ShelfLogic: Recent Episodes
Maricopa County Library District
The shelves of MCLD come to life! Join librarians each week to connect with books, music and apps available at your library. Find your next favorite read, discover a new album, or connect with your community.
Join Dannelle, Jen, and Jennifer as they discuss new and popular titles that fall under the "Young Adult" popular genre that you should check out on your next library visit! Titles discussed: "The Grace Year" by Kim Liggett, "This is My America" by Kim Johnson, "A Court of Thorns and Roses" by Sarah J. Maas, "Lakelore" by Anna-Marie McLemore, and Agnes at the End of the World by Kelly McWilliams.
Join Nicolas and Jen as they talk about some great Sci-Fi titles—old and new! We cover “The Three Body Problem” by Liu Cixin, “Ender’s Game” by Orson Scott Card, and “Starship Troopers” by Robert A. Heinlein. The Three Body Problem will soon be a television show, so make sure to read the book first!
Eco-Fiction is a type of fiction that focuses on stories that are heavily linked to earth and climate. Join Jen and Jennifer as they discuss a few titles that you should check out for this Earth Month! Titles discussed: "Overstory" by Richard Powers, "New York 2140" by Kim Stanley Robinson, "War Girls" by Tochi Onyebuchi, "Parable of the Sower" by Octavia E. Butler, and "The Bear" by Andrew Krivak.
Movies and Television are such a huge part of our popular culture that it’s no wonder that the world of Comics and Graphic Novels have their share of Tie-Ins. Join Caroline and Tim as they discuss a few of these titles. In particular they’ll discuss “Blade Runner 2019 vol. 1 & 2”, “Dune: House of Atredies vol. 1 &2”, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer vol. 1 & 2”, and “Star Wars: Doctor Aphra vol. 1 & 2”
What fictional universe has the best food? Jeff and Karen cook up dishes from the worlds of Harry Potter, Star Wars and D&D using the library's cookbook collection to decide which universe has the tastiest foods. Tune in to hear what you should be eating for dinner tonight!
Tune in to the ShelfLogic podcast to hear Caroline & Jen discuss #BookTok, hype books, and their feelings on books that go viral!
Worlds collide as Archie battles the Predator and Rainbow Dash races the Autobot Windblade. Join Jeff, Glen, and Tim as discuss the craziest comic book crossovers available on Hoopla on in our physical collection including Batman Vs Ninja Turtles, Archie Vs Predator, Transformers Vs My Little Pony, and Robocop Vs Terminator.
March is National Nutrition Month! Join Alyssa and Scott as they talk about their favorite cookbooks and recipes. This episode is sure to be delicious! "The Full Plate" by Ayesha Curry, "The Cookie Book" by Rebecca Firth, "Bangkok" by Leela Punyaratabandhu, "101 Cocktails to Try Before You Die" by François Monti, "The Unofficial Disney Parks Cookbook" by Ashley Craft, "The Curry Guy: Recreate 100 of the Best Indian Restaurant Recipes at Home" by Dan Toombs
Join Mikel and Jennifer as they trade book recommendations. Mikel presents four math themed books in honor of Pi Day while Jennifer counters with four titles on everyone’s favorite tasty treat: Pie.
Join Jane and Jen as they discuss some recent reads on the topic of brain fog. Titles discussed: "The Brain Fog Fix" by Mike Dow, "Spiritual Practice for Crazy Times" by Philip Goldberg, "Keep Sharp: Build a Better Brain at Any Age" by Sanjay Gupta, and "Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life" by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles.
LGBTQ+ manga deal with all the various issues that plague the community, but from the perspective of Japanese culture. For us and our definition these manga had to truly delve into these issues in at least a semi-realistic way, not ignore them completely or focus purely on the romance aspect. We feel those manga fall into slightly different categories. Join Glen, Tim, and Melanie as we discuss four popular LGBTQ+ Manga: Even Though We’re Adults, My Brother’s Husband, Our Dreams at Dusk, and Boys Run the Riot.
Join us as we cover 5 new mystery titles from Black authors! Titles discussed: "Dead Dead Girls" by Nevesa Afia, "The Other Black Girl" by Zakiya Dalila Harris, "Heaven, My Home" by Attica Locke, "While Justice Sleeps" by Stacey Abrams, and "When No One is Watching" by Alyssa Cole.
Valentine's Day is here! Tune in to this episode as Caroline, Jill, and Jen discuss diverse romance novels. Titles discussed: "I Wish You All the Best" by Mason Deaver, "Full Disclosure" by Camryn Garrett, "A Duke by Default" by Alyssa Cole, "Written in the Stars" by Alexandria Bellefleur.
Join librarian Shelley and author Libby Copeland as they delve into the topic of Copeland's new book "The Lost Family: How DNA Testing is Upending Who We Are."
Video games are one of the most popular mediums for story telling in the world. Sometimes though the game worlds are not enough and so the story is expanded with comics and graphic novels. Join Glen, Jeff, and Tim as they look at four examples of this available through Hoopla: Injustice, Dragon Age, Sonic the Hedgehog, and The Last of Us: American Dream.
Science Fiction films have a history almost as long as film itself. Join Tim and Caroline as they explore four films of the genre available on Hoopla! The films are Metropolis, The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Quiet Earth, and Soldier.
Join Librarian Laura with panelists Byron Aspaas, Naomi Bishop, and Vina Begay as they talk about how books and movies misrepresent Native Americans, how to spot cultural misappropriation, and what advice they have for how writers can correctly and respectfully portray Indigenous cultures in books. Original airdate 7/26/21.
Shounen manga (Japanese graphic novels) is roughly defined as manga targeted at young men ages 12-18, but the genre is enjoyed far outside that specific demographic and is one of the bestselling genres in Japan. Shounen manga focus on high octane plots in almost any setting – fantasy, sci-fi, martial arts, etc. – with elements of humor and friendship/teamwork heavily present. Tune in this week to listen to us drill down in detail on a few of our favorite series: Haikyuu!!, Black Clover, and One Punch Man. We’ll discuss what makes them special in the shounen genre, what we loved and did not love, and how their anime adaptations turned out. And of course we have a whole list of honorable mentions to get through! Original airdate 12/4/2020.
Join Alyssa and Corban from the True Crime section of Ed Robson Library. Titles discussed: “I’ll Be Gone In the Dark” by Michelle McNamara, “Killers of the Flower Moon” by David Grann, “Adnan’s Story” by Rabia Chaudry, “Ripper” by Patricia Cornwell, “Man on the Train” by Bill James, “The Third Rainbow Girl” by Emma Copley Eisenber, and “Home Sweet Murder” & “Murder Interrupted” by James Patterson. Original airdate 11/9/2020.
Children’s Manga, or Kodomo-muke, are Japanese graphic novels targeted at children roughly from the age of learning to read up to and including tweens. Teen manga and up are then further broken down by gender. Children’s manga are often distinguished by simpler stories and art, but many of the titles we discuss can be enjoyed by a wider variety of ages. We will focus on Chi’s Sweet Home, Yotsuba&!, and Little Witch Academia. We will also give a brief over of three other titles: The Legend of Zelda, Splatoon, and Fluffy Fluffy Cinnamoroll.
Meet the bestselling author of the new fantasy hit: Ink and Sigil! Kevin is also the author of the wildly popular Iron Druid Chronicles, the 7 Kennings series, and co-author of the Tales of Pell!
Pokémon is Japanese media franchise created in 1995. Follow along as Mikel and Lesilee give their answers to the Ultimate Pokémon Survey. Place some Poké-holds and then take this Poké-quiz with us. What answers will you give?
Everybody knows Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Edison, and Betsy Ross, but do you know Ada Lovelace, the first computer programmer? On this episode, we will be discussing artists Yayoi Kusama and Andy Warhol.
ShelfLogic selects one of our great video presentations to bring you a new audio experience! Join librarian Laura as she discusses the need for diversity in speculative fiction and gives book recommendations for diverse characters in love & gender, race & ethnicity, and disability & neurodiversity.
Meet celebrated author Olivia Dade! Known as an "undeniable nerd" and book lover, Olivia has translated her passions into several series that are fun while featuring body positivity and healthy relationship role models. Join librarians Shelley and Ashley as we meet Olivia to learn more about her newest book, as well as talk about fandoms, representation in the romance genre, connecting communities across virtual platforms, and the ancient art of thatchery! Meet the Author: Olivia Dade!
Science Fiction films have a history almost as long as film itself. Join Tim and Caroline as they explore four films of the genre available on Kanopy! The films are The Lost World, Dark City, The Postman, and Prospect.
Jen and Jennifer talk about six great new titles from Indigenous authors. Titles discussed: "An American Sunrise" by Joy Harjo, "Winter Counts" by David Heska Wanbli Weiden, "Firekeeper's Daughter" by Angeline Boulley, "The Case of the Missing Auntie" by Michael Hutchinson, "The Seed Keeper" by Diane Wilson, and "A History of Kindness" by Linda Hogan.
Dungeons & Dragons is the hugely influential table top role playing game known the world over. This means its influence stretches beyond the table top and into media, such as comics. Join Tim, Glen, and Jeff as they discuss three directly produced Dungeons & Dragons graphic novels and one inspirationally tied graphic novel. The titles to be discussed are: Forgotten Realms Classics Vol. 1 by Jeff Grub and Rags Morales, Dungeons & Dragons: Fell’s Five by John Rogers and Andrea Di Vito, Legends of Baldur’s Gate by Jim Zub and Max Dunbar, and Die Vol. 1 Fantasy Heartbreaker by Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans.
Join Jere and Jen as they review some of the spookiest spoken stories that Hoopla has to offer! They will review radio versions of some favorite Twilight Zone episodes as well as a live-performance radio drama. Titles discussed: "To Serve Man" Twilight Zone Radio Drama, "The Midnight Sun" Twilight Zone Radio Drama, "The Odyssey Of Flight 33" Twilight Zone Radio Drama, and "The Grimm of Stottesden Hall" from The Wireless Theatre Company.
Inspired by Fowlerville Public Library’s Tik Tok, Jen and Caroline will read each other one star reviews from Goodreads and guess the books being described! Listen along for a good laugh!
It is the episode you have all been waiting for… Corban finally gets to discuss the works of JD Robb during this very special episode of Shelf Logic. Alyssa discusses the works of Nora Roberts in celebration of Nora’s 71st birthday on October 10th!
Kristin and Rob discuss banned books we have read -focusing on Mikhail Bulgakov's classic The Master and Margarita. Listen for read-alike titles too. Bonus topic: A history of Banned Books Week in the US and why it’s important.
Sample some of the most in-demand titles by listening to a quick summary or analysis available on Hoopla! Jane, Jillian, and Jen discuss the insights from recorded summaries on: "Deep Work" by Cal Newport, "Thank You for Being Late" by Thomas L. Friedman, "Victoria: The Queen" by Julia Baird, and "The Gifts of Imperfection" by Brené Brown.
Josei is a genre written with the target audience of roughly 18+ women. It’s similar to Seinen manga, which is targeted at men 18+. Like Seinen, Josei can focus on anything from a wider genre list but does tend to more realistic and romantic stories. For this podcast we will focus on Princess Jellyfish, Descending Stories, and Wotakoi: Love is Hard for An Otaku.
This week, Caroline and Jen review two of BookTok's most suggested reads! The titles discussed are "The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue" by V. E. Schwab and "The Song of Achilles" by Madeline Miller--both are available immediately on the Hoopla app with your library card.
“One might say that the true subject of the horror genre is the struggle for recognition of all that our civilization represses and oppresses.” -Film Critic Robin Wood The enduring works of the genre ingrained in our pop cultural consciousness not only reflect their era, but challenge their audiences’ viewpoints. In this episode of Check This Out Kristin and Rob discuss diversity in the horror genre, putting it into historical context from Mary Shelley to Jordan Peele, including: Margaret Atwood - The Handmaid's Tale, Victor LaValle :The Ballad of Black Tom, The Changeling, The Devil in Silver, Big Machine, Ahmed Saadawi (Iraq) - “Frankenstein in Baghdad”, New Suns: Original Speculative Fiction by People of Color - Shawl, Nisi (ed.) (2019), Ira Levin (Rosemary’s Baby), The Weird: A Compendium of Strange and Dark Stories - VanderMeer, Ann and Jeff (eds.), and more.
Star Trek has had a place in the global vision of Science Fiction since the 1960’s. In three separate podcasts, Tim and Caroline will focus on Star Trek in different mediums. Today they will discuss Star Trek in books, graphic novels, audiobooks, and documentaries. Specifically they will break down high points, how Star Trek handles a Utopian vision of the future, and Star Trek’s social commentary.
Join Kelly and Roxie as they discuss Rodgers and Hammerstein and Irving Berlin. They will talk about their favorite musicals such as Jersey Boys, Hamilton, Beautiful: the Carole King Musical and White Christmas.
Join Caroline, Alex, and Jen as they discuss some recent books they love as well as books that have made an impact on them. Titles discussed: Beetle and the Hollowbones by Aliza Layne, Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport, Cinder by Marissa Meyer, The Martian by Andy Weir, Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid, Holes by Louis Sachar, Small Steps by Louis Sachar, We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver, and Sabriel by Garth Nix.
Can you believe we have done 50 episodes of Shelf Logic? Neither can we! Join Alyssa and Corban as they reminisce on the past few months and their favorite podcasting moments.
Join Librarian Laura with panelists Byron Aspaas, Naomi Bishop, and Vina Begay as they talk about how books and movies misrepresent Native Americans, how to spot cultural misappropriation, and what advice they have for how writers can correctly and respectfully portray Indigenous cultures in books.
Star Trek has had a place in the global vision of Science Fiction since the 1960’s. In three separate podcasts, Tim and Caroline will focus on Star Trek in different mediums. Today they will discuss Star Trek in Film. Specifically they will break down high points, how Star Trek handles a Utopian vision of the future, and Star Trek’s social commentary.
Join Caroline, Nicolas and Travis for round 2 of discussing incredibly popular film franchises as they pick their favorite (and not so favorite) movies from the Star Wars Skywalker Saga. Movies discussed are: Episode I: The Phantom Menace; Episode II: Attack of the Clones; Episode III: Revenge of the Sith; Episode IV: A New Hope; Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back; Episode VI: Return of the Jedi; Episode VII: The Force Awakens; Episode VIII: The Last Jedi; Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker; Rogue One; and Solo.
Join Caroline and Travis for Part 2 of their PopSugar Reading Challenge discussion as they check in midway through their journey to see how they are progressing. Some of the books discussed: Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett; Saga series by Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples; The Desegregation of Public Libraries in the Jim Crow South: Civil Rights and Local Activism by Shirley A. Wiegand and Wayne A. Wiegand; The Blade Itself, Before They Are Hanged and Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie; To Drink Coffee with a Ghost by Amanda Lovelace; Flamer by Mike Curato; Whatever It Takes: Life Lessons from Degrassi and Elsewhere in the World of Music and Television by Stephen Stohn; Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman; Disney After Dark by Ridley Pearson; Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates.
Everybody knows Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Edison, and Betsy Ross, but do you know Ada Lovelace, the first computer programmer? On this episode, we will be discussing Billie Jean King, American tennis player and Alan Turing, British mathematician and logician.
Star Trek has had a place in the global vision of Science Fiction since the 1960’s. In three separate podcasts, Tim and Caroline will focus on Star Trek in different mediums. Today they will discuss Star Trek in Television. Specifically they will break down series high points, how Star Trek handles a Utopian vision of the future, and Star Trek’s social commentary.
Join Laura and Jen as they discuss a few titles that are awesome to check out, especially during Pride! Titles to checkout: “Gideon the Ninth” by Tamsyn Muir, “The Murderbot Diaries” by Martha Wells, “Last Night at the Telegraph Club” by Malinda Lo, “Trans Like Me: Conversations for All of Us” by CN Lester, “Pet” by Akwaeke Emezi, “The House in the Cerulean Sea” and others by TJ Klune, “Conventionally Yours” and others by Annabeth Albert.
Join Alyssa and Corban as they dive in to the details on the Summer Reading Program and share some of their favorite memories. Listen to the whole episode to learn a secret code that you can enter for points at Maricopacountyreads.org!
Join Lindsey and Kimberly in a discussion of our favorite series from Masterpiece Theater. Featuring Victoria and Poldark, and highlighting a few others from their large collection. Get a preview of the story and hear about our favorite characters and aspects of the show.
Shoujo is a genre written with a target audience of young women from, roughly, the ages of 7-18. It’s similar to Shonen manga, which is targeted at young men 7-18, but tends to highlight a bit more romance. Shoujo can focus on sci-fi, fantasy, sports, comedy, or anything from a wider genre list. For this podcast we will focus on Yona of the Dawn, Rose of Versailles, and Sailor Moon.
Join Lesilee and Mikel as they discuss three recent short story collections by three authors under the age of 40. The collections discussed are “What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky” by Lesley Nneka Arimah, “What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours” by Helen Oyeyemi and “Orange World and Other Stories” by Karen Russell.
Happy Mother's Day! Join Jennifer and Jillian as they discuss some titles that feature awesome mothers or mother figures. Titles discussed: Mom Code by Carole Stivers, Where Did You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple, The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See, Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, That Kind of Mother by Rumaan Alam, Are You My Mother?: A Comic Drama by Alison Bechdel, The Bright Side of Disaster by Katherine Center, Confessions of a Domestic Failure by Bunmi Laditan, & The Overdue Life of Amy Byler by Kelly Harms.
Tim helps Caroline get caught up on some classic Marvel Superheroes. They discuss Amazing Spider-Man By Nick Spencer Vol. 1: Back To Basics, Amazing Spider-Man By Nick Spencer Vol. 2: Friends And Foes, Amazing Spider-Man By Nick Spencer Vol. 3: Lifetime Achievement, Captain America Vol. 1: Winter In America, and Captain America Vol. 2: Captain Of Nothing and, Ms. Marvel By Saladin Ahmed Vol. 1: Destined, and Ms. Marvel By Saladin Ahmed Vol. 2: Stormranger all of which are available on Hoopla!
Eco-Fiction is a type of fiction that focuses on stories that are heavily linked to earth and climate. Join Jen and Jennifer as they discuss a few titles that you should check out for this Earth Month! Titles discussed: "Overstory" by Richard Powers, "New York 2140" by Kim Stanley Robinson, "War Girls" by Tochi Onyebuchi, "Parable of the Sower" by Octavia E. Butler, and "The Bear" by Andrew Krivak.
Do you ever see Classic booklists? What makes a book a classic? Different individuals and organizations have different ideas about classic books, but at Southeast Regional Library in Gilbert we have our very own great classic shelf! Listen to the podcast to get ideas about what you think a classic book or author is and make sure to put the titles we discuss on hold! Titles discussed: "Go Tell it on the Mountain" by James Baldwin, "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison, "Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe, and "A Single Man" by Christopher Isherwood.
Join Caroline and Travis as they sort through all the amazing content on Hoopla to find some of the best graphic novels for kids, teens and adults. Graphic novels discussed: El Deafo by Cece Bell; Over the Garden Wall series; Invincible by Robert Kirkman; New Kid by Jerry Craft; Saga by Brian K. Vaughan; Paper Girls by Brian K. Vaughan; Y: The Last Man by Brian K. Vaughan; Sheets by Brenna Thummler; Delicates by Brenna Thummler; March series by John Lewis; Harleen by Stjepan Šejić; Invisible Emmie by Terri Libenson; Teen Titans: Raven by Kami Garcia; Teen Titans: Beast Boy by Kami Garcia; A Quick & Easy Guide to They/Them Pronouns by Archie Bongiovanni; A Quick & Easy Guide to Queer & Trans Identities by Mady G.; Everyone's a Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too by Jomny Sun; Sandman series by Neil Gaiman; Kent State: Four Dead in Ohio by Derf Backderf; My Friend Dahmer by Derf Backderf; Preacher series by Garth Ennis.
Join Caroline, Nicolas and Travis as they pick their favorite movie from each phase of the massively popular Marvel Cinematic Universe, an interconnected series of movies and television shows based on the Marvel comics. Movies discussed are: Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger; The Avengers; Iron Man 3; Thor: The Dark World; Captain America: The Winter Soldier; Guardians of the Galaxy; Avengers: Age of Ultron; Ant-Man; Captain America: Civil War; Doctor Strange; Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2; Spider-Man: Homecoming; Thor: Ragnarok; Black Panther; Avengers: Infinity War; Ant-Man and the Wasp; Captain Marvel; Avengers: Endgame; and Spider-Man: Far From Home. All these movies are available for checkout at your MCLD library!
Join Nicolas and Jen as they talk about some great Sci-Fi titles—old and new! We cover “The Three Body Problem” by Liu Cixin, “Ender’s Game” by Orson Scott Card, and “Starship Troopers” by Robert A. Heinlein. The Three Body Problem will soon be a television show, so make sure to read the book first!
Join Corban and Alyssa as they discuss romantic books to prove that love is in the air. Books include a variety of J.D. Robb, Meet Me in Monaco by Hazel Gaynor, The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang, and The Hating Game by Sally Thorne.
Tim helps Caroline get caught up on some classic DC Superheroes. They discuss Action Comics #1000: Man of Steel, Action Comics: Invisible Mafia, The Flash: The Rebirth Delux Edition Book 1, Green Lantern Vol. 1: Intergalactic Lawman, The Green Lantern Vol. 2: The Day The Stars Fell--all of which are available on Hoopla!
Everybody knows Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Edison, and Betsy Ross, but do you know Ada Lovelace, the first computer programmer? On this episode, we will be discussing Temple Grandin, American scientist and Hedy Lamarr, American actress and inventor.
Join Lindsey and Mikel as they discuss two Hallmark properties: “When Calls the Heart” staring Erin Krakow and “The Aurora Teagarden Mysteries” staring Candace Cameron Bure. When Calls the Heart, inspired by Janette Oke's book of the same name from her Canadian West series, debuted in 2014 and is currently on its 8th season. The Aurora Teagarden Mysteries are a creation of author Charlaine Harris and encompasses 11 books and 14 television movies.
Join Alyssa and Corban as they dive into their favorite psychological mystery novels. Books discussed are: “A Simple Favor” by Darcey Bell, “I Know Who You Are” by Alice Feeney, “The Death of Mrs. Westaway” by Ruth Ware, “One by One” by Ruth Ware, “They All Fall Down” by Rachel Howzell Hall, “The Black Jersey” by Jorge Zepeda Patterson.
In this episode of Shelf Logic, make sure to have your library card at the ready! You’ll want to put all these titles on hold: “Sure, I'll Be Your Black Friend: Notes from the Other Side of the Fist Bump” by Ben Philippe, “How to Catch a Queen” by Alyssa Cole, “Black Buck” by Mateo Askaripour, “Milk, Blood, Heat” by Dantiel W. Moniz, “The Prophets” by Robert Jones Jr., “I am the Rage” by Martina McGowan, “Concrete Rose” by Angie Thomas, and “The Gilded Ones” by Namina Forna.
Everybody knows Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Edison, and Betsy Ross, but do you know Ada Lovelace, the first computer programmer? On this episode, we will be discussing Katherine Johnson and Shirley Chisholm.
Seinen is a genre written with a target audience of men roughly from the ages of 18-45. While there certainly can be some crossover with its younger counterpart shounen, seinen manga tend to deal with more adult themes or more prominently feature adult main characters as opposed to teenagers. Seinen, much like shounen, can focus on being sci-fi, fantasy, sports, comedy, or anything from a wider genre list. For this podcast we will focus on "Vinland Saga", "Parasyte", and "The Way of the House Husband".
Join Caroline and Travis as they begin their 2021 PopSugar Reading Challenge journey. Part 1 of this 3 part mini-series will discuss the 2021 PopSugar Reading Challenge, how you can join the challenge and some of their book choices to get you started. Part 2 will air midway through the year as Caroline and Travis tackle the challenge and Part 3 will air at the end of the year to see how they did with the challenge. Some of the books discussed: “Les Misérables” by Victor Hugo; “Lonesome Dove” by Larry McMurtry; “The Turn of the Key” by Ruth Ware; “Holes” by Louis Sachar; “Common Sense” by Thomas Paine; “We Need to Talk About Kevin” by Lional Shriver; “Slay” by Brittney Morris; “Over the Garden Wall: Benevolent Sisters of Charity” by Sam Johns; “The Library at Mount Char” by Scott Hawkins; “Ninth House” by Leigh Bardugo; “A Man Called Ove” by Fredrik Backman; and many more.
Join Caroline, Jere and Travis as they discuss Disney soundtrack music and try to choose just 10 of their favorite Disney songs. Spoiler alert: They (mostly) chose completely different songs. Movies to check out: "Hercules" (1997), "Alladin" (2019), "Princess and the Frog" (2009), "Mulan" (1998), "Mulan" (2020), "The Nightmare Before Christmas" (1993), "Frozen" (2010), "Frozen II" (2019), "Big Hero 6" (2014), "Moana" (2016), "Zootopia" (2016), "Tangled" (2010), "Coco" (2017), "The Little Mermaid" (1989). Music to check out: "Disney Villains: Simply Sinister Songs" (on Hoopla and CD), "Disney Classics" (on Hoopla), "Disney: Timeless Classics" (on CD).
Explore four books written by authors who promote the view that superstition, religion and irrationalism should be countered, criticized, and exposed by rational argument wherever their influence arises. Books discussed include: “The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason” by Sam Harris (2004); “Infidel: My Life” by Ayaan Hirsi Ali (2006); “The God Delusion” by Richard Dawkins (2006); “God Is not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything” by Christopher Hitchens (2007).
If you enjoy sci-fi listen in as Tim and Caroline discuss episodes from lesser known sci-fi television shows available from the library collection. The shows discussed are “The Adventures of Brisco County Jr.”, “Timeless”, and “Babylon 5”.
Juvenile Fiction isn't just for kids! Join Caroline and Travis as they discuss some of their favorite juvenile fiction, perfect for kids and adults. Books discussed are: "Appleblossum the Possum" by Holly Goldberg Sloan; "The Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkein; "Other Words For Home" by Jasmine Warga; "Ikenga" by Nnedi Okorafor; "Applesauce Weather" by Helen Frost; "The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane" by Kate DiCamillo; "The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary" by Laura Shovan; "Winnie-the-Pooh" by A. A. Milne; "Dear America: The Diary of Margaret Ann Brady- Voyage on the Great Titanic" by Ellen Emerson White; "The Westing Game" by Ellen Raskin; "Doll Bones" by Holly Black; "Scary Stories for Young Foxes" by Christian McKay Heidicker; "Duke" by Kirby Larson; and "Book Uncle and Me" by Uma Krishnaswami.
Join Nicolas and Travis as they discuss the science fiction books "Ready Player One" and the new "Ready Player Two" by Ernest Cline. We will also discuss the popular film "Ready Player One" directed by Steven Spielberg. Make sure to place your library request for these titles today!
Shounen manga (Japanese graphic novels) is roughly defined as manga targeted at young men ages 12-18, but the genre is enjoyed far outside that specific demographic and is one of the bestselling genres in Japan. Shounen manga focus on high octane plots in almost any setting – fantasy, sci-fi, martial arts, etc. – with elements of humor and friendship/teamwork heavily present. Tune in this week to listen to us drill down in detail on a few of our favorite series: Haikyuu!!, Black Clover, and One Punch Man. We’ll discuss what makes them special in the shounen genre, what we loved and did not love, and how their anime adaptations turned out. And of course we have a whole list of honorable mentions to get through!
Join Travis and Nicolas as they venture through some of their favorite action movies that you’ll find while channel-surfing. Make sure to add them to your library list! Movies discussed: “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom” (2018), “Twister” (1996), “Geostorm” (2017), “Olympus Has Fallen” (2013), “London Has fallen” (2016), “Angel Has Fallen” (2019), “Cold Pursuit” (2019), “The Commuter” (2018), “The Big Lebowski” (1998).
Join Tim and Caroline as they discuss British Mystery Television on Hoopla. From Cozy Mysteries, to something more comedic, to police procedurals, there’s a multitude of mysteries available on Hoopla. The shows discussed are Father Brown, Inspector Lynley, and Death In Paradise.
November is Native American Heritage Month! Join Jen and Jillian as they discuss and promote titles that are written by Native writers. Titles discussed: "Moon of the Crusted Snow" by Waubgeshig Rice, "The Only Good Indians" by Stephen Graham Jones, and "Postcolonial Love Poem" by Natalie Diaz.
Caroline and Jen each review one of their recent intriguing reads—but they follow it up with sharing titles from their ever-growing “To-Read’ pile. Make sure to place these titles on hold! Books discussed: “The Black God’s Drums” by P. Djèlí Clark, “The Office: The Untold Story of the Greatest Sitcom of the 2000s” by Andy Greene, “Stories from Suffragette City,” “Horrorstör” by Grady Hendrix, “Mexican Gothic” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and “The Reading Cure: How Books Restored My Appetite” by Laura Freeman.
Join Alyssa and Corban from the True Crime section of Ed Robson Library. Titles discussed: “I’ll Be Gone In the Dark” by Michelle McNamara, “Killers of the Flower Moon” by David Grann, “Adnan’s Story” by Rabia Chaudry, “Ripper” by Patricia Cornwell, “Man on the Train” by Bill James, “The Third Rainbow Girl” by Emma Copley Eisenber, and “Home Sweet Murder” & “Murder Interrupted” by James Patterson.
Jennifer and Jen from Southeast Regional Library discuss many titles, both fiction and non-fiction, that will make you feel less alone during times of anxiety. Whether its poetry, funny stories, or self-help books that can empower you to feel better—you’ll learn about some great titles to pick up during your next library visit. Books discussed: “Love Poems for Anxious People” by John Kenney, “My Friend Fear: Finding Magic in the Unknown” by Meera Lee Patel, “Separation Anxiety” by Laura Zigman, “Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Healthy Life” by Hector Garcia, “How Not to Be a Hot Mess: A Survival Guide for Modern Life” by Craig Hase, “Alphabreaths: The ABC’s of Mindful Breathing” by Christopher Willard, “Meditate with Me: A Step-by-Step Mindfulness Journey” by Mariam Gates.
Jen and Nicolas look at how the science fiction genre can give us a different perspective on our own realty. They will be discussing the following books: Providence by Max Barry, Martian by Andy Weir, Interstellar movie, Waking Gods (The Themis Files) by Sylvain Neuvel, Zone Science Fiction, Roadside Picnic by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky, The Book of Strange New Things Michel Faber, Tales From the Loop by Simon Stålenhag, The Electric State by Simon Stålenhag.
Join Lindsey and Mikel as they discuss some of the finest westerns ever written. From the heavy literary themes of Blood Meridian to the kinship in Lonesome Dove westerns can appeal to all readers. They will be discussing the following books: Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy, True Grit by Charles Portis, Lonesome Dove Larry McMurtry
Corban and Alyssa discuss the following books: Such a Good Age by Kiley Reid, JD Robb series, Lying in Wait by Liz Nugent, Finding Freedom by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, Midnight Man by Meg Gardiner, We Don’t Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T Higgins, The Ruins by Scott Smith, Rising Strong by Brené Brown, Quackery by Lydia Kang, Only Plane in the Sky by Garrett Graff
Jen and Jennifer discuss four diverse books that tell the stories of women finding their strength in community, family, tradition and more. They discuss: “Upright Women Wanted” by Sarah Gailey, “Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows” by Balli Kaur Jaswal, “Eat Up: Food, Appetite and Eating What You Want” by Ruby Tandoh and “Untamed” by Glennon Doyle
In this episode, Nicolas and Travis discuss some of their favorite horror books to get you ready for Halloween. From short stories to series here are some of the books that they discuss are: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark Alvin Schwartz, IT by Stephen King, Parasite by Mira Grant, The Lottery by Shirley Jackson, I Am Legend by Richard Matheson, Midnight in Chernobyl by Adam Higginbotham, Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, Invisible Man by HG Wells and Edgar Allen Poe.
Corban and Alyssa discuss some of their favorite comics that have moved to the screen. From the good, the bad and the ugly comics are all over the screen. We are going to give you some of our insights from popular shows and movies from Marvel, CW, DC and more.
Comics and their stories have become an everyday part of today’s media. Join Librarians Alyssa and Corban for a special LibraryCon episode as they take us on a tour of some of their favorite comics and graphic novels. Not only will you be inspired to pick up a comic book from your library, but you’ll also learn about checking out e-comics to read on your device! Make sure to check out our other LibraryCon virtual programs. Here are some of the titles they discuss: DC, Marvel, The Boys, Watchman, Sabrina the Teenage Witch
Nicolas and Travis discuss some of their favorite classics, authors and the history of writing. They theorize over the debate of what makes a classic. They discuss the following books and authors: The Count of Monte Cristo by Andrea Duema, As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien, Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes, Edgar Allen Poe
Do you want to branch out in your book choices but don't know where to start? Join Caroline and Jen from the library as they review some of their most recent diverse reads. We dive into three titles that are written by authors from diverse backgrounds whose stories will encourage you to grow and learn through the experiences of others. You will be inspired to pick up these titles and follow along! There There By Tommy Orange, Long Way Down By Jason Reynolds, You Can't Touch My Hair: And Other Things I Still Have to Explain By Phoebe Robinson
Are you looking for your next favorite book? Tune in to the ShelfLogic podcast to hear librarians from Maricopa County Library District banter about books, movies, music and more! We’ll share what we’re reading, recommend some fantastic titles, and give you insight into what librarians really think about what’s in the library. While our tastes might not always be logical, our shelves are. We can’t wait to share our favorite reads with you!