What happens when hundreds of thousands of American women spontaneously transform into fire-breathing dragons? You need to read When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill to find out! But before you do, listen to this quick, spoiler-free book review. In this short and sweet episode of The Read Moore Podcast, Emily flies solo to give you her reaction to and glowing review of this powerful book. Enjoy!

Ah, the high school reading list. It contained some books you loved, and some books you hated. But even if you already read a book back in your tender years, it's worth going back and giving it another go. In this episode, we talk about why rereading books as an adult is crucial, and suggest 6 reading list novels that are worth a reread today. Let us know if you want us to discuss any other high school reading list novels that deserve another visit! What book influenced you in high school?

Want to read more books in 2024? Well, this episode is...not exactly about that! Instead, we discuss how to actually read more deeply, more thoughtfully, more consistently, and how to build a lasting reading practice in the upcoming year. Books are a journey, and the journey matters WAY more than the destination (or an arbitrary book count goal). This episode includes nine tips for how to read more and get more out of reading without necessarily just woofing down more and more titles. Enjoy, and Happy New Year!

In this special episode of the Read Moore Podcast we have a chat with Polly Edwards - a former child clinical psychologist and librarian (and great friend!) - about the power of the public library. We discuss why libraries are a cornerstone of our society, how libraries play an important role in the lives of both children and adults, and different ways you can engage with your public library right now (it's so much more than just checking out a book!). Enjoy!

When we think of science fiction and fantasy books, J. R. R. Tolkien, Isaac Asimov, and other male authors often come to mind. In this episode we discuss the foundational and modern female authors that have and are creating incredible stories in these genres.

Want to start reading classic literature again? Not sure where to start? In this Halloween episode of the Read Moore Podcast, we discuss why Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is the perfect classic read to kick off that journey. We go into the format of the novel, Shelley's time period and backstory, the novel's themes and big questions, and concrete reading tips to help you tackle what actually isn't that scary of a monster after all. This is how to read Frankenstein.

During the 2022-2023 school year, efforts to ban certain books rose by more than 38% around the United States, sparking controversy, anger, and fear. In this episode of the podcast, we talk about the long history of book bans in this country, what is driving books bans today, and the trouble with book bans from a democratic and free perspective.

It's been over a year and a half since we've shared a podcast! In this catch-up episode we take some time to fill everyone in on what we've been up to, what our plans are for this new season of the podcast, and (of course) what we've been reading.

In this episode, Anne and Emily discuss the importance of the "beach read," or to use Anne's term, "the cotton candy read." While it's important to read for education and to engage with new ideas and other cultures and/or points of view, it is just as important to read in the pursuit of escapism and joy. Tune in to hear about why people often feel pressured to only read "hard" material, why "cotton candy reads" should make up the majority of one's book shelf, how reading for pleasure can actually help us grow as readers, and much more!

Emily shares her thoughts on Dune: Messiah, the sequel to Frank Herbert's Dune.