
Advertise on podcast: Booklist's Shelf Care
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114 episodes
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Booklist's Shelf Care PodcastExplicit
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Date created
2019/01/23
Latest episode
2026/09/28
Average duration
50 min.
Release period
52 days
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Where we talk all things readers’ advisory, collection development, reference, and other library-related bookish stuff, from your friends at Booklist. Want more? Is it even possible? Go to www.booklistonline.com/newsletters to discover the magic.
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Check latest episodes from Booklist's Shelf Care podcast
Episode 51: It's Not an Art Project: Book Displays with Lila Denning
2026/09/28
On this episode of Shelf Care: The Podcast, host Susan Maguire chats with librarian Lila Denning about the ins and outs of book displays; Audio Editor Heather Booth talks audiobooks to fall asleep to (really!); and Kelly Ferreira, Senior Editor, Books for Youth, shares a few books they’ve been reading and loving lately.
Here's what we talked about:
Chase’s Calendar of Events
“Unshelve with help from Booklist—Body Horror” blog post
RA for All: Horror
“Unshelving When Inclusive Displays Make People Uncomfortable” blog post
Bruja’s Nest, by Brenda LaTorre
The Mars Room, by Rachel Kushner
Passively Recommending Books (Lila’s blog)
The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas
Game Changers, by Rachel Reid
Heated Rivalry, by Rachel Reid
Tough Guy, by Rachel Reid
The Legend of Korra: Turf Wars, by Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino, illustrated by Irene Koh and Killian Ng
The Legend of Korra: Ruins of the Empire, by Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino, illustrated by Michelle Wong and Killian Ng
Scream with Me: Confronting Social Injustice through Horror (webinar)
When Evil Lingers, by Melissa Blair
Off the Reservation, by Stephen Graham Jones
Yesteryear, by Caro Claire Burke, read by Rebecca Lowman
Episode 50: Looking Back and Looking Ahead with Robert Wedgeworth
2026/07/27
On this 50th episode of Shelf Care: The Podcast, we take a broader look at the field of librarianship with a conversation with former ALA Executive Director Bob Wedegeworth, the first Black person to hold that position, about his memoir, Breaking Barriers: A Librarian’s Story of Changing Times. Then Susan sits down with Booklist’s Editor, Books for Youth and Graphic Novels, Sarah Hunter, about what she’s been reading and loving lately.
Here’s what we talked about:
Breaking Barriers: A Librarian’s Story of Changing Times, by Robert Wedgeworth
The Dissidents: Autocrats! Vigilantes! Communists! And Cartoonists!, by Derf Backderf. Art by the author
Fish and Water, by Gengoroh Tagame. Art by the author. Translated by Anne Ishii
Witch’s Inheritance, by Paige Hender. Art by the author
Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir, by Pedro Martín. Illus. by the author
Mexikid Dreams: A Graphic Memoir, by Pedro Martín. Art by the author
Roller Girl, by Victoria Jamieson. Illus. by the author
The Whole Wide World of Mabel Mulligan, by Victoria Jamieson. Art by the author
This One Summer, by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki. Illus. by Jillian Tamaki
Young Cat, Old Cat, by Jillian Tamaki. Illus. by the author
Rebecca, by Kate Beaton. Illus. by Sydney Smith
Hark! A Vagrant, by Kate Beaton. Illus. by the author
Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands, by Kate Beaton. Illus. by the author.
Have You Ever Seen a Ghost?, by Daniel Kwan and Julia Pott. Illus. by Sean Lewis
Episode 49: Audiobook Listeners Tell All
2026/05/25
On this episode of Shelf Care: The Podcast, we celebrate Audiobook Month a little early with a conversation between host Susan Maguire and three audiobook listeners on the Booklist staff: Annie Bostrom, Maren Flessen, and Abby McCabe. They cover what they like to listen to, how they choose between reading with their eyes and their ears, and the fact that listening to an audiobook is, in fact, reading. And, of course, they talk about a lot of (audio)books.
Here’s what we talked about:
Down the Drain. By Julia Fox. Read by the author.
Wuthering Heights. By Emily Brontë. Read by Alison Larkin and Andrew Wincott.
Blood, Bones, and Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef. By Gabrielle Hamilton. Read by the author.
Lit. By Mary Karr. Read by the author.
GoodReads & StoryGraph
Rodham. By Curtis Sittenfeld. Read by Carrington MacDuffie.
Julia Whelan, audiobook narrator
The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science. By Kate McKinnon. Read by Kate McKinnon and Emily Lynne.
The Devils. By Joe Abercrombie. Read by Steven Pacey.
Forget Me Not. By Stacy Willingham. Read by Karissa Vacker and Helen Laser.
Alchemy of Secrets. By Stephanie Garber. Read by Sutton Foster.
The Body. By Stephen King. Read by Wil Wheaton.
Spellbound: My Life as a Dyslexic Wordsmith. By Phil Hanley. Read by the author.
From Here to the Great Unknown. By Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keogh. Read by Riley Keogh and Julia Roberts.
Revisionist History podcast
The Questlove Show podcast
The Moth podcast
Wait for Me. By Amy Jo Burns. Read by Patti Murin, Mark Sanderlin, and Gail Shalan.
I Told You So! Scientists Who Were Ridiculed, Exiled, and Imprisoned for Being Right. By Matt Kaplan. Read by Sean Pratt.
Morbidly Curious: A Scientist Explains Why We Can’t Look Away. By Coltan Scrivner. Read by the author.
Dungeon Crawler Carl. By Matt Dinniman. Read by Jeff Hays.
Binti. By Nnedi Okorafor. Read by Robin Miles.
Binti Home. By Nnedi Okorafor. Read by Robin Miles.
Binti: The Night Masquerade. By Nnedi Okorafor. Read by Robin Miles.
London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family’s Search for Truth. By Patrick Radden Keefe. Read by the author.
Rogues: True Stories of Grifters, Killers, Rebels and Crooks. By Patrick Radden Keefe. Read by the author.
What I Ate in One Year (and Related Thoughts). By Stanley Tucci. Read by the author.
Episode 48: Summer Scares 2026
2026/03/23
Folks are probably well into planning for summer reading programs, so now is the perfect time to talk about Summer Scares! On this Episode of Shelf Care: The Podcast, host Susan Maguire talks to the folks involved. First, this year’s celebrity spokesperson, author Jennifer McMachon, joins Susan and readers’ advisory and horror expert Becky Spratford to talk about the adult and YA Summer Scares titles, and Jennifer’s journey from misfit girl to capital-H horror writer. Then, Booklist’s Julia Smith talks to Susan about the middle-grade Summer Scares titles. Finally, Susan sits down with HWA Library Committee co-chair Konrad Stump along with New York Public Library’s Allison Nellis and Kate Federiconi to talk about programming and NYPL’s best-of lists.
Here’s what we talked about:
(* indicates a Summer Scares 2026 title)
Readers’ Advisory survey (it’s quick!)
Summer Scares Resource Page (RA for All)
Summer Scares Middle-Grade Panel (March 12)
Summer Scares YA Panel (March 23)
Summer Scares Adult Panel (March 26)
*A Botanical Daughter, by Noah Medlock
*Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology, edited by Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Alst, Jr.
*Maeve Fly, by CJ Leede
iRead Summer Reading 2026: Plant a Seed, Read
*What We Harvest, by Ann Fraistat
*Gorgeous Gruesome Faces, by Linda Cheng
*Our Shadows Have Claws: 15 Latin American Monster Stories, edited by Yamile Saied Méndez and Amparo Ortiz, illustrated by Ricardo López Ortiz
Stay Buried, by Jennifer McMahon (coming August 2026)
“Monster Girl: How Horror Gave Me a Place to Belong,” by Jennifer McMahon, in Why I Love Horror: Essays on Horror Literature, edited by Becky Siegel Spratford
*This Appearing House, by Ally Malinenko
A Monster Calls, by Patrick Ness
*It Came from the Trees, by Ally Russell
*Garlic and the Vampire, by Bree Paulsen, art by the author
The Lion’s Run, by Sarah Pennypacker
Max in the House of Spies, by Adam Gidwitz
Max in the Land of Lies, by Adam Gidwitz
Summer Scares 2026 Programming Guide
NYPL’s Best New Horror for Adults 2025
Dollface, by Lindy Ryan
Headlights, by CJ Leede
Kiss, Slay, Replay, by Rachel Harrison
Japanese Gothic, by Kylie Lee Baker
Abyss, by Nicholas Binge
Thirty-Two Words for Field: Lost Words of the Irish Landscape, by Manchán Magan
Episode 47: Three Conversations about Reading
2026/01/26
On this episode of Shelf Care: The Podcast, host Susan Maguire speaks to Seattle Public Library Reader Services Librarian Misha Stone about nerding out about reading, reading more (or at least reading more intentionally), and the thrill of the backlist (along with Heated Rivalry, of course). Then, Booklist’s Audio Editor Heather Booth drops some brief but powerful insight into what makes an audiobook reader, and what makes them valid readers (because, yes, audiobooks count as reading), and what you can look forward to in Booklist. Finally, Booklist’s Editor-in-Chief and Adult Books Editor Donna Seaman chats with Susan about some forthcoming books all kinds of readers can look forward to.
Here's what we talked about:
To register for Readers’ Advisory: Ideas and Practice, visit booklistonline.com/webinars
Take our brief Readers’ Advisory survey (please and thank you!)
How to Read More in 2025 – Shelf Talk (from Seattle Public Library)
“Read, every day, something no one else is reading. Think, every day, something no one else is thinking.”
― Christopher Morley
Heated Rivalry, by Rachel Reid
Go Set a Watchman, by Harper Lee
Cat Sebastian
Pagebound
GoodReads
The Storygraph
SPL’s Your Next Five Books
Hemlock & Silver, by T. Kingfisher
The Mountains We Call Home, by Kim Michele Richardson
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, by Kim Michele Richardson
“Reading Is a Vice,” by Adam Kirsch, published in The Atlantic on Jan. 2, 2026
Lois McMaster Bujold’s Vorkosigan saga
Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon
The Glorians: Visitations from the Holy Ordinary, by Terry Tempest Williams
The Beginning Comes After the End: Notes on a World of Change, Rebecca Solnit
Men Explain Things to Me, by Rebecca Solnit
Figuring, by Maria Popova
Traversal, by Maria Popova
Isola, by Allegra Goodman
This Is Not about Us, by Allegra Goodman
The Red Convertible: Selected and New Stories, 1978 – 2008, by Louise Erdrich
Python’s Kiss, by Louise Erdrich
Discipline, by Larissa Pham
Pop Song: Adventures in Art and Intimacy, by Larissa Pham
No Way Home, by T. C. Boyle
Five Weeks in the Country, by Francine Prose
Episode 46: Editors' Choice 2025
2025/12/22
It’s bigger than Santa, it’s bigger than the Super Bowl…it’s Editors’ Choice! The full list is a highlight of our December issue, but every winter, Booklist editors gather ‘round the podcast mic and share some of their favorites from the list. Prepare your TBR piles, because we’ve got a little something for every reader.
Here’s what we talked about:
Donna:
The Phoebe Variations, by Jane Hamilton
The Invention of Charlotte Brontë: A New Life, by Graham Watson
Mother Mary Comes to Me, by Arundhati Roy
Song of Ancient Lovers, by Laura Restrepo. Translated By Caro De Robertis
Annie:
Heart the Lover, by Lily King
Turtle Island: Foods and Traditions of the Indigenous Peoples of North America, by Sean Sherman and others
Good Things: Recipes and Rituals to Share with People You Love: A Cookbook, by Samin Nosrat. Illustrated by Aya Brackett
All Consuming: Why We Eat the Way We Eat Now, by Ruby Tandoh
Susan:
The Listeners, by Maggie Stiefvater
The View from Lake Como, by Adriana Trigiani
The Filling Station, by Vanessa Miller
Heather:
Automatic Noodle, by Annalee Newitz. Read by Em Grosland
How to Dodge a Cannonball, by Dennard Dayle. Read by William DeMeritt
Songs for Other People’s Weddings, by David Levithan and Jens Lekman. Read by Jefferson Mays
The Dead of Summer, by Ryan La Sala. Read by Pete Cross and others
Soundtrack, by Jason Reynolds. Read by Nile Bullock and others
Sarah:
The Witch in the Tower, by Júlia Sardà. Illustrated by the author
Loudmouth: Emma Goldman vs. America (a Love Story), by Deborah Heiligman
More Weight: A Salem Story, by Ben Wickey. Art by the author
Angelica and the Bear Prince, by Trung Le Nguyen. Art by the author
Julia:
Bad Badger: A Love Story, by Maryrose Wood. Illustrated by Giulia Ghigini
The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest, by Aubrey Hartman. Illustrated by Marcin Minor
The Dark Times of Nimble Nottingham, by Ryan James Black
Scarlet Morning, by ND Stevenson. Illustrated by the author
Graciela in the Abyss, by Meg Medina. Illustrated by Anna Balbusso and Elena Balbusso
Xolo, by Donna Barba Higuera. Illustrated by Mariana Ruiz Johnson
Ronny:
The Bi Book, by A. J. Irving. Illustrated by Cynthia Alonso
Kelly:
Fable for the End of the World, by Ava Reid
A Fix of Light, by Kel Menton
One of the Boys, by Victoria Zeller
They Bloom at Night, by Trang Thanh Tran
Scarlet Morning, by ND Stevenson. Illustrated by the author
Saint Catherine, by Anna Meyer. Art by the author
Episode 45: Once Upon a Fairy Tale Retelling
2025/11/25
Fairy tale retelling are having a moment, a moment that has extended for, like, millennia, but now the trend feels particularly hot. Host Susan Maguire sat down with librarian and Booklist reviewer Lucy Lockley about what’s behind the fanfare and some titles and authors you should know. Then Audio Editor Heather Booth spoke to an art educator Heather Kostal about how she uses audiobooks in the classroom. Finally, Books for Youth’s Ronny Khuri and I chatted about picture books about poop and other topics. We cover everything!
Here's what we talked about:
Ella Enchanted, by Gail Carson Levine
The Kingdom of Sweets, by Erika Johansen
The Swallowed Man, by Edward Carey
A Sorceress Comes to Call, by T. Kingfisher
Alice, by Christina Henry
Horseman, by Christina Henry
Gods of Jade and Shadow, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Wicked, by Gregory Maguire
Mary McMyne
After the Forest, by Kel Woods
Sistersong, by Lucy Holland
Song of the Huntress, by Lucy Holland
Uprooted, by Naomi Novik
The Summer War, by Naomi Novik
The Witch’s Heart, by Genevieve Gornichec
A Spindle Splintered, by Alix E. Harrow
Thief Liar Lady, by D. L. Soria
Hemlock & Silver, by T. Kingfisher
After Happily Ever: An Epic Novel of Midlife Rebellion, by Jennifer Safrey
Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries, by Heather Fawcett
Crocodile on the Sandbank, by Elizabeth Peters (Ameila Peabody series)
The Maiden and Her Monster, by Maddie Martinez
Cinder House, by Freya Marske
Women of the Fairy Tale Resistance: The Forgotten Founding Mothers of the Fairy Tale and the Stories That They Spun, by Jane Harrington, illustrated by Khoa Le
F*cked Up Fairy Tales: Sinful Cinderellas, Prince Alarmings, and Other Timeless Classics, by Liz Gotauco
The Long Walk to Water, by Linda Sue Park, read by David Baker
The Boxcar Children series
The Invention of Hugo Cabret, by Brian Selznick, read by Jeff Woodman
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, by E. L. Konigsburg
The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins, read by Tatiana Maslany
Murder of a Movie Star, by L. B. Hathaway
Henry Is an Artist, written and illustrated by Justin Worsley
Little Moments in a Big Universe, written and illustrated by Todd Stewart
Max in the Land of Lies, by Adam Gidwitz
Max in the House of Spies, by Adam Gidwitz
Episode 44: A Tale of Two Sara(h)s
2025/09/29
On this episode of Shelf Care: The Podcast, host Susan Maguire sits down with two of our favorite Sara(h)s. First, librarian and Booklister Sara Martínez talks about REFORMA’s National Book Award winner and tips for Spanish-language collection development. Then, Sarah Hunter, Editor, Books for Youth and Graphic Novels, drops some book suggestions perfect for fall reading.
Here's what we talked about:
REFORMA.org
Pura Belpré Award
REFORMA’s 2024 National Book Award (includes longlist and shortlist)
Malas, by Marcela Fuentes
Spanish Sure Bets for Adult Readers: Summer 2025
ALA Free Pass Program
Spanish-language book stores: Liberías Gandhi in Mexico, Casa del Libro in Spain
America Reads Spanish newsletter
Guatemalan Rhapsody, by Jared Lemus
Brother Brontë, by Fernando A. Flores
Starling House, by Alix E. Harrow
By the Fire We Carry: The Generations-Long Fight for Justice on Native Land, by Rebecca Nagle
Loudmouth: Emma Goldman vs. America (a Love Story), by Deborah Heiligman
Angelica and the Bear Prince, by Trung Le Nguyen, art by the author
Cat Nap, by Brian Lies, art by the author
Popo the Xolo, by Paloma Angelina Lopez, illustrated by Abraham Matias
The Witch in the Tower, by Júlia Sardà, illustrated by the author
The Queen in the Cave, by Júlia Sardà, illustrated by the author
More Weight: A Salem Story, by Ben Wickey, art by the author
Episode 43: Live from ALA!
2025/07/28
In this episode of Booklist’s Shelf Care: The Podcast, we’re coming to you live from ALA’s Annual Conference in Philadelphia. Audio Editor Heather Booth chats with three authors who were excited to share insight into their forthcoming books and what libraries mean to them: Victor Piñeiro (The Island of Forgotten Gods, August 2025, Sourcebooks Young Readers), E. Lockhart (We Fell Apart, November 2025, Delacorte), and Kevin Henkes (Is It Spring?, February 2026, Greenwillow).
Here's what we talked about:
Read n Rave list
The Island of Forgotten Gods, by Victor Piñeiro
Time Villains, by Victor Piñeiro
The Land of Oz, by L. Frank Baum
We Fell Apart, by E. Lockhart
We Were Liars, by E. Lockhart
Song of Achilles, by Madeline Miller
They Both Die at the End, by Adam Silvera
Family of Liars, by E. Lockhart
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau Banks, by E. Lockhart
Is It Spring?, written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes
Sun Flower Lion, written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes,
Finding Things, by Kevin Henkes, illustrated by Laura Dronzek
Waiting, written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes
Chrysanthemum, written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes
Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse, written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes
Garth Williams
American Picture Books from Noah’s Ark to the Beast Within, by Barbara Bader
Episode 42: Why I Love Horror
2025/05/23
Episode 42 Show Notes
In this episode of Booklist’s Shelf Care: The Podcast, host Susan Maguire talks to librarian and horror expert Becky Spratford about the forthcoming collection of essays she edited, Why I Love Horror, what Mary Shelley might think about the current trend of monster romance, and, of course, why she loves horror. Then Booklist’s Audio Editor Heather Booth presents an epic rant against AI-narrated audiobooks, and Susan and Booklist Senior Editor, Adult Books Annie Bostrom chat about two water-related books they’re loving.
Here's what we talked about:
Becky’s early “Why I Love Horror,” featuring Booklist folks
The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Horror, by Becky Siegel Spratford
Danse Macabre, by Stephen King
Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley
“The Lottery,” by Shirley Jackson
Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, by Seth Grahame-Smith
The Hunger, by Alma Katsu
Buffalo Hunter Hunter, by Stephen Graham Jones
James, by Percival Everett
Horror for Weenies, by Emily Hughes
Circulating Ideas podcast, hosted by Steve Thomas
LibraryReads Hall of Fame
Where the Sidewalk Ends, by Shel Silverstein
The Grip of It, by Jac Jemc
Horror Makes Us Happy podcast with Becky Spratford
The Bewitching, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Mexican Gothic, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Cynthia Pelayo
101 Horror Books to Read Before You're Murdered, Sadie Hartmnn
Paperbacks from Hell, by Grady Hendrix
A Plate of Hope: The Inspiring Story of Chef José Andrés and World Central Kitchen, by Erin Frankel and Paola Escobar. Read by Luis Carlos de la Lombana. (Odyssey Award Winner, 2025)
How the Boogeyman Became a Poet, by Tony Keith Jr. Read by the author. (Odyssey Award Winner, 2025)
The Secret History of the Rape Kit: A True Crime Story, by Pagan Kennedy. Read by Claire Danes
The Mysterious Benedict Society, by Trenton Lee Stewart. Read by Del Roy
Listening Still, by Anne Griffin. Read by Nicola Coughlan
A Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck, by Sophie Elmhirst
Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster, by Jon Krakauer
The Love Fix, by Jill Shalvis
The Listeners, by Maggie Stiefvater
Episode 41: Summer Scares 2025
2025/03/21
It’s time for Summer Scares, and the popular horror-reading program is in fine form again. Shelf Care host Susan Maguire spoke to librarian Becky Spratford, author Kendare Blake, and Booklist’s Julia Smith about this year’s selections for adult, teen, and middle-grade readers; transgressive horror; and Hellmouth Pokémon, as you do. She also spoke to Jocelyn Codner and Carina Stopenski, both of the Horror Writers Association’s Library Advisory Council, about the Summer Scares program guide, why libraries should serve horror readers, and what they’re reading and loving.
Here’s what we talked about:
Summer Scares Resource Page
Find Him Where You Left Him Dead, by Kristen Simmons
iRead Summer 2025: Level Up at Your Library
The Getaway, by Lamar Giles
Devils unto Dust, by Emma Berquist
Reprieve, by James Han Mattson
Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke and Other Misfortunes, by Eric LaRocca
The Luminous Dead, by Caitlin Starling
Summer Scares webinars: for Adult, YA, and Middle Grade
All These Bodies, by Kendare Blake
In Every Generation, by Kendare Blake
Summer Scares Program Guide
HWA Young Adults Write Now scholarship
(or email [email protected])
Stoker Con 2025 Librarians’ Day
Stag Dance, by Torrey Peters
Detransition, Baby, by Torrey Peters
It Came from the Trees, by Ally Russell
Hide and Seeker, by Daka Hermon
Ravenous Things, by Derrick Chow
Eerie Tales from the School of Screams, by Graham Annable, art by the author
Skunk and Badger, by Amy Timberlake, illustrated by Jon Klassen
The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest, by Aubrey Hartman, illustrated by Macin Minor
Bad Badger: A Love Story, by Maryrose Wood, illustrated by Giulia Ghigini
Reluctant Witch, by Melissa Marr
Episode 40: It’s Not New (But It Sucks): Dealing with Book Bans from the Frontlines
2025/01/23
On this episode of Shelf Care: The Podcast, host Susan Maguire talks to Katie Clausen, a Chicagoland children’s librarian, about what it’s like to be on the front lines of a book banning, who offers some tips and suggested language for dealing with a challenge. Then, on a lighter note, Susan talks to Audio Editor Heather Booth about what she’s been reading (and listening to) and loving lately.
Here's what we talked about:
Interview with Kelly Jensen in Episode 22
Foundations of Intellectual Freedom, by Emily Knox
Kate Messner’s Letter to Parents
The Secret History of the Rape Kit: A True Crime Story, by Pagan Kennedy. Read by Claire Danes.
The Use of Photography, by Annie Ernaux and Marc Marie. Translated by Alison L. Strayer. Read by Tavia Gilbert.
The Suite Spot, by Trish Doller. Read by Sarah Naughton.
Birding with Benefits, by Sarah T. Dubb. Read by Mia Hutchinson-Shaw and Evan Sibley.
How Does That Make You Feel, Magda Eklund? by Anna Montague. Read by Cynthia Nixon.
Nightbitch, by Rache Yoder.
The Payback, by Kashana Cauley.
The Survivalists, by Kashana Cauley.
Other helpful resources for dealing with contentious book challenges:
The Let Them Theory: A Life-Changing Tool That Millions of People Can't Stop Talking About, by Mel Robbins (A useful book for work and personal development, especially for helping to take book challenges less personally.)
Quick Tips & Language When Someone Wants to Challenge Materials
Handling Book Challenges
Episode 39: Editors' Choice 2024
2024/12/03
It’s that time of the year again, when the Booklist editors gather ‘round the proverbial fire and share some of their favorite reads of the year. Covering everything from our Top of the List titles to personal faves, this episode has a little something for every reader. Here’s what we talked about:
Donna:
We Loved It All: A Memory of Life. By Lydia Millet. (Adult Nonfiction Top of the List)
The Morningside. By Téa Obreht.
Martyr! By Kaveh Akbar.
My Black Country: A Journey through Country Music’s Black Past, Present, and Future. By Alice Randall.
The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth. By Zoë Schlanger.
Annie:
Wandering Stars. By Tommy Orange. (Adult Fiction Top of the List)
Donna Seaman interviews Tommy Orange for One Book, One Chicago
All Fours. By Miranda July.
Susan:
The Wedding People. By Alison Espach.
One of Us Knows. By Alyssa Cole.
The Cottage around the Corner. By D. L. Soria.
Sarah:
A Greater Goal: The Epic Battle for Equal Pay in Women’s Soccer—and Beyond. By Elizabeth Rusch. (Youth Nonfiction Top of the List)
Dispatches from Parts Unknown. By Bryan Bliss.
Ash’s Cabin. By Jen Wang. Art by the author. (Youth Graphic Novel Top of the List)
Feeding Ghosts: A Graphic Memoir. By Tessa Hulls. Art by the author. (Adult Graphic Novel Top of the List)
The Puerto Rican War: A Graphic History. By John Vasquez Mejias. Art by the author.
The Jellyfish. By Boum. Art by the author.
Julia:
The House on Yeet Street. By Preston Norton. (Middle Grade Top of the List)
Bye Forever, I Guess. By Jodi Meadows.
Ronny:
That Always Happens Sometimes. By Kiley Frank. Illustrated by K-Fai Steele. (Picture Book Top of the List).
The Yellow Bus. Written and illustrated by Loren Long.
Kelly:
Ariel Crashes a Train, by Olivia A. Cole. (YA Top of the List)
The Dark We Know, by Wen-yi Lee.
Compound Fracture, by Andrew Joseph White.
My Throat an Open Grave, by Tori Bovalino.
Heather:
Birding with Benefits. By Sarah T. Dubb. Read by Mia Hutchinson-Shaw and Evan Sibley.
The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years. By Shubnum Khan. Read by Soneela Nankani.
Know Your Newlywed. By Heather Taylor, Hillary Nussbaum, and Elena Armas. Read by Tyler Posey, Mary Mouser, and a full cast.
Stars in Your Eyes. By Kacen Callender. Read by André Santana and others.
Nothing: John Cage and 4’33”. By Nicholas Day and Chris Rashka. Read by Fred Berman.
Onyx & Beyond. By Amber McBride. Read by André Santana.
Gender Queer. By Maia Kobabe. Read by Maia Kobabe and a full cast.
Tree. Table. Book. By Lois Lowry. Read by Hope Newhouse.
And
Anita de Monte Laughs Last. By Xochitl Gonzalez. Read by Jessica Pimentel and others. (Adult Audio Top of the List)
Better Must Come. By Desmond Hall. Read by Jaime Lincoln Smith. (Youth Audio Top of the List)
Episode 38: With a Little Help from Our Friends
2024/11/21
On this episode of Shelf Care: The Podcast, host Susan Maguire talks to two of her Friends, the co-chairs of the annual book sale at her local branch library. They talk about being picky about donations, pricing, layout, and the treasures they found at the sale. Then, Susan chats with new Books for Youth Associate Editor Kelly Ferreira about what they’ve been reading and loving lately.
Here’s what we talked about:
85 Days: The Last Campaign of Robert Kennedy, by Jules Witcover
Lessons in Chemistry, by Bonnie Garmus
Janesville: An American Story, by Amy Goldstein
The Big House: A Century in the Life of an American Summer House, by George Howe Colt
A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II, by Sonia Purnell, read by Juliet Stevenson
Central Park West, by James Comey
A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership, by James Comey
Eddie Winston Is Looking for Love, by Marianne Cronin
Are You My Mother? by Dr. Seuss
Dragon Rider, by Cornelia Funke
P. C. Cast
Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer
Casey McQuiston
Bigfoot’s Big Heart, by Sarah Glenn Marsh, illustrated by Ishaa Lobo
Compound Fracture, by Andrew Joseph White
Ariel Crashes a Train, by Olivia A. Cole
The Deep Dark, by Molly Knox Ostertag, art by the author
The Sweetness between Us, by Sarah Winifred Searle, art by the author
The Shelf Care Interview: Carole Boston Weatherford
2024/10/08
Welcome to another installment of the Shelf Care interview, an occasional podcast series in which Booklist editors talk to book people. This Shelf Care interview is sponsored by Lerner Publishing Group.
In this episode of Shelf Care Interview, Sarah Hunter talked to Carole Boston Weatherford about her forthcoming picture book, The Doll Test: Choosing Equality, which will be out in November. You can listen to this interview here.
Carole Boston Weatherford is the author of numerous award-winning books. Her picture book BOX: Henry Brown Mails Himself to Freedom, illustrated by Michele Wood, received a Newbery honor. Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre, illustrated by the late Floyd Cooper was a National Book Award long-list title, won the Coretta Scott King Award for author and illustrator, and received a Caldecott honor and a Sibert honor. When she's not traveling or visiting museums, Carole is mining the past for family stories, dating traditions, and forgotten struggles.
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bookfriendfern 2019/10/26
Shelf care-I am hooked
I recommend this series to all book lovers for fun and insightful discussion! It is equally excellent for those readers just looking for suggestions f...
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