Our thanks to the Summer 2023 CPL Teen Volunteers for updating links to our new catalog!

This week guest host Robin is joined by Nora Lester Murad, author of Ida In the Middle, and Susan Muaddi Darraj, author of Farah Rocks Fifth Grade, to talk about their books, writing authentic portrayals of Palestinian life and joy, and why representation in media is so important for everyone. During The Last Chapter they discuss: Do you have a memory of a book you were required to read over the summer and why has that title stayed with you?

Podcast disclaimer

Like what you hear? Rate and review Down Time on Apple Podcasts or your podcast player of choice! If you’d like to submit a topic for The Last Chapter you can send your suggestions to [email protected]. Our theme music is Day Trips by Ketsa and our ad music is Happy Ukulele by Scott Holmes. Thanks for listening!

Books

Ida in the Middle by Nora Lester Murad

Farah Rocks Fifth Grade by Susan Muaddi Darraj and Ruaida Mannaa

Big Tune by Alliah L. Agostini and Shamar Knight-Justice

Salim’s Soccer Ball by Tala El-fahmawi and Neveen Abu Saleem

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Rest In My Shade by Nora Lester Murad and Danna Masad, featuring illustrations by Palestinian artists 

Habibi by Naomi Shihab Nye

We Are Palestinian by Reem Kassis and Noha Eilouti 

Love In the Library by Maggie Tokuda-Hall and Yas Imamura

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Tess of the D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy

When We Were Arabs: A Jewish Family’s Forgotten History by Massoud Hayoun

AV

Anne With an E (2017-2019)

Mo (2022- )

The Year Earth Changes (2021) 

Tell Me Who I Am (2019)

Shrinking (2023- )

Other

Nora Lester Murad

Ida In the Middle (website)

Susan Muaddi Darraj

Scholastic, and a Faustian Bargain by Maggie Tokuda-Hall (April 11. 2023)

Our thanks to the Summer 2023 CPL Teen Volunteers for updating links to our new catalog!

This week Tayla is joined by Beatrice Pulliam, President of the Rhode Island Library Association, and Dymond Bush, President of Cornucopia of Rhode Island. They discuss the work they do in their respective roles in the state library association. They also discuss fiction vs nonfiction reading, Spy dramas, and fantasy reflecting real life problems back at us. During The Last Chapter they discuss: If you could rewrite a book from another character's point of view, which book/characters would you choose? 

Correction: Rhode Island Library Association is a 501(c)6

Podcast disclaimer

Like what you hear? Rate and review Down Time on Apple Podcasts or your podcast player of choice! If you’d like to submit a topic for The Last Chapter you can send your suggestions to [email protected]. Our theme music is Day Trips by Ketsa and our ad music is Happy Ukulele by Scott Holmes. Thanks for listening!

Books

American Jezebel by Eve LaPlante

The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri

Free Speech Handbook by Ian Rosenberg & Mike Cavallaro

Just As I Am by Cicely Tyson with Michelle Burford

Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park

AV

Abbott Elementary (2021- )

Yellowstone (2018-2023)

The Night Agent (2023- )

Luther (2010-2019)

A Discovery of Witches (2018-2022)

Other

Rhode Island Library Association

Book Clubs at Providence Public Library

No Flying No Tights

Welcome to a special bonus episode of Down Time with Cranston Public Library! Our Last Chapter Question from Episode 156 elicited many more hot takes from Dave, Elena, and Tayla than would fit in the episode. Rather than keep them to ourselves, we wanted to share a fuller edit of that conversation with you here. Be sure to check back in your feed to the full episode!

Podcast disclaimer

Like what you hear? Rate and review Down Time on Apple Podcasts or your podcast player of choice! If you’d like to submit a topic for The Last Chapter you can send your suggestions to [email protected]. Our theme music is Day Trips by Ketsa. Thanks for listening!

On this week’s episode, Tayla, Elena, and Dave tempt the fates of New England weather by talking directly about springtime and the changing of the seasons. If it snows after this episode is published, we are sorry! They also talk about dystopias, revisiting movies, and the beauty for Studio Ghibli films. During the Last Chapter we discussed what book that people say are their favorites is a “red flag” for us.

Podcast disclaimer

Like what you hear? Rate and review Down Time on Apple Podcasts or your podcast player of choice! If you’d like to submit a topic for The Last Chapter you can send your suggestions to [email protected]. Our theme music is Day Trips by Ketsa and our ad music is Happy Ukulele by Scott Holmes. Thanks for listening!

Books

Yellowface by R. F. Kuang

The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang

Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson

Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson

The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz

AV

You Are Good (podcast)

Amadeus (1984)

Moonrise Kingdom (2012)

Spirited Away (2001)

My Neighbor Totoro (1988)

Other

URI Master Gardener Program

This week Tayla is joined by Ken Hopkins Jr., Director of the Cranston Career and Tech Center to talk about their program and how it can allow young people to get hand-on career experience before they graduate. They talk about new and old HBO shows, travel food shows, and Star Wars. During The Last Chapter they discuss: If you had to read outside your comfort zone, what genre would you want to explore?

Podcast disclaimer

Like what you hear? Rate and review Down Time on Apple Podcasts or your podcast player of choice! If you’d like to submit a topic for The Last Chapter you can send your suggestions to [email protected]. Our theme music is Day Trips by Ketsa and our ad music is Happy Ukulele by Scott Holmes. Thanks for listening!

Books

Fire & Blood by George R. R. Martin

Plague Wars by Tom Mangold and Jeff Goldberg

Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond

Humans of New York by Brandon Stanton

AV

The Last of Us (2023- )

The Office (2005-2013)

Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown (2013-2018)

Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations (2005-2012)

Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi (2020- )

The Mandalorian (2019- )

Knights of the Old Republic (2003 videogame)

Andor (2022)

Other

Cranston Area Career and Technical Center

This week guest host Robin is joined by author Penelope Cray to celebrate National Poetry Month. They discuss ways to make poetry a part of your everyday life and share their mutual love of nature. During The Last Chapter they discuss: do you listen to anything while you read?

Podcast disclaimer

Like what you hear? Rate and review Down Time on Apple Podcasts or your podcast player of choice! If you’d like to submit a topic for The Last Chapter you can send your suggestions to [email protected]. Our theme music is Day Trips by Ketsa and our ad music is Happy Ukulele by Scott Holmes. Thanks for listening!

Books

Miracles Come on Mondays by Penelope Cray

Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr

The Shepherd’s Life by James Rebanks

The Dirty Life by Kristin Kimball

Good Husbandry by Kristin Kimball

Bewilderment by Richard Powers

Many Things Under a Rock by David Scheel and Laurel “Yoyo” Scheel

Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story by Bono

Browse books by Louise Gluck

Browse books by Craig Morgan Teicher

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd

AV

My Octopus Teacher (2020)

Yellowstone (2018-2023)

Bono & The Edge: A Sort of Homecoming with Dave Letterman (2023)

Other

Penelope Cray

Alison Prine

Poem-a-Day | Academy of American Poets

On the Line with CPL (401-900-1090)

Check out a video edition of this episode on YouTube!

Click here to read a transcript of this episode.

This week Tayla is joined by Sara Nović, author of True Biz, the Reading Across Rhode Island selection for 2023 and Nancy Maguire-Heath, director of the RI School for the Deaf. Sara discusses the inspiration behind True Biz and the need for authentic stories written by and for the Deaf community. Nancy also discusses the wonderful reaction from the students at RISD to True Biz. During The Last Chapter they discuss who they would cast in a movie or TV adaptation of True Biz. 

Podcast disclaimer

Like what you hear? Rate and review Down Time on Apple Podcasts or your podcast player of choice! If you’d like to submit a topic for The Last Chapter you can send your suggestions to [email protected]. Our theme music is Day Trips by Ketsa and our ad music is Happy Ukulele by Scott Holmes. Thanks for listening!

Books

True Biz by Sara Nović

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

Dinners with Ruth by Nina Totenberg

My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray & Laura Kamoie

Invisible Child by Andrea Elliott

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng

Show Me a Sign by Ann Clare LeZotte

Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker, Wendy Xu, and Joamette Gil

El Deafo by Cece Bell

AV

The Last of Us (2023- )

The Resident (2018- )

The Good Doctor (2017- )

Bullet Train (2022)

Other

Sara Novic (website)

Rhode Island School for the Deaf

Reading Across Rhode Island

⁠Can’t view the video? Check it out on YouTube!⁠

⁠Click here to read a transcript of this episode.⁠

This week Tayla is joined by Sara Nović, author of True Biz, the Reading Across Rhode Island selection for 2023 and Nancy Maguire-Heath, director of the RI School for the Deaf. Sara discusses the inspiration behind True Biz and the need for authentic stories written by and for the Deaf community. Nancy also discusses the wonderful reaction from the students at RISD to True Biz. During The Last Chapter they discuss who they would cast in a movie or TV adaptation of True Biz. 

⁠Podcast disclaimer⁠

Like what you hear? Rate and review Down Time on Apple Podcasts or your podcast player of choice! If you’d like to submit a topic for The Last Chapter you can send your suggestions to ⁠[email protected]⁠. Our theme music is ⁠Day Trips by Ketsa⁠ and our ad music is ⁠Happy Ukulele by Scott Holmes⁠. Thanks for listening!

Books

⁠True Biz by Sara Nović⁠

⁠The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray⁠

⁠Dinners with Ruth by Nina Totenberg⁠

⁠My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray & Laura Kamoie⁠

⁠Invisible Child by Andrea Elliott⁠

⁠Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng⁠

⁠Show Me a Sign by Ann Clare LeZotte⁠

⁠Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker, Wendy Xu, and Joamette Gil⁠

⁠El Deafo by Cece Bell⁠

AV

⁠The Last of Us (2023- )⁠

⁠The Resident (2018- )⁠

⁠The Good Doctor (2017- )⁠

⁠Bullet Train (2022)⁠

Other

⁠Sara Novic (website)⁠

⁠Rhode Island School for the Deaf⁠

⁠Reading Across Rhode Island⁠

This week guest host Dave is joined by Zach Weinersmith, author of BEA WOLF, a new adaptation of Beowulf for kids. They talk about the process of creating this adaptation with artist Boulet and go deep on J.R.R. Tolkien’s nonfiction. During The Last Chapter they discuss: do you re-read books, and if so what books do you find yourself going back to?

Podcast disclaimer

Like what you hear? Rate and review Down Time on Apple Podcasts or your podcast player of choice! If you’d like to submit a topic for The Last Chapter you can send your topic suggestions to [email protected]. Our theme music is Day Trips by Ketsa and our ad music is Happy Ukulele by Scott Holmes. Thanks for listening!

Books

Bea Wolf by Zach Weinersmith and Boulet

The Biggest Ideas In the Universe by Sean M. Carroll

The End of Everything by Katie Mack

A Life in Letters by P. G. Wodehouse; edited by Sophie Ratcliffe

Paradise Lost by John Milton

The Last Mechanical Monster by Brian Fies

Open Borders: the Science and Ethics of Immigration by Bryan Caplan, Zach Weinersmith, and Mary Cagle

The Code of the Woosters by P. G. Wodehouse

Beowulf by Seamus Heaney

Beowulf by Howell D. Chickering, Jr.

The Monsters and the Critics, and Other Essays by J.R.R. Tolkien ; edited by Christopher Tolkien

Beowulf: a Translation and Commentary by J.R.R. Tolkien; edited by Christopher Tolkien

AV

Shrinking (2023- )

Other

Bea Wolf

Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal

This week Tayla is joined by Melissa from East Greenwich Free Library and Lee-Ann from North Kingstown Free Library to talk about the We Are All Readers Book Festival. They talk about the StoryWalks, reading challenges, and author visits leading up to the event as well as the festival itself. They also discuss feminist books, The Last of Us, and movie musical adaptation. During The Last Chapter they discuss: What is your favorite picture book, either from your childhood or from your work with children?

Podcast disclaimer

Like what you hear? Rate and review Down Time on Apple Podcasts or your podcast player of choice! If you’d like to submit a topic for The Last Chapter you can send your topic suggestions to [email protected]. Our theme music is Day Trips by Ketsa and our ad music is Happy Ukulele by Scott Holmes. Thanks for listening!

Books

AV

Other