Growing Up Bookish

This week we take on a "heartwarming tale about the Great Depression" called Ida Early Comes Over the Mountain. The cover calls it a "Mountain Mary Poppins" but is that REALLY how it is?

Psychics, romance, bad boys, an evil plan... this series has it all! We take on another of LJ Smith's famous paranormal romance trilogies: Dark Visions!

It's Halloween at last! We're ending this spooky month with a movie centered around the wizarding school that started it all - The Worst Witch! This was a favorite childhood movie for both of us and started our life long crush of Tim Curry. Did YOU watch this movie?

What child of the 80s didn't have the crap scared out of them with this movie? But is it as scary as we remember? And what the heck actually happened at the end anyways? This week, we dive into this 1980 Disney classic film: The Watcher in the Woods!

It's Halloween and we're taking on the classic Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. This book is iconic! Everyone we knew was reading it in the 90s and we all have fond memories of it scaring the pants off of us. Are the stories as scary as we remember?

It's Halloween and we've returned to the world of Sweet Valley Twins with one of the Super Chillers! The Carnival Ghost was Allison's favorite of the Super Chillers, but will Emma like it as much as she liked Magic Christmas?

Emma has chosen this classic from Roald Dahl for this week's discussion! As the sequel, how does it stand up to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, the story we know and love?

This week we take on the spooky world of Phantom Valley - specifically the 4th entry in the series: Stranger in the Mirror! There's time travel, bloody axes, pioneer life, spooky mirrors, and twin swapping hi-jinks. This book has it all!

Another entry in the Magic Shoppe series, this one stars a young boy who is unwittingly tasked with the raising of a dragon! Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher, was far less exciting than the other Bruce Coville book we read, but it is NOT short on the feels.

Another camp book? MORE HORSES?! Somehow we always end up here! And did you know there were Punky Brewster books? We both watched this show as kids, but how does the book hold up?

It's the final part of our deep analysis of The Neverending Story by Micheal Ende! Did you make it all the way through? Do you agree with our theories of the greater message behind Bastian's journey of self-discovery?

Part 3 is here! Now we start venturing into unfamiliar territory as this half of the book is not covered by the original movie we all know and love. Now we join Bastian on his own adventure inside The Neverending Story. Does he end up the hero he's always dreamed to be? Does he make Fantastica into a wonderful new world?

In Part 2 of our Neverending Story deep dive, we finish the first half of the book, which is where the first movie ends. We discuss a lot of the differences between the movie and book and go into our theories on what the deeper meaning of this story is. When Bastian happens upon an old book called The Neverending Story, he's swept into the magical world of Fantastica--so much that he finds he has actually become a character in the story! And when he realizes that this mysteriously enchanted world is in great danger, he also discovers that he is the one chosen to save it. Can Bastian overcome the barrier between reality and his imagination in order to save Fantastica?

In this month-long extravaganza, Allison and Emma dive into The Neverending Story, which is Allison's favorite book of all time. Does her perceptions change as an adult?How does Emma like it? Join us on this deep dive of the book that gave the children of the 80s so much joy (and sorrow... Artaaaax!) When Bastian happens upon an old book called The Neverending Story, he's swept into the magical world of Fantastica--so much that he finds he has actually become a character in the story! And when he realizes that this mysteriously enchanted world is in great danger, he also discovers that he is the one chosen to save it. Can Bastian overcome the barrier between reality and his imagination in order to save Fantastica?

Can Allison and Emma solve the mysteries in this 1990s Encyclopedia Brown Book? Is a kid detective smarter than a couple of grown adults? Probably.

Drama, 5th grade angst, bust developers???? This week, Emma and Allison head back to 5th grade to experience the irrational feelings of Jana Morgan who just HATES Taffy Sinclair... for some reason.... In Betsy Haynes first novel in the Taffy Sinclair series, The Against Taffy Sinclair Club.

During Collette Murphy's first trip to camp, she finds some fun and lots of trouble when the meanest girl there declares war on her. Emma has chosen a delightful summer camp book that is full of cute boys, bullies, and diary drama!

The Finale of our re-read of Virtual Mode by Piers Anthony. Allison's verdict is that it hold up.... but with some very big caveats. Famed fantasy author Piers Anthony tells us a tale of romance, danger, adventure, and intrigue as two lovers travel through a myriad of alternate realities where anything is possible.

Famed fantasy author Piers Anthony tells us a tale of romance, danger, adventure, and intrigue as two lovers travel through a myriad of alternate realities where anything is possible. This episode is a long one because we delve into some serious topics that we have not yet covered before on this podcast. Allison remembers loving this book as a teen, but how does this strange and controversial fantasy novel hold up to our adult eyes?

This week, we take on a summer reading classic and Newbery Award winning book - Blue Willow by Doris Gates. This book is quite different from the books we've read so far on the podcast. It's a historical fiction account of the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. Emma remembers reading this in school, but does how does she feel about it as an adult?

William is off on a fantastic quest to another land and another time—where a fiery dragon and an evil wizard are waiting to do battle. We read Castle in the Attic by Elizabeth Winthrop!

Happy Valentines Day.... AGAIN! Allison and Emma finish the RL Stine Super Chiller Broken Hearts and give their thoughts on the ending.

Happy Valentine's Day! We are tackling RL Stine's Broken Hearts, which is a Fear Street Super Chiller. There’s someone out there, someone who kills on Valentine’s Day. Josie and Melissa are scared—especially when they receive threatening valentines. Then the murders begin. Who is sending these horrible valentines to the girls of Shadyside High? And who will be the next to die?

Wait Till Helen Comes is a ghost story about a lonely girl who befriends a ghost - but this ghost has dangerous plans! Allison and Emma have a LOT to say about this book... but it doesn't have a lot to do with the ghost.

Emma chooses this lovely magical book for this week's podcast episode: Jennifer Murdley's Toad! It's part of a fantasy series called The Magic Shop which includes Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher and The Monster's Ring.

Part Two - the FINALE of Remember Me by Christopher Pike! WHO killed Shari? Was it really one of her friends? Remember Me by Christopher Pike is the story of Shari, a girl who is now a ghost and determined to find out who murdered her.

Remember Me by Christopher Pike is the story of Shari, a girl who is now a ghost and determined to find out who murdered her. Allison chooses a book from one of her favorite authors, Christopher Pike! When thinking of which book to choose, Allison decided that Remember Me stood out to her as a favorite. So let's hope she chose well, since this is Emma's first time ever experiencing a Christopher Pike book.

This week on the podcast, Emma has chosen one of her childhood favorites: Runaway Ralph by Beverly Cleary! Ralph is a talking mouse who is also feeling kind of rebellious. So he decides to run away! What kind of adventures will this little mouse get in to?

The finale of our re-reading of this nostalgic Sweet Valley Twins book - The Magic Christmas! Unlike most Sweet Valley books, this one has a strong fantasy theme. How do Jessica and Elizabeth fare in a fantasy world?

We read Allison's favorite Sweet Valley book: The Magic Christmas! Unlike most Sweet Valley books, this one has a strong fantasy theme. How do Jessica and Elizabeth fare in a fantasy world?

Emma chooses one of her favorite childhood books about magic and fairies: The Fairy Rebel! Does it live up to our childish memories?

Allison and Emma finish the thrilling young adult occult romance novel The Forbidden Game: The Hunter by LJ Smith. Does Jenny choose Julian or Tom? Does she manage to escape with her friends? Will there be ritualistic sacrifice?! Time to find out!

Allison & Emma reread one of Allison's favorite books from her emo pre-teen years: The Forbidden Game by LJ Smith. It's a fantasy thriller about a girl trapped in another world by a handsome yet dangerous otherworldy man. Does this book hold up to Allison's 8th grade dreams? Find out now! Danger, adventure, and romance awaits!