This episode focuses on Escanaba in Da Moonlight by Jeff Daniels, which opens at the Ridgedale Players on September 15. Click here to grab your tickets. 
Happy reading and break a leg! 

Dear Librarians: Don’t Bum Me Out

Manda and Olivia are back with some more recommendations for our listeners! Pull up a chair and take notes, darling listeners-- it's time to add some new titles to your TBR list. 
Click here for a list of books discussed on the show. 
Click here to submit your own listener request. You might hear it in a future episode! 

Hot Reads: Paris Hilton’s Memoir

Grab your low-rise jeans, your sliving gloves, and the nearest chihuahua-- today we're talking about Paris: The Memoir by Paris Hilton! Elizabeth, Manda, and Olivia talk about this fascinating (and often quite dark) autobiography, tackling topics such as the troubled teen industry, media coverage of female pop icons, and what it was like growing up in the early 2000s. 
** Content warning-- Paris: The Memoir deals with many troubling topics, including physical and sexual abuse. While our hosts do not delve into these topics in detail during the show, this episode may not be appropriate for all listeners.**

Paradise Lost (w/Dr. Dipesh Navsaria)

Dr. Dipesh Navsaria--a pediatrician, public health professional, and cohost of the Reach Out and Read podcast-- joins our hosts to revisit Paradise Lost by John Milton. Will Manda and Olivia overcome their prejudice against super old books English teachers made them read long enough to have an interesting discussion? Tune in to find out!
Click here to learn more about the work Dr. Navsaria does to help children and communities flourish! 

Hot Reads: Two Degrees by Alan Gratz

Welcome to the very first Hot Reads episode, where we dive into a book that reflects a timely issue in the culture. This week, we're discussing Two Degrees by Alan Gratz.
Middle Grade readers know that Gratz does not shy away from hot topics-- in this novel, he tackles climate change. 
Click here for a list of books discussed on the show. 

Dear Librarians: No Bodice-Rippers, Please

This week, Manda and Olivia are responding to listener requests! Our hosts will be sharing their favorite reads with their favorite listeners, from ikigai to high fantasy. At the request of one of our readers, no bodices were ripped in the making of this episode. 
 
Click here for a list of books discussed on the show. Happy reading! 
Click here to submit your own listener request. You might hear it in a future episode! 

Twin Peaks (w/Mariel from Youth Services)

Grab your psychic log and a hot cup of diner coffee-- today we're revisiting Twin Peaks with Mariel from Youth Services! 
 
Further Reading
Olivia mentions an article she'd read on the show-- click here to read "The Oldest Story: Toward a Theory of a Dead Girl Show" by Alice Bolin. 
 

Parable of the Sower (w/Jeff from Friends of TPL)

Jeff Marraccini, Chief Information Security Officer at Altair and member of the Friends of the Troy Public Library Board, joins our hosts to revisit Octavia E. Butler's classic sci-fi novel, The Parable of the Sower. Tune in to hear their conversation about climate fiction and Butler's lasting literary legacy. 
 
Click here for Jeff's expert list of science fiction recommendations. 
Click here to learn more about the Friends of the Troy Public Library.