Are You There, God? It's Me, Podcast.

Salutations, dear listeners! Here we talk about the Giving Tree-length of web one brave barn spider will spin in order to save her best friend, a Terrific, Radiant, AND Humble pig named Wilbur. It's Some Podcast, indeed, and it's all about the magnificent Charlotte's Web (1952), by E.B. White.  We laugh, we cry, we recap Moira's recent trip out west to see a certain magician famous in the 1980s... come join us! Next time: Tuck Everlasting (1975), by Natalie Babbitt.@AYTGpodcast!!!

We've said it before and we'll say it again: Anastasia Krupnik is an absolute GEM of a character. Unfortunately, her new employer, Mrs. Bellingham, is less-than gemmy herself. We console ourselves with discussions of baby Sam Krupnik, and we revisit that extra alarming feeling when a potential kindred spirit turns out to be the hottest! and Most! Volatile! Of adolescent MESSES!Come for the book recap, stay for the fangirling over magician David Copperfield! We're glad to have you here! Next time: the immortal classic Charlotte's Web (1952), by E.B. White.@aytgpodcast!

Guys, we missed you SO MUCH. In fact, we are so excited to be talking with you (and each other) again that we took an inordinate number of Culture Breaks while we were recording. Topics for discussion: The Amazing Kreskin, Derry Girls, Ted Lasso, the merits of the Cricut vs other worthy hobbies, and the Beatles documentary.But don't worry! We still talk about Judy Blume's epic sequel to Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Superfudge (1980), where evil Fudge Hatcher learns that words can hurt just as much as physical destruction. See: Ratface. Please like, subscribe, and share! Happy New Year, and Happy Second Season! In two weeks: Anastasia At Your Service, by Lois Lowry. See you soon!

It's a super special episode for us, folks, as we engage in a multi-media discussion of Erin's favorite children's series of all, all time: The Baby Sitter's Club. We read the fourth book, Mary Anne Saves the Day (1987), and then watched the thoroughly modernized adaptation available on Netflix now. And we loved ALLLLLLL of it. Ann M. Martin rules over a strong and powerful empire, and although we are beyond baby sitting age ourselves, we remain devoted followers. In three weeks: Superfudge, by Judy Blume. Happy Holidays, y'all! 

Happy holidays, friends! Thanksgiving (and other things) got in the way of our regular release schedule last week. We hope this recap of From the Mixed Up Files of Basil E. Frankweiler (1967) will help us make it up to you. Look out, though: this is another one where we get all sappy. Can you blame us? E.L. Konigsberg wrote a Newbery Medal-winner, here!Other topics of discussion: dressing appropriately and comfortably for the Thanksgiving feast, Sonny Bono's career-high appearance on The Love Boat, and totally unnecessary lab coats. Next time: The Baby-Sitters Club #4: Mary Anne Saves the Day (1987), by Ann M. Martin. 

Friends, Daniel Handler (the true author of the book we're reading this week - Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book One: A Bad Beginning [1999]) tells a GRIM story. However, the way he tells it is so amusing and comforting that we can't help but love it. We hope you will, too.Other conversation topics: pasta puttanesca (simply delicious with or without anchovies), the 1990 movie Reversal of Fortune, and getting dressed up for imaginary weddings to Captain Georg Von Trapp. Next time: From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (1967), by E.L. Konigsburg.Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share! 

Happy Halloween, dear listeners! We're so thrilled to present our recap of one of the best spooky kids books of all time, Bunnicula (1979), by James and Deborah Howe. You've gotta love a story introduced by "the editor," a la Jane Eyre. Join us and our Special Guest Star Joselle Shea as we reminisce about Halloweens past and question the sanity of ALL of the pet decisions made by the "Monroe" family.Next: the seasons are changing, the leaves are falling off the trees, the sun is setting earlier... things are looking bleak! What better time than now to revisit the first in A Series of Unfortunate Events? We are reading The Bad Beginning (1999), by Lemony Snicket! See you soon!

Y'all, episode 17 is SO GOOD. We have a third person joining us for the first time on the pod, and we're doing Bunnicula, so it's going to be on for the ages. Unfortunately, it's taking us a little bit more time than usual to polish, so can we suggest? Our Episode 5, on Christopher Pike? It's called Remember Me? Spooky in only the way that a 1980s teen novel can be.See you tomorrow with Bunnicula. 

It's Spooky Season, everyone! Celebrate in style with our latest episode, where we recap Erin's all-time favorite book, Wait Till Helen Comes (1986). It's written by Mary Downing Hahn, our future spooky grandma. Are you aware of any spooky abandoned churches coming on the real estate market shortly? Erin is looking, you know. Bonus points for old graveyards being present on-site. Double bonus points if there are lots of things there with names that start with the letter H. Please like, subscribe, and tell your friends! Next time: Bunnicula (1979), by Deborah and James Howe. 

Whelp, we've found it. The book that encapsulates just about everything that was really rough about the 1980s, from fat-shaming, to absentee (yet still living in the house) fathers, to hitchhikings gone horribly wrong. It's Nothing's Fair in Fifth Grade (1981), and let's face it - in the world we enter in this book, the unfairness clearly extends beyond just one year of elementary school. Trigger warnings for people who have struggled with body image, disordered eating, and bullying. Come for the afterschool special that is meant for kids MUCH older than you, stay for the light "Billions" spoilers and discussions of Matt vs. Ben. If you didn't see "The Voyage of the Mimi" when you were a kid, you missed out on GREATNESS.Next time: our spooky season arrives with Wait Till Helen Comes (1986), by Mary Downing Hahn.Please like, subscribe, and tell your friends! See you soon!!!

Welcome to episode 14, where we tell yet another shameful round of secrets in the service of this week's book, Sixth Grade Secrets (1987), by Louis Sachar. When your elementary school teacher writes a whole musical about how you need to relax a little bit, perhaps something is wrong...? We're just guessing here.Here is what the original book cover for this epic tale of cultish cliques, trucker hats and OMG BOYYYYYYSSSSS looked like. This book was intense!!! Continuing our "back to school" reading list, come back in two weeks for Nothing's Fair in Fifth Grade, by Barthe DeClements. Please like and subscribe! You can find us on Twitter at @aytgpodcast, and our email address is aytgpodcast@gmail.com. Peace out - and keep as far away from mustard as possible!

Welcome to Episode 13, where we track down an out-of-print book from Moira's childhood... and then figure out WHY it's gone out-of-print. With Fifth Grade Secrets (1985), by Janet Adele Bloss, we introduce the implausibility scale (this one's a factor 10) and then discuss how easy it is for our protagonist to basically start a cult through..... health food?Other topics for discussion: CleanTok and the confession of our own embarrassing fifth grade secrets. Come join us! TW: While this book steers clear of body image and weight issues, there is a lot (A LOT) of stuff about food. If you have struggled with disordered eating, you may wish to skip this one.In two weeks: SIXTH Grade Secrets, by Louis Sachar. See you then!

Welcome to Episode 12, where our obsession with pre-"Pretty Woman" Richard Gere sets off a series of crazy culture breaks. It's all in the name of discussing Judy Blume's epic tale of middle school friendship, Just As Long As We're Together (1987). I mean, which poster of a middle-aged man would YOU tack on YOUR ceiling? Like what you hear? Please rate, subscribe, and tell a friend! Find us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (@AYTGpodcast), and send your reading suggestions to aytgpodcast@gmail.com.In two weeks: We FINALLY get to the bottom of the milk and mustard mystery with Fifth Grade Secrets, an out-of-print doozy by Janet Adele Bloss. See you then!! 

If you were going through a zombie apocalypse, which fictional character would you want by your side? That's the question we attack before turning to this week's inordinately freaky book, Freaky Friday (1972), by Mary Rodgers. If there's one thing this book makes ABSOLUTELY clear, it's that there is a time and a place for wearing a full face of evening makeup and a velvet pantsuit. Unfortunately, our main character - the worst teenager in the whole world - has no idea when or where that time and place might be. Thanks for listening! Please like and subscribe! Reach us on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter (@aytgpodcast). We are also at aytgpodcast@gmail.com. In two weeks: Just As Long As We're Together, by the incomparable Judy Blume.

Dear Miss Manners:I have fallen in love with a girl who is not my girlfriend. I was very conflicted about this, but once I held her in my arms, I knew that she was the one for me. However, the power of my feelings may or may not have caused me to go and crash my airplane with my girlfriend in it. My arms ache for my true love, but my girlfriend isn't walking now, and no amount of cry-screaming into her neck is helping her feel better. What should I do?Yours truly,George WarrenSweet Valley, CaliforniaPlease respond to: aytgpodcast@gmail.comPS: This book (Sweet Valley High #20: Crash Landing!, by Francine Pascal [1985]) talks about women's eating and weight in a way that is double-plus-not okay. Consequently, your podcasters are giving this episode a trigger warning. PPS: Other topics for discussion: The Book It! campaign, My Favorite Murder podcasts (especially the minisodes), the Even the Rich podcast, and Double Love for all things Sweet Valley High. We love a podcast with a strong female team!Please like and subscribe! Next week: Freaky Friday (1972), by Mary Rodgers.

Guys, Beezus & Ramona (1955), by Beverly Cleary, is a NATIONAL TREASURE. However, if you're feeling a little cynical, reading this book might raise some questions you had never considered before. Questions like... What would you do if 15 preschoolers (and one baby) just showed up, unannounced, at your door? Why is baking a cake so hard for Mrs. Quimby? And when did the public library stop demanding to know the occupations of all of its card-carriers' fathers? It really does make you stop and think.Enjoy what you're hearing? Please like and subscribe! Follow us on Twitter (@aytgpodcast) and shoot us your emails (aytgpodcast@gmail.com)! Tell your friends! You'll be glad you did.Next time: Crash Landing (Sweet Valley High #20), by Francine Pascal. Ooooh, get ready.

Did you guys know that Gertrude Chandler Warner wrote The Boxcar Children in 1925.... and then wrote it all over again in 1942? We didn't, either. At least, not until we got together to record this podcast. Hilarious hijinks ensue between your two awesome lady podcasters! By golly, they do!If you're enjoying the pod, please like and subscribe! Tell your friends!!! Next time: Beezus and Ramona, by Beverly Cleary. See you then!

Here it is: the first book in this podcast where the main character is NOT in danger of suffering significant physical or mental anguish! It's Anastasia Krupnik (1979), by Lois Lowry.  It's a delightful book, but don't worry - we still find plenty of things to joke about. Namely: baby names, bullet journals, and the fascinating story of one VERY minor character named Robert Giannini. Oh, Robert. How we wish we could get to know you better.Please like and subscribe! Contact us on Twitter (@aytgpodcast) or Gmail (aytgpodcast@gmail.com)! Tell a friend all about how awesome we are! Next time: The Boxcar Children, by Gertrude Chandler Warner. 

In which we mourn the passing of Beverly Cleary, and suggest something alcoholic one might drink in her honor. We also discuss the (multiple failed) efforts of our husbands to get us to watch "Breaking Bad." Long story short: we're sure it's a great show, but we are NOT. DOING. IT.'The focus of this episode is Roald Dahl's George's Marvelous Medicine (1981), a very short and very magical book. Next time? Anastasia Krupnik, by Lois Lowry. See you then!Follow us on Twitter @aytgpodcastQuestions / comments / suggestions? aytgpodcast@gmail.com

Boy, Remember Me (1989) is a young adult DOOZY. So much of a doozy, in fact, that we have a cast of characters. In our dream cast:Shari (the protagonist) is played by Jennifer Lawrence.Jimmy (her brother) is played by "Say Anything"-era John Cusack.Amanda (her brother's girlfriend) is played by "Poison Ivy"-era Drew Barrymore.Jo (her best friend) is played by "Breakfast Club" era Ally SheedyDan (her boyfriend) is played by 1980s-era Rob Lowe.You'll thank us later. Please like and subscribe, and PLEASE send us your book suggestions at aytgpodcast@gmail.com. We'd love to hear from you!Next week: "George's Marvelous Medicine," by Roald Dahl. See you soon! 

Welcome to Episode 4, in which we learn all about Moira's general fear and paranoia about being caught while eavesdropping thanks to Harriet the Spy (1964). Will you hold it against us when we confess that both of us actually thought we were reading a different book than this one? Oh, well.If you haven't read the book, we strongly suggest that you look up Ms. Fitzhugh's illustration of Ole Golly and take a look at a picture of F. Murray Abraham, or Mick Jagger, or former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.Thanks for listening! Drop us a line at aytgpodcast@gmail.com, like and subscribe to us on your favorite podcast feed, AND follow us on Twitter! @aytgpodcast.Next week: Remember Me, by Christopher Pike.

We are discussing The Great Brain (1967), written by John D. Fitzgerald. TW (and, I guess, spoiler alert?): this book contains religious bigotry and incredibly disrespectful behavior toward Native Americans. Furthermore, a child attempts to commit suicide in the final chapter. We're gonna be frank with you, listeners: if you haven't read this book before, you might want to skip the episode. We'd understand.Buy the book on Amazon, borrow it from your local library on Overdrive, or read the book summary on Wikipedia. Background information: Do you miss watching "Little House on the Prairie?" We do, too. You can catch it on Amazon Prime or on Peacock! You're welcome. You can also learn more about Erin's REAL favorite podcast at http://babysittersclubclub.com/. Our next book will be Harriet the Spy, by Louise Fitzhugh!

We are discussing Ramona the Brave (1975), written by the late, great Beverly Cleary. Buy the book on Amazon, borrow it from your local library on Overdrive, or read the book summary on Wikipedia. For further discussion: Care to read the novelization of "License to Drive?" What about "E.T.?"Did you know that teachers are heroes? Sam Seaborn does. Maybe Mrs. Griggs is having a bad day? 

Welcome, listeners, to our very first episode! We are discussing Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing (1972), written by the incomparable Judy Blume.Buy the book on Amazon, borrow it from your local library on Overdrive, or read the book summary on Wikipedia. Background information - read all about that fascinating, family-friendly TV show, Mad Men, or learn all about those sticky green stamps that Fudge inflicts on the Juicy-O suitcase in Chapter 2.Thanks for listening! Drop us a line at aytgpodcast@gmail.com with any questions, comments, suggestions, or concerns!Next episode: Ramona the Brave!