Unabridged: A Book Podcast

By Ashley Dickson-Ellison and Jen MoyersEducation Arts Books

Unabridged: A Book Podcast episodes

October 21, 2020 Our Speculative Fiction Recs with Virginia Soenksen, Author of the GENETICS CHRONICLES Series
In this Unabridged podcast episode, we're talking all things speculative fiction with Virginia Soenksen, author of The Titan Strain, The Osiris Contingency, and The Ragnarok Resolution. We talk with her about her amazing science fiction series, and then we all recommend books that we've loved within the speculative fiction realm. We wrap up our episode with some favorite museum recommendations in honor of Virginia's role as an art historian and an associate director of a museum.

Bookish Check-in
Ashley - The Toni Morrison Book Club by Juda Bennett, Winnifred Brown-Glaude, Cassandra Jackson, and Piper Kendrix Williams
Jen - Elizabeth Acevedo’s The Poet X
Sara - Dusti Bowling’s Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus
Virginia - Janella Angeles's Where Dreams Descend

Featured Books
Virginia Soenksen’s The Titan Strain (The Genetics Chronicles Book 1) - See Ashley's review!
Virginia Soenksen’s The Osiris Conspiracy (The Genetics Chronicles Book 2)
Virginia Soenksen’s The Ragnarok Resolution (The Genetics Chronicles Book 3)

Our Speculative Fiction Recs
Ashley - Stephen Graham Jones’s The Only Good Indians
Jen - N. K. Jemisin’s The City We Became (check out Jen's review!)
Sara - Nancy Farmer’s The House of the Scorpion
Virginia - V.E. Schwab’s Vicious

Mentioned in Episode
V. E. Schwab’s The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue (check out Jen's review here!)
Tommy Orange's There There (Listen to our book club episode, or join our Facebook book club discussion for late October by requesting to join here!)
The National Museum of Natural History

Give Me One - Favorite Museum
Ashley - the Louvre
Jen - Metropolitan Museum of Art
Sara - Air and Space Museum
Ginny - Freer Gallery of Art & Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

Interested in what else we're reading? Check out our Featured Books page.

Want to support Unabridged?
Check out our Merch Store!
Become a patron on Patreon.
Follow us @unabridgedpod on Instagram.
Like and follow our Facebook Page.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Check out our Teachers Pay Teachers store.
Follow us @unabridgedpod on Twitter.
Subscribe to our podcast and rate us on Apple Podcasts or on Stitcher.
Check us out on Podbean.

Please note that we a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
50 min
October 14, 2020 Our 2020 Spooky Reads Recommendations
This week, Unabridged Podcast is launching into the Halloween spirit with some spooky recommendations. After our Bookish Check-in—featuring a guest appearance by Unabridged Ambassador Talie—each of shares a perfect October pick, and then (for our Give Me One) we talk about our autumn favorites.

Bookish Check-in
Ashley - Nic Stone’s Shuri
Jen - V. E. Schwab’s The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
Sara - Lamar Giles’s Not So Pure and Simple and Tommy Orange’s There There (listen to our Book Club episode, 146)
Talie - Hench (find Talie at taliesadventures.com or @talielovesbooks on Instagram.)

Our Spooky Reads Recs
Ashley - Kelly Keaton’s Darkness Becomes Her
Jen - Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican Gothic
Sara - Riley Sager’s Lock Every Door

Mentioned in Episode
Shea Ernshaw’s The Wicked Deep and Winterwood
Riley Sager’s Home Before Dark

Give Me One - Favorite Thing about Fall
Ashley - pumpkin carving
Jen - fall leaves/plants
Sara - crisp air, and getting to wear fall clothes

Interested in what else we're reading? Check out our Featured Books page.

Want to support Unabridged?
Check out our Merch Store!
Become a patron on Patreon.
Follow us @unabridgedpod on Instagram.
Like and follow our Facebook Page.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Check out our Teachers Pay Teachers store.
Follow us @unabridgedpod on Twitter.
Subscribe to our podcast and rate us on Apple Podcasts or on Stitcher.
Check us out on Podbean.

Please note that we a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
29 min
October 09, 2020 Teaching Tidbits 2: Technology during the Time of Virtual Teaching with Ashley
In this Unabridged Teaching Tidbits episode, Ashley talks about some tips for surviving the trials and tribulations of using technology during the era of virtual teaching. She builds off of what Jen shared in Teaching Tidbit #1 about her experience with virtual teaching so far, and Ashley talks about a few things that have helped her navigate technology during this time.

Interested in what else we're reading? Check out our Featured Books page.

Want to support Unabridged?
Check out our Merch Store!
Become a patron on Patreon.
Follow us @unabridgedpod on Instagram.
Like and follow our Facebook Page.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Check out our Teachers Pay Teachers store.
Follow us @unabridgedpod on Twitter.
Subscribe to our podcast and rate us on Apple Podcasts or on Stitcher.
Check us out on Podbean.
10 min
October 07, 2020 October Book Club - Tommy Orange's THERE THERE
In this Unabridged Podcast book club discussion, we talk about Tommy Orange's There There. We all discuss this masterpiece, and then we share our pairings, including Louise Erdrich’s Love Medicine, Akwaeke Emezi’s The Death of Vivek Oji, and Tanya Talaga’s Seven Fallen Feathers.

Bookish Check-in
Ashley - Stephen Graham Jones’s The Only Good Indians
Jen - Julie C. Dao’s Broken Wish (from NetGalley, out October 6)
Sara - Lindy West’s Sh*t, Actually: The Definitive, 100% Objective Guide to Modern Cinema

Main Discussion
Tommy Orange's There There

Pairings
Ashley - Louise Erdrich’s Love Medicine
Jen - Akwaeke Emezi’s The Death of Vivek Oji
Sara - Tanya Talaga’s Seven Fallen Feathers: Racism, Death, and Hard Truths in a Northern City

Mentioned in Episode
Episode 104 - What Makes a Holiday Movie?
Libro.fm’s ALC Program

Give Me One - A New Interest
Ashley - Indoor plants
Jen - Virtual teaching
Sara - Puppies

Interested in what else we're reading? Check out our Featured Books page.

Want to support Unabridged?
Check out our Merch Store!
Become a patron on Patreon.
Follow us @unabridgedpod on Instagram.
Like and follow our Facebook Page.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Check out our Teachers Pay Teachers store.
Follow us @unabridgedpod on Twitter.
Subscribe to our podcast and rate us on Apple Podcasts or on Stitcher.
Check us out on Podbean.

Please note that we a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
56 min
September 30, 2020 Lit Chat Game with Unabridged, Fall 2020
In this Unabridged Podcast episode, we revisit a favorite game that we've played on past episodes, Book Riot's Lit Chat Game. After our Bookish Check-in, we dive into the game and answer some impromptu questions related to our reading lives, all while recording our responses. In this episode, we leave you with a favorite store for our Give Me One segment.

Bookish Check-in
Ashley - Jennifer De Leon’s Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From
Jen - Helen Macdonald’s Vesper Flights
Sara - Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam's Punching the Air

Mentioned in Episode
Ibi Zoboi's American Street and Pride
Helen Macdonald's H Is for Hawk
Lit Chat: Conversation Starters about Books and Life
Richard Adams's Watership Down
Stan and Jan Berenstain's The Berenstain Bears series
Russell Hoban's Tea Time for Frances
Anne Dewdney's Llama Llama Red Pajama
Ezra Jack Keats's The Snowy Day
P. D. Eastman's Are You My Mother?
Elizabeth L. Cline's The Conscious Closet: The Revolutionary Guide to Looking Good While Doing Good

Give Me One - Favorite Store
Ashley - Plant Life Indoors
Jen - Stitch Fix
Sara - The Bluest Willow

Interested in what else we're reading? Check out our Featured Books page.

Want to support Unabridged?
Check out our Merch Store!
Become a patron on Patreon.
Follow us @unabridgedpod on Instagram.
Like and follow our Facebook Page.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Check out our Teachers Pay Teachers store.
Follow us @unabridgedpod on Twitter.
Subscribe to our podcast and rate us on Apple Podcasts or on Stitcher.
Check us out on Podbean.
30 min
September 25, 2020 Teaching Tidbits 1: Reflecting on Virtual Teaching . . . 3 Weeks In
In this Unabridged Episode, Jen shares five conclusions she has drawn about teaching virtually after three weeks of instruction with her students. Teaching and learning are definitely different than usual right now, but adjusting our expectations and preparation can make a big difference! We'd love to know your virtual teaching (and learning!) tips, so reach out on social media.

Interested in what else we're reading? Check out our Featured Books page.

Want to support Unabridged?
Check out our Merch Store!
Become a patron on Patreon.
Follow us @unabridgedpod on Instagram.
Like and follow our Facebook Page.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Check out our Teachers Pay Teachers store.
Follow us @unabridgedpod on Twitter.
Subscribe to our podcast and rate us on Apple Podcasts or on Stitcher.
Check us out on Podbean.
9 min
September 23, 2020 Celebrating Global Read Aloud
In honor of the final year of the Global Read Aloud, Unabridged Podcast revisits our episode from last year, in which we discussed Cherie Dimaline's The Marrow Thieves, Padma Venkatraman's The Bridge Home, and Kelly Yang's Front Desk. Join us in celebrating this fantastic program, which highlights books for young people and promotes global collaboration.

Bookish Check-in
Ashley - Mark Oshiro’s Each of Us a Desert (thanks to Partner NetGalley)
Jen - Roshani Chokshi’s The Silvered Serpents (thanks to Partner NetGalley)
Sara - Beth O’Leary’s The Switch (thanks to Partner Libro.fm)

Celebrating the Global Read Aloud
Cherie Dimaline's The Marrow Thieves
Padma Venkatraman's The Bridge Home
Kelly Yang's Front Desk

Mentioned in Episode
Roshani Chokshi's The Gilded Wolves
Mark Oshiro's Anger Is a Gift
Alexis Hall's Boyfriend Material
Beth O'Leary's The Flatshare
Leslie Marmon Silko's Ceremony
Cormac McCarthy's The Road
Peter Heller's The Dog Stars
Neal and Jarrod Shusterman's Dry
Mindy McGinnis's Not a Drop to Drink
Emily St. John Mandel's Station Eleven
Alan Gratz's Refugee
Katherine Boo's Behind the Beautiful Forevers

Give Me One - New Find
Ashley - American Gods
Jen - 800 Words
Sara - Olive and June and Speed Cubers

Interested in what else we're reading? Check out our Featured Books page.

Want to support Unabridged?
Check out our Merch Store!
Become a patron on Patreon.
Follow us @unabridgedpod on Instagram.
Like and follow our Facebook Page.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Check out our Teachers Pay Teachers store.
Follow us @unabridgedpod on Twitter.
Subscribe to our podcast and rate us on Apple Podcasts or on Stitcher.
Check us out on Podbean.
1 hr 3 min
September 16, 2020 Reading Romance - Interview with Farrah Rochon, author of THE BOYFRIEND PROJECT
We are thrilled to share our interview with Farrah Rochon, the USA Today Bestselling author of more than 35 novels, including her latest release, The Boyfriend Project. The two-time RITA Award finalist is a native of South Louisiana. When she is not writing in her favorite coffee shop, Farrah spends most of her time reading, cooking, traveling the world, visiting Walt Disney World, and catching her favorite Broadway shows.

Bookish Check-in
Ashley - Marie Lu's Wildcard
Farrah - Sandra Kitt's Winner Takes All
Sara - Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely's All American Boys
Lia Louis's Dear Emmie Blue

Mentioned in Episode
Farrah Rochon's The Boyfriend Project (check out Sara's review) and The Dating Playbook (book two in the series, coming out in 2021!)
Marie Lu's Warcross and Rebel
Helen Hoang's The Kiss Quotient
Jasmine Guillory's The Wedding Date
Alyssa Cole (An Extraordinary Union)
Suzanne Brockman's SEALS series (Book 1, Prince Joe)
Priscilla Oliveras (The Island Affair)
K. M. Jackson / Kwana Jackson's Real Men Knit
Denny S. Bryce's Wild Women and the Blues

Give Me One - Favorite Broadway Musicals
Farrah - Hamilton, Aida, Dear Evan Hansen, Spring Awakening, Once
Ashley - Rent
Sara - Cabaret
Jen - Hamilton, Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera, Once

Interested in what else we're reading? Check out our Featured Books page.

Want to support Unabridged?
Check out our Merch Store!
Become a patron on Patreon.
Follow us @unabridgedpod on Instagram.
Like and follow our Facebook Page.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Check out our Teachers Pay Teachers store.
Follow us @unabridgedpod on Twitter.
Subscribe to our podcast and rate us on Apple Podcasts or on Stitcher.
Check us out on Podbean.
52 min
September 09, 2020 Unabridged Launches Teaching Tidbits
In this Unabridged Episode, we share with listeners a brand new type of episode that we're launching in Season Four, Teaching Tidbits! These bite-sized episodes will focus on books and activities relevant to classroom teachers. We'll share these a couple of times a month on Fridays, so be on the lookout for them in your feed!

Bookish Check-in
Ashley - Hena Khan’s Amina’s Voice
Jen - Susan Abulhawa’s Against the Loveless World
Sara - Jerry Craft’s New Kid

Sara's Teaching Tidbit
Sandhya Menon's When Dimple Met Rishi
Never Have I Ever Netflix series

Mentioned in Episode
Our upcoming interview with Farrah Rochon. Be sure to check it out next Wednesday!

Give Me One - Favorite Disney Character
Jen - the genie from Aladdin
Sara - Moana from Moana
Ashley - Stitch from Lilo and Stitch

Interested in what else we're reading? Check out our Featured Books page.

Want to support Unabridged?
Check out our Merch Store!
Become a patron on Patreon.
Follow us @unabridgedpod on Instagram.
Like and follow our Facebook Page.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Check out our Teachers Pay Teachers store.
Follow us @unabridgedpod on Twitter.
Subscribe to our podcast and rate us on Apple Podcasts or on Stitcher.
Check us out on Podbean.
28 min
September 02, 2020 Chanel Miller's KNOW MY NAME - September Book Club
In this Unabridged Book Club episode, we discuss Chanel Miller's memoir, Know My Name. We discuss the powerful impact of Chanel Miller's words and the way that she is changing the world through sharing her story. In our book pairings, we talk about Laurie Halse Anderson's SHOUT, Jon Krakauer’s Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town, and Jason Reynolds’s and Brendan Kiely’s All American Boys.

Bookish Check-in
Ashley - Alexis Hall’s Boyfriend Material
Jen - Natasha Trethewey’s Memorial Drive
Sara - Kate Stayman-London’s One to Watch

Mentioned in Episode
Chanel Miller's Know My Name
Bryan Stevenson's Just Mercy
Episode 78: Laurie Halse Anderson Highlight - It Is Okay to Fight
Kiese Laymon's Heavy
Episode 138: Dive into Nonfiction Reads
Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak

Our Pairings
Ashley - Laurie Halse Anderson’s SHOUT
Jen - Jon Krakauer’s Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town
Sara - Jason Reynolds’s and Brendan Kiely’s All American Boys

Give Me One - Instrument You Wish You Played
Ashley - cello
Jen - guitar
Sara - guitar or piano

Interested in what else we're reading? Check out our Featured Books page.

Want to support Unabridged?
Check out our Merch Store!
Become a patron on Patreon.
Follow us @unabridgedpod on Instagram.
Like and follow our Facebook Page.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Check out our Teachers Pay Teachers store.
Follow us @unabridgedpod on Twitter.
Subscribe to our podcast and rate us on Apple Podcasts or on Stitcher.
Check us out on Podbean.
53 min

About Unabridged: A Book Podcast

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Unabridged is a bookish podcast hosted by teachers. We release episodes twice a month, including a monthly Book Club episode and other bookish topics full of recommendations for your TBR list. Join us…

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Unabridged: A Book Podcast

Unabridged: A Book Podcast episodes

About Unabridged: A Book Podcast