Welcome back to the Book Squad Podcast! In this episode, Polli and Adam discuss all of their favorite reads of 2023. Spoiler alert: we read a TON of good books this year, and plan on reading some excellent ones in 2024, too. Thanks for listening to our truly unhinged podcast. We'll see you in the new year. Happy reading!…

Welcome back to the Book Squad Podcast! We have a special guest joining us; our very own Spooky Queen, Christina! In this episode we'll talk about Halloween traditions, figure out whether Christina is Team Jacob or Team Edward, and hear all about Adam's weird pumpkin experiments. Spooky Season might be over, but our love for vampires is eternal.…

Welcome back to the Book Squad Podcast! In this episode, we'll be talking all about the hot topic of banned books. How much have instances of books being banned increased over the years? What type of books do you typically find on Banned Books list? How can you make a difference by challenging these bans? You'll get answers to all that and more, in…

Welcome back to the Book Squad Podcast! It's been a couple minutes since we've last recorded an episode, and we're back with a bloody good one! In this episode we'll discuss some rumors featuring Taylor Swift, share all the details about our annual Booktoberfest extravaganza, and give some takes on Dracula that are just as spicy as paprika. And as …

Welcome back to the Book Squad Podcast! This time around we're talking all things Summer Reading, including all of the cool prizes. (Spoiler alert: WE HAVE TOTEBAGS). We'll also be giving recommendations for a few of our favorite audiobooks, to help you reach your summer reading goals. Listen to this episode to hear which audiobook narrator Polli t…

Welcome back to the Book Squad Podcast! This month we're giving recommendations for Jewish American Heritage Month, but they're perfect picks for any time of the year. In this episode you'll find magical realism books, fairytales, messy coming-of-age stories, spicy romance, and more! There's something for everyone in this episode. Happy reading!…

In this episode, we talk about what first made us interested in becoming librarians and then we talk about books, some more books, and oh yeah, books! Listen to hear some of Polli and Adam's favorite books about books, and feel free to suggest synonyms for "sweet", "fascinating", and "lovely" in the comments.…

Welcome back to the Book Squad Podcast! In today's episode we're touching grass. Listen to hear Polli expound on her dreams of visiting Maine, Adam complain about bugs, and for our special guest Shirley to talk about an exciting nature-related event happening later this month. Happy reading!Lawrence Public Library

Welcome back to the Book Squad Podcast! In this episode Adam and Polli talk about the books they're reading this month and what the book clubs have been up to lately. Stick around for a special guest and to hear more about the annual Squad Goals challenge. What's the first book you're planning to read this year?…

Welcome back to the Book Squad Podcast! We've reached the end of 2022 and it's finally time to talk about our favorite books of the year. From rom coms to, er, womp womps, we've got a ton of recommendations! Give the episode a listen to hear all the ~spicy~ opinions of your local bookish "experts". Happy holidays, and happy reading!…

Welcome back to the Book Squad Podcast! Grab your hot beverage of choice and settle in for a discussion of all things cozy. What feels comforting during the changing of the season? For Polli it's cookbooks (but maybe not cooking) and for Adam it's stories that fell like the emotional equivalent of wearing an old sweater. Listen to this month's podc…

Welcome back to the Book Squad Podcast! It's finally autumn: the season of crunchy leaves, cozy sweaters, pumpkin spice lattes, and scary the crap outta yourself while watching a scary movie. What drives people to watch and read horror stories? Join Book Squad members Polli Kenn, Adam Lopez and special guest Christina James as they talk about the p…

Welcome back to the Book Squad Podcast! In this episode we're give you all the insider information you need to celebrate Booktoberfest. Join Polli, Adam, and our special guest Leah to hear them ramble about Practical Magic, Welsh soccer, and Chris Pine being a dang snack. Be sure to register for all of the Booktoberfest events so you can show off y…

Welcome back to the Book Squad Podcast! August is Read A Romance Month and in this episode Polli and Adam get on their soapbox and rant respectfully educate our listeners on all things Romance. Listen to hear all of Polli's spiciest takes, to hear Adam lament the loss of this past season of Love Island, and to discover why you, yes you, should be r…

This month is a delicious hors d'oeuvres of an episode, in which our intrepid librarians must bravely face their most challenging topic yet: keeping their chit chat to under thirty minutes. Will they succeed?! You'll have to listen to find out! In this episode you'll find little to no rambling, some discussions on our must-read books, and a Thor re…

Wanting AAPI book recommendations, with a generous side helping of chaos from the rag tag team you've come to know and love? Well, you're listening to the right podcast! Join our co-hosts as Polli and Adam (formerly Kimberly) talk a lot about a whole lotta books. Grab a snack and a cuppa, folks, this one's a long episode!For show notes, visit this …

Welcome back to the Book Squad Podcast! Today's episode features a special guest to give you all the scoop on Read Across Lawrence. Listen to the end to hear all about it. You'll also get book recs for times of stress, and you'll get to listen to Kimberly finally master upspeak and Polli give a basic United States history lesson. It's John Wilkes B…

Polli Kenn and Kimberly Lopez are back at it (again) for more shenanigans (again), and this time they have even more books to discuss! Listen to the podcast to hear Kimberly completely butcher the premise of The School for Good Mothers (the main character has to take care of a toddler doll, not a robot child, because this isn’t A.I.) and keep liste…

We're back, we're back! The Book Squad Podcast is back! Kate Gramlich, our longtime cohost, has brazenly left the library for another job. (Everyone wave to Kate at her new job!) So along with starting back recording, Book Squad member Kimberly Lopez has taken up the mantle of shenaniganizing about books with Polli Kenn and we had a great time star…

As we're getting into the swing of things in this pandemic (what a weird thing to type), some of us are feeling more like revisiting our old friends - books. They're friends we don't have to sit 6ft apart from, and we might need them right now. Polli and Kate share some books they've been hearing others rave about, most of which are available digit…

What better to read during a time of great societal upheaval and the breakdown of basic norms and values than compelling novel that explores the psychology of dealing with a plague? That's what we thought, too! Tune in to our discussion of The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker, which we call "Apocalypse Lite." (Heads up: the book does not end in ea…

Lawrence Public Library

Lawrence Public Library

Lawrence Public Library

In time for Día de los Muertos, Polli and Kate discuss a book about what it means to have a "good death" in many places around the world. Through Caitlin Doughty's From Here to Eternity, they encounter death houses, glowing Buddhas, Snow White-esque caskets, revered Angelitos, and more. Join us on an enlightening and surprisingly uplifting journey.…

Did you know it was National Book Month? And National Pickled Pepper Month?? And World Menopause Month??? October is wild, y'all. We decided to combine National Book Month with some of the others and give you reading material to celebrate whatever holiday month you prefer! Except picked peppers -- we forgot books for that one, sorry. show notes: ht…

On this episode, the inimitable Dan Coleman — LPL Librarian, Papier-mâché wizard, and #weneeddiversebooks advocate — talks to Polli and Kate about places where children's literature is sorely lacking. They also discuss alarm clocks and bird things. Listen up!Show notes: https://lplks.org/blogs/post/047-crow-funerals-papier-mache-and-unsung-kansas-h…

We've got a jam-packed episode for you -- book recs, personality types, Jewish mourning customs, and an amazing debut novel about memory that made us both laughcry. Show notes:https://lplks.org/blogs/post/046-memories-and-other-liesTwo Book Minimum:Brown Girl, Brownstones by Paule Marshall (R.I.P. 2019)The Enneagram Made Easy by Renee BaronGood Tal…

August is Read a Romance Month which is perfect because it's hot outside aaaaaand hot inside the pages (oh my!) Whether you're a regular reader or not, we've got some great insights for why romance matters and how you can find your steamy (or sweet) reads. Warning: there are some terrible romance-related puns in this one. Show notes: https://lplks.…

Hey listeners, what's your sign? Your BOOK sign, that is! We took the "Universe of Stories" summer reading theme and astrologified it... or bookstrologified? Either way, check out this episode for a ton of recommendations, even if you're on the cusp! Show notes: https://lplks.org/blogs/post/044-oh-my-stars-its-bookstrology/Two Book Minimum:Look How…

Well, Polli FINALLY got Kate to read a Jane Austen book. Find out if she hated it as much as she hated the audiobook intro music! Also get some great recommendations for some sweet gay reads and a few new releases coming out this fall! Show notes: https://lplks.org/blogs/post/043-bennett-darcy-gramlich-kennTwo Book Minimum:The Great Believers by Re…

If you made it out to Happy Shirt for our first Adults-Only Summer Reading Book Nerd Party (whadda title, right??) we'd like to say THANK YOU! If you didn't make it out, fret not for we will do it again! Listen to Kate and Polli rave about our community of nerds and swap some new and upcoming titles to add to your reading pile! Show Notes: https://…

This is an episode about Doing Nothing. Well, it's about Doing Something to Do Nothing. It's also about lemons and cows. What? Yeah. Just listen. Show notes: https://lplks.org/blogs/post/041-how-to-podcast-nothing/Two Book Minimum:The Farmer's Son (or The Cow Book if you're in Ireland) by John ConnellThe Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead The Book of …

Glennon Doyle (of Momastery fame) has written one heckuva powerful book.Love Warrior is sorta memoir, sorta self help and all-the-way beautiful. Hang out with Polli and Kate as they talk about body image, breakdowns, grief, "hot loneliness," higher powers, and a bunch of other TOTALLY LIGHTHEARTED TOPICS. Show notes: https://lplks.org/blogs/post/04…

In celebration of Jesmyn Ward coming to Lawrence on April 11th (tickets are free but required), we discussed Salvage the Bones, a novel that tackles many, many social issues in an incredibly human way. That is to say... beautiful and devastating All. Of. The. Time. Show notes: https://lplks.org/blogs/post/039-systemic-oppression/Bookish News:All th…

Sometimes a book is much more fun to discuss than it was to read. This, friends, is one of those times. Join Polli and Kate as they rip apart a not-so-thrilling thriller... and say "get that bread" far too many times for women of their ages. Show Notes: https://lplks.org/blogs/post/038-death-of-desire-to-read-agatha-christieTwo Book Minimum:Washing…

We are welcoming Mr. Bradley Allen, director of Lawrence Public Library, on this episode of the podcast. Brad's here to help discuss this year's Read Across Lawrence pick, Sourdough. Learn about the power of reading and fermentation aaaand about making milk pickles. Can three Scorpios share one podcast? Oh jeez, tune in to find out... (also, vote f…

Show Notes: https://lplks.org/blogs/post/036-its-okay-not-to-be-okay/Two Book Minimum:In the Garden of Beasts by Erik LarsonDare to Love A Duke by Eva LeighUnder the Banner of Heaven by Jon KrakauerBeautiful No-mow Yards by Evelyn Hadden (also, Kiss My Aster by Amanda Thomsen)She Said/She Said: Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram"Darius Ke…

New year, new reads. Polli and Kate scoped out some upcoming book releases and are here to share their faves! Also, heads up: the 2019 Book Squad Goals Reading Challenge is HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERE: http://tinyurl.com/LPLBSG2019The show-notes are huge for this episode, so head over to our site to get the list of books: https://lplks.org/blogs/post/…

Note: This was recorded in August 2018, and then Kate... lost it? Something happened. We're back in action with episode 30: The Lost Cowboy Episode.Show Notes: https://lplks.org/blogs/post/030-the-lost-cowboy-episode/Recently there has been a resurgence of the Western genre (good conquering evil is all the more necessary for WHATEVER REASON.) Accor…

Sooner or later, it happens to everyone. It might be happening to you right now. You go about your day, your week, and eventually you realize that something crucial is missing: books. YOU ARE IN A READING SLUMP. If this sounds familiar, you're soooo not alone. Polli and Kate are here to help for when you just can't even (read.) --------------------…

NNEDI OKORAFOR IS COMING!!! On 11/8 she will be at Liberty Hall as our latest Beach Series author, and we really hope to see you there! Go here for more info, clear your schedule, and then come back and listen to Polli and Kate discuss Akata Witch.Show notes: https://lplks.org/blogs/post/033-nnedi-okorafor-literal-blackgirlmagicBookish News:The Gre…

What do the genres Romance and Horror have in common? They bring the feels.Learn more about Horror as a genre, and get LOTS of recommendations based on different appeal factors and interests. Huge thanks to Becky Spratford and Kelly Peter for being our spoopy gurus! There are soooo many links on the show notes this time that we suggest you head on …

October 8th is Indigenous Peoples Day in Lawrence (and in several other cities across the country). To celebrate the occasion -- and because it looked flippin awesome -- Polli and Kate discuss There There, a brilliant debut novel by Tommy Orange (Cheyenne and Arapaho). Spoiler: it was flippin awesome. Show notes: https://lplks.org/blogs/post/031-th…

On this episode we got to interview Danny Caine, owner of The Raven Bookstore! Along with owning a bookstore, Danny is also a published poet, a brand new dad, a dog person with 3 cats, and an all-around good human. Learn what's going on in the Lawrence bookish community this fall and how one boy's chicken nugget obsession turned into a... grown man…

Two podcasters give four thumbs up for Mem, a fab book for book clubs (and folks who like to ponder what makes a human a human and/or are into awesome books.) Also a quick hit of some neuro-divergent heroines and Asian heroes, serial killer ladies, and ancient indigenous magic. Our take on dancing, wine, and the "dog zoomies" round us out! Show not…

Show notes: https://lplks.org/blogs/post/027-the-podcast-is-not-an-apology/Bookish News:If you have not already, check out the trailer for the upcoming movie, The Public, written by/starring/directed by Emilio Estevez, who Polli got to stand sorta next to for a brief second at a conference! She got to see the film in its entirety at the American Li…

Humblebrag: we maaaaaybe have the best friends in the world. The Friends of the Lawrence Public Library bring in an incredible amount of funds to our library each year, making possible things like Book Club in a Bag, Read Across Lawrence, Summer Reading, Volunteer Recognition, all our cool LPL swag and much, much more!To celebrate their upcoming Su…

What is your most-loved read? Through a national survey, PBS has shared a list of 100 of the most well-loved reads, which will be the focus of an eight-part series over the summer. Want info on how the books were chosen and how the process works? Here's some official deets. Want to hear what we have to say about this? LISTEN UP, FRIENDS!Show notes:…

Magic! Friendship! Gratitude! Tom Petty! We may have thought fantasy wasn't our thing, but it turns out... we were wrong. (First time for everything!) Read the show notes here: https://lplks.org/blogs/post/025-do-you-even-fantasy-bro/Two Book Minimum:Human Acts by Han KangNo Time To Spare by Ursula K. LeGuin ("The direction of escape is toward free…