Required Reading

By Erin Bowles

Required Reading revisits the most impactful books from our childhood with a new guest every week.

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4.5

88 ratings

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FAQs about Required Reading:

How many episodes does Required Reading have?

The podcast currently has 102 episodes available.

Required Reading episodes:

October 01, 2025 A Little Princess with Caroline Ely
This week on the podcast it's an all-time classic of girlhood: Frances Hodgson Burnett's A LITTLE PRINCESS with podcaster Caroline Ely!
Sarah Crewe enters Miss Minchin's boarding school as a wealthy heiress, but when her father dies finds herself shoved into servitude, poverty, and hunger.
Check out Caroline's podcast Good Christin Fun (Erin was on it!)
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54min
September 24, 2025 Warrior Cats: Into the Wild with Jillian Tsai
TV writer Jillian Tsai of Netflix's Haunted Hotel joins me to discuss the first entry into the mega-series WARRIORS from 2003!
Rusty is a cozy house cat who chooses to join Thunderclan, a group of feral cats who live in the woods behind his house and are having a land dispute with other clans. He becomes a warrior apprentice, Firepaw, and uncovers mysteries within the clan and within himself....
Check out Jillian's show Haunted Hotel on Netflix!
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44min
September 17, 2025 The Westing Game with Sierra Marilyn Riley
Author Sierra Marilyn Riley (The Dark Cove Theatre Society) joins me to discuss one of MY all-time favorite books from childhood: THE WESTING GAME!
When wealthy paper magnate Samuel Westing dies he leaves a complicated will demanding 16 "heirs" - most of whom live at an apartment building across a field from his creepy mansion - partake in a game to inherit his fortune.
Check out Sierra's book, coming out October 7th and stream Mistletoe Murders!
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54min
September 10, 2025 James and the Giant Peach with Jenny Bicks
Mind-blowing writer Jenny Bicks (Welcome to Flatch, Sex and the City) joins me to discuss our second Roald Dahl book JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH. Fun fact: same year as Phantom Tollbooth!
Little James finds himself inside a giant peach, surrounded by several very large and very friendly bugs!
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34min
September 03, 2025 The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants with Kelly Krauter
Bellbottoms, capris, cargos: its the summer of pants. Kelly Krauter joins me to discuss Ann Brashare's 2001 immortal classic THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS. And don't you dare roll your eyes.
Best friends Carmen, Tibby, Lena, and Bridget are about to spend a summer apart for the first time in their 15 years of life. Just before they go their separate ways they find a magical pair of jeans that fits them all, despite their varying body sizes. They vow to mail the jeans back and forth to each other over the course of the summer to keep the girls in each other's hearts...and also denim.
Kelly and I met making a short film which you should watch HERE because we WON THE FESTIVAL, OK?
Listen to Kelly's song LOBOTOMY!
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As of September 2 2025, ads on this show have earned $5.05 thanks to viewers like you! THANK YOU!
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48min
August 27, 2025 Theater Geek with Kelsey Buckley
Kelsey Buckley returns to wrap up our summer camp series with a nonfiction book: THEATER GEEK.
Theater Geek by Mickey Rapkin chronicles one summer at renowned theater camp Stagedoor Manor.
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As of this writing (8.26.25) we have earned $3.56 from ad revenue! Thank you for listening!
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42min
August 20, 2025 Harriet the Spy with Joanna Truman
Writer Joanna Truman joins me to discuss one of the most iconic characters in children's literature: Harriet M Welsch AKA Harriet the Spy!!
From Louise Fitzhugh in 1964, Harriet the Spy follows Manhattanite 11 year old kid spy Harriet M Welsh as she writes infinitely in her trusty notebook about her pesky classmates in order to survive the departure of her dear nanny, Ole Golly.
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51min
August 13, 2025 The Phantom Tollbooth with Maggie Winters
Comedian Maggie Winters joins me to discuss THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH by Norton Juster with illustrations from Jules Feiffer!
The Phantom Tollbooth follows bored schoolboy Milo as he enters a mystical and very unreasonable land in search of the princesses of Rhyme and Reason!
AND - episode 100 is approaching! Let me know what you'd like me to do! I have very few ideas!
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37min
August 06, 2025 Required Viewing: Camp Rock with Natalie Ortega
Broadway's Natalie Ortega returns to discuss another entry in Camp Required Reading: CAMP ROCK!
From 2008, the DCOM (Disney Channel Original Movie, of course) Camp Rock follows Mitchie (Demi Lovato) at the celebrated music camp where dreams are made, as long as no one finds out her mom is the new cook!
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54min
July 30, 2025 Goosebumps: The Horror at Camp Jellyjam with Keara Sullivan
Keara Sullivan returns to Required Reading to go to camp and, frankly, it's horrifying. We dive into Goosebumps THE HORROR AT CAMP JELLYJAM by RL Stine.
Wendy and her brother Elliot fall off their parent's car, down a mountain, and into Camp Jellyjam where something STINKS.
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44min

FAQs about Required Reading:

How many episodes does Required Reading have?

The podcast currently has 102 episodes available.

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