Reading During Recess

Louise Erdrich’s first novel for young readers was published in 1999, and it features an Ojibwa family who live near present-day Lake Superior in 1847. The book is often presented as an alternative to Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House series, but Erdrich’s novel is really an accomplishment that's in a league of its own. We discuss what makes The Birchbark House so effective, and how it stands in contrast to a long literary tradition of racist children’s books about Native Americans that rely on stereotypes rather than authentic and empathetic portrayals.

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Count Olaf and the gang are all back, and this time they’re hanging out in an ersatz elevator (book 6) and a vile village (book 7). Join us as we discuss the Baudelaires’ continued misfortune and the eerie parallels between their world and ours. What does the Council of Elders in the Village of Fowl Devotees have in common with the U.S. Supreme Court? And why does Esme Squalor remind us so much of Kyrsten Sinema? If you enjoy topical political discussions, and/or critiques of a fictional child’s poetry, then this is the episode for you.

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Find Sarah on Twitter @sarahebba25 and on Instagram @sarahebba

Find Terri on Twitter @TerriCLaRue and on Instagram @tc_larue

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Pam Muñoz Ryan’s novel of immigration, trauma, and resilience has been beloved by children and teachers since its publication in 2000. It is a work of historical fiction, but the novel’s focus on the intersection of racism and capitalist exploitation unfortunately remains very relevant today. 

Terri also shares a few stories from her own family’s history, which has some intriguing parallels to Esperanza’s. 

On a lighter note, this episode includes some improvised singing and a brief appearance of our British accents. We apologize in advance. 

If you like the show, please rate, review, and subscribe/follow! Ratings and reviews help new listeners find our show. 

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Find Sarah on Twitter @sarahebba25 and on Instagram @sarahebba

Find Terri on Twitter @TerriCLaRue and on Instagram @tc_larue

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Calling all cake-sniffers! In this episode, we discuss “The Miserable Mill” and “The Austere Academy” by Lemony Snicket. At Lucky Smells Lumbermill and at Prufrock Preparatory School, the Baudelaires’ lives continue to be truly awful. Come for the thoughtful analysis of the books, stay for the discussion of the world’s largest lasagna. 

PS: Memento mori. 

If you like the show, please rate, review, and subscribe/follow! Ratings and reviews help new listeners find our show. 

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Find Sarah on Twitter @sarahebba25 and on Instagram @sarahebba

Find Terri on Twitter @TerriCLaRue and on Instagram @tc_larue

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Dear Listener, we regret to inform you that this podcast episode is extremely unpleasant. If you like podcasts about lucky children who lead charming lives, then this show is not for you. In our twelfth episode, we discuss the first three books of Lemony Snicket’s “A Series of Unfortunate Events” (“The Bad Beginning,” “The Reptile Room,” and “The Wide Window”). As you might know, these books chronicle the woes of the Baudelaire orphans as they are shuttled from one incompetent guardian to another. Despite the unpleasantness of the Baudelaires’ lives, we manage to have some fun talking about three of our favorite books from childhood. In this episode, we discuss absurdist humor, metafiction, and why our fave (Lemony Snicket) is, unfortunately, problematic. Listen all the way to the end for an explanation of why being a young adult in 2021 feels a lot like being a Baudelaire orphan.

Lastly, let this episode be a sign that you should stop texting back the Captain Sham in your life, whomever he may be. You deserve better. 

With all due respect,

Sarah and Terri

Content warning: this episode includes discussion of racism, sexual harassment, fatphobia, and transphobia. 

If you like the show, please rate, review, and subscribe/follow! Ratings and reviews help new listeners find our show. 

https://linktr.ee/Readingduringrecess

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Find Sarah on Twitter @sarahebba25 and on Instagram @sarahebba

Find Terri on Twitter @TerriCLaRue and on Instagram @tc_larue

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ALL HAIL THE MAGIC PANTS! We’re so hyped to discuss one of our favorite books ever, “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.” Ann Brashares’ 2001 novel is an iconic story of friendship, travel, and grief. Whether you’re a Carmen, a Bridget, a Lena, or a Tibby, this episode will make you want to put on your favorite jeans and give your friends a big ol’ squeeze. 

If you like the show, please rate, review, and subscribe/follow! Ratings and reviews help new listeners find our show. 

https://linktr.ee/Readingduringrecess

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Find Sarah on Twitter @sarahebba25 and on Instagram @sarahebba

Find Terri on Twitter @TerriCLaRue and on Instagram @tc_larue

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Sandra Cisneros's debut novel is a modern classic of Chicano literature. The story follows Esperanza Cordero, a 12-year-old Mexican-American girl living in a Latinx neighborhood in Chicago. Cisneros's writing is alive with the magic of poetry and empathy. In celebration of our tenth episode, we are joined by Sonya Lara, a Mexican-American writer from Chicago who has wonderful insights into the book.

If you like the show, please rate, review, subscribe, and/or recommend us to a friend! 

https://linktr.ee/Readingduringrecess

Find our show on Twitter and Instagram @reading_recess

Find Sarah on Twitter @sarahebba25 and on Instagram @sarahebba

Find Terri on Twitter @TerriCLaRue and on Instagram @tc_larue

Email us at [email protected]

Find Sonya Lara at https://www.sonyalara.com/

Read Sonya’s new essay in AGNI, “Broken Lines,” here: https://agnionline.bu.edu/essay/broken-lines

Join us for a discussion of Lois Lowry’s award-winning 1993 book, "The Giver," which went on to become the blueprint for dystopian YA. The book remains adored by kids and teens today, despite being one of the most banned books of the 1990s. We also talk about the unfortunate 2014 movie version of “The Giver” that even Taylor Swift couldn’t make good, as well as our thoughts on the novel's infamously ambiguous ending. 

If you enjoy the show, please rate, review, and subscribe! It helps other people find our podcast!

Find our show on Twitter and Instagram @reading_recess

Find Sarah on Twitter @sarahebba25 and on Instagram @sarahebba

Find Terri on Twitter @TerriCLaRue and on Instagram @tc_larue

Email us at [email protected]

https://linktr.ee/Readingduringrecess

Louise Fitzhugh's classic book about an 11-year-old busybody has delighted children and disturbed adults since its publication in 1964. If you're a fan of tomato sandwiches, gossip, and/or queer subtext, then this episode is for you. 

Rita Williams-Garcia’s 2010 novel about the Black Panthers is a middle-grade masterpiece. The book follows three black sisters (Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern) as they visit their estranged mother in Oakland in 1968. Upon arriving in California, the girls learn their mother is a poet and a member of the Black Panther Party. In our episode, we discuss what makes this book so brilliant and how, by focusing on the Black Panthers, it fills a gaping hole in children’s literature. We also bust some myths about the Black Panthers and explore how this book serves as an antidote to sanitized and inaccurate stories of the Civil Rights Movement. 

If you enjoy the show, please rate, review, and subscribe! It helps other people find our podcast!

Find our show on Twitter and Instagram @reading_recess

Find Sarah on Twitter @sarahebba25 and on Instagram @sarahebba

Find Terri on Twitter @TerriCLaRue and on Instagram @tc_larue

Email us at [email protected]