Shows
Rereading Our ChildhoodRereading The Long Secret by Louise FitzhughFor this episode, we reread Louise Fitzhugh's 1965 novel The Long Secret, the sequel to Harriet the Spy. We discussed the mystery of who is leaving notes for residents of Water Mill and Fitzhugh's fascinating but tragic life.Mentioned on this episode:Other books by Fitzhugh: Suzuki Bean by Sandra Scoppettone, illustrated by Fitzhugh (1961)Harriet the Spy (1964)Nobody's Family is Going to Change (1974)Sport (1980)Also mentioned:Sometimes You Have to Lie: The Life and Times of Louise Fitzhugh, Renegade Author of Harriet the Spy, b...
2025-08-2158 min
The Books We LovedNonfiction that reads like FictionOlivia and Manda are joined by Hannah (from Community Engagement), for a rousing conversation about nonfiction books that are so fascinating that they read like fiction. Books chatted about today include:
Stiff: the Curious Life of Human Cadavers, Mary Roach
Sharks Don't Sink: Adventures of a Rogue Shark Scientist, Jasmin Graham
Soul of an Octopus, Sy Montgomery
Unbroken: a World War II story of survival, resilience, and redemption, Laura Hillenbrand
Nobody Will Tell You This But Me, Bess Kalb
Lab Girl, Hope Jahren
Good Talk, Mira Jacob
Fun Home, Alison Bechdel
Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi
The Devil in the W...
2025-07-3039 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading Little Women, with Jamie StiehmOn this episode, syndicated columnist Jamie Stiehm joins us to reread Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel Little Women, which was published in two parts in 1868 and 1869.Mentioned on this episode:Other books by Alcott: Little Men (1871), Eight Cousins (1874), Rose in Bloom (1876), Jo’s Boys (1886)Also mentioned:Peyton Thomas’s tweet saying Alcott was transPeyton Thomas’s New York Times guest column saying that Alcott was transPeyton Thomas’s podcast Jo’s Boys (on Apple and Spotify)Film adaptations: Little Women (1933), with Katharine Hepburn (tra...
2025-07-1654 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading Magic by the Lake by Edward EagerOn this episode, we reread Edward Eager’s 1957 book Magic by the Lake, the sequel to Half Magic, which we discussed during our first season. Mentioned on this episode:The Time Garden and Seven-Day Magic by Edward EagerEager’s New York Times obituaryBy Pike and Dyke by G.A. HentyDeborah’s novels George Washington and the Magic Hat, John Adams and the Magic Bobblehead, and Thomas Jefferson and the Return of the Magic HatThe books of E. Nesbit Songs: “Paddling Madeleine Home,” “Do Do...
2025-06-1932 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading Mary Poppins by P.L. TraversOn this episode, we reread Mary Poppins, P.L. Travers's beloved 1934 classic. We discuss the difference between the book and the movie version of the magical nanny, changes in the book to remove racist portrayals, and Travers's strange and interesting life. Mentioned on the episode:Other books in the series:Mary Poppins Comes Back (1935)Mary Poppins Opens the Door (1943)Mary Poppins in the Park (1952)Also mentioned: Kathryn Hughes' 2005 Guardian review of Mary Poppins She Wrote: A Biography of P.L. Travers.A Goodreads rev...
2025-05-1559 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney TaylorOn this episode, we discuss All-of-a-Kind Family, Sydney Taylor's 1951 classic about five sisters growing up on New York's Lower East Side. Over the course of a year, the girls experience joys (like celebrating Jewish holidays and the Fourth of July) and sorrows (like getting scarlet fever and, even worse, losing a library book), and spend a lot of time thinking about how to spend their allowance (one penny). Mentioned on this episode: Other books in the series:More All-of-a-Kind FamilyAll-of-a-Kind Family UptownAll-of-a-Kind Family DowntownElla of...
2025-04-1734 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading Nancy Drew: The Secret of the Old Clock, with Sara FitzgeraldOn this episode, we discuss The Secret of the Old Clock by Carolyn Keene, the first installment in the Nancy Drew series, with writer Sara Fitzgerald.Mentioned on this episode:Other Nancy Drew books:The Secret of Red Gate FarmThe Hidden StaircaseOther Stratemeyer Syndicate series:The Bobbsey TwinsThe Hardy BoysThe Rover BoysAlso mentioned:The Silenced Muse by Sara FitzgeraldSeventeenth Summer by Maureen DalyTeen romances by Betty Cavanna
2025-03-2048 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading Johnny Tremain by Esther ForbesOn this episode, we discuss Esther Forbes's Newbery Medal-winning 1943 novel Johnny Tremain, the story of an apprentice silversmith in Boston who gets caught up in the events leading up to the American Revolution. Mentioned on this episode:Other books by Esther Forbes:Paul Revere and the World He Lived In (1942), winner of the 1943 Pulitzer Prize for History.The General's Lady (1938)Miss Marvel (1935)Also mentioned:The 1957 Disney movie adaptation of Johnny Tremain (trailer here)Gadsby's Tavern, in Alexandria, Virginia, which was built in 1770 and i...
2025-02-0634 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson BurnettOn this episode, we reread Frances Hodgson Burnett's beloved 1911 classic The Secret Garden, about Mary, a neglected girl who discovers a garden on her uncle's Yorkshire estate that has been locked up for ten years. We discuss the magic of secret places and Hodgson's surprising ties to the United States, including periods living in a Tennessee log cabin and in Washington, D.C.Mentioned on this episode:Other books by Burnett:A Little Princess(originally published as Sara Crewe) (1905)Little Lord Fauntleroy (1886)Through One Administration(1881), an adult novel about...
2025-01-2331 min
Rock Paper Write PodcastEpisode 12 Deborah Kalb Off to Join the CircusListen to Deborah Kalb talk about her debut adult fiction novel, Off to Join the Circus. She also talks about her podcast Rereading our Childhood and her blog, Book Q&As with Deborah Kalb where she interviews local authors. She has written fiction for kids and nonfiction for adults as well. Check her out to learn more!
You can find her at:
deborahkalb.com (Website)
deborahkalbbooks.blogspot.com (book blog)
https://www.facebook.com/deborahkalbauthor/ (Facebook)
@deborahskalb (Instagram)
2025-01-1227 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading Little Town on the Prairie, with Judith KalbWe were delighted to welcome our first guest, Judith Kalb, to talk about Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little Town on the Prairie (1941), the seventh book in the beloved Little House series. Judy is, in addition to being Deborah's sister, a literature scholar and a lifelong Laura Ingalls Wilder fan.Mentioned on this episode: Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography, by Laura Ingalls WilderThe Complete Poetical Works of Alfred Tennyson Stuart Little and Charlotte's Web by E.B. WhiteThe Beautiful Snow: The Ingalls Family, the Railroads, and the Hard Winter of...
2025-01-0950 minRereading Our ChildhoodOur Favorite Children's Books from 60 Years AgoFor our last episode of 2024, we talked about our favorite children's books of 60 years ago, which we defined as 1964-1966---a great era for children's books. Here are our favorites, but it's more fun if you listen to the episode first. We disqualified books that we've done episodes on. Mary Grace's top five:5. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl.4. The Strange Light by James Reeves3. Ismo by John Verney2. The Castle of Llyr by Lloyd Alexander1. The Long Secret by Louise Fitzhugh
2024-12-2625 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading The Dark is Rising by Susan CooperOn this episode, we read Susan Cooper's 1973 novel The Dark is Rising, which was a Newbery Honor Book. It's the story of Will, a British boy who discovers on his eleventh birthday that he's the last of the Old Ones, destined to fight against the forces of the Dark. It takes place over the period from the winter solstice to the 12th day of Christmas, so it's a great December read. (If the whole "British boy/eleventh birthday" thing sounds familiar, Cooper is considered by many to have influenced J.K. Rowling.) Mentioned on this episode: ...
2024-12-1344 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading The Summer of the Swans by Betsy ByarsOn this episode, we reread Betsy Byars' The Summer of the Swans, which won the 1971 Newbery Medal. It's an evocative story of a 14-year-old girl who's preoccupied with her big feet and her puce sneakers until the disappearance of her younger brother, who has an intellectual disability, forces her to look beyond her own adolescent thoughts. Mentioned on the podcast:The 1970 Kirkus Review review of the book 1971 Newbery Honor Book Enchantress from the Starsby Sylvia Louise EngdahlAnother 1970 book about an adolescent girl's search for identity that, in Mary Grace's opinion, sh...
2024-11-2830 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Secret Pitch by Donald J. SobolOn the second annual Encyclopedia Brown episode, Mary Grace and Deborah match wits with America’s most brilliant boy detective, and with each other, in solving the cases in the series’ second installment, Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Secret Pitch.Mentioned on the podcast:Goodreads reviews of Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Secret PitchOther Rereading Our Childhood episodes:Rereading Encyclopedia Brown, Boy DetectiveYou can find Deborah’s author interviews on her blog, Books Q&A by Deborah Kalb, and Mary Grace’s adventures in the 1...
2024-11-1427 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading The Saturdays by Elizabeth EnrightOn this episode, we reread Elizabeth Enright's 1941 novel The Saturdays, about four children who pool their allowances and set out on solo adventures in New York.Mentioned on the episode: Other books in the Melendy family series: The Four-Story Mistake (1942)Then There Were Five (1944)Spiderweb for Two (1951)Also by Elizabeth Enright:Thimble Summer (1938)Gone-Away Lake (1957)Return to Gone-Away (1961)Other Rereading Our Childhood episodes:Rereading Harriet the Spy by Louise FitzhughRereading Stuart Little by E.B...
2024-10-3132 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George SpeareMary Grace and Deborah discuss Elizabeth George Speare’s 1958 Newbery Medal winner The Witch of Blackbird Pond, about a girl, Kit, who’s struggling to fit in in a Puritan community in colonial Connecticut.Mentioned in this episode:The Crucible, Arthur Miller’s 1953 play about the Salem witch trials.Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.Kit’s childhood reading includes The Pilgrim’s Progress and The Tempest.The Bronze Bow, Speare’s 1962 Newbery winner about a Jewish boy living at the time of Christ.Calico Captive, Speare’s 1957 first n...
2024-10-1736 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading The Hotel Cat by Esther AverillOn this episode, Deborah (a cat person) rereads, and Mary Grace (not a cat person) reads, The Hotel Cat (1969), a late entry in Esther Averill’s long Cat Club series.Other books in the Cat Club series:The Cat Club (1944)Jenny Goes to Sea (1957)The Fire Cat (1960)Other podcast episodes:Rereading Harriet the Spy by Louise FitzhughRereading Ramona the Pest by Beverly ClearyRereading Freaky Friday by Mary RodgersRereading Stuart Little by E.B. WhiteAlso mentioned:...
2024-10-0326 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading M.C. Higgins, the Great by Virginia HamiltonOn this episode, Mary Grace and Deborah read Virginia Hamilton's 1974 novel M.C. Higgins the Great, about a teenaged boy in Appalachia whose life is turned upside down when two strangers come to town. Hamilton won the Newbery Medal for the book; she was the first African American to win the award. Mentioned on the episode: Also by Virginia Hamilton: Zeely (1967) The House of Dies Drear (1968) The Planet of Junior Brown (1971) Other Rereading Our Childhood episodes: Rereading Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth by E.L...
2024-09-1934 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank BaumOn this episode, Deborah rereads, and Mary Grace reads, a book that needs no introduction: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, also known as The Wizard of Oz. They discuss weird sequels, the history of sunglasses, the monoculture, and, of course, the movie. Mentioned on the episode:Also by L. Frank Baum: The Tin Woodman of Oz (1918)Father Goose, His Book (1899)Other Rereading Our Childhood episodes:Rereading Black Hearts in Battersea by Joan Aiken Rereading Half Magic by Edward Eager Also mentioned:The...
2024-09-0646 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading Black Hearts in Battersea by Joan AikenMary Grace and Deborah commemorate the 100th anniversary of Joan Aiken’s birth by reading Black Hearts in Battersea, the second in her Wolves Chronicles series, featuring resourceful orphans and sinister plots in an alt-history version of nineteenth-century London.Mentioned on the episode:Other books by Aiken:The Wolves of Willoughby ChaseNightbirds on NantucketJane FairfaxAlso mentioned:The Shortest History of England by James HawesPost on the blog A Son of the Rock questioning King James's Scottish accent“What...
2024-08-2337 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading Ramona the Pest by Beverly ClearyDeborah and Mary Grace discuss Beverly Cleary's 1968 classic Ramona the Pest. This was the first book starring Ramona, who appeared in Cleary's earlier books as Beezus's annoying little sister before going on to become Cleary's most beloved character. Mentioned in this episode:Other books by Beverly Cleary:Ellen Tebbits (1951)Henry Huggins (1950)Henry and Beezus (1952)Mitch and Amy (1967)Dear Mr. Henshaw (1983, winner of the 1984 Newbery Medal)Other Rereading Our Childhood episodes:Rereading "B" is for BetsyRereading A Wrinkle in T...
2024-08-0841 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading The Mysterious Disappearance of Leon (I Mean Noel) by Ellen RaskinMary Grace and Deborah discuss Ellen Raskin’s 1971 mystery romp, The Mysterious Disappearance of Leon (I Mean Noel), about a woman’s decades-long search for her husband, whom she married as a child. (It’s a long story.) The book is full of word games, puzzles, and creative illustrations by Raskin, who was also a graphic artist.Other books by Ellen Raskin:Nothing Ever Happens on My Block (1967). This picture book, a childhood favorite of Mary Grace’s, was the first book Raskin wrote after illustrating many children’s books written by others.Figgs and...
2024-07-2531 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry Mary Grace and Deborah discuss Misty of Chincoteague, Marguerite Henry's classic 1947 novel about Misty and her mother Phantom, wild ponies from the island of Assateague, and Paul and Maureen, a brother and sister from the neighboring island of Chincoteague who long to own them. Other books by Henry:Stormy, Misty’s Foal (1963)Justin Morgan Had a Horse (1945), a Newbery Honor BookKing of the Wind (1948), winner of the 1949 Newbery MedalSea Star, Orphan of Chincoteague (1949)Misty’s Twilight (1992)Also mentioned on the podcast:The li...
2024-07-1127 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading The Book of Three by Lloyd AlexanderMary Grace and Deborah discuss The Book of Three (1964) by Lloyd Alexander. Other books in the series:The Black Cauldron (1965)The Castle of Llyr (1966)Taran Wanderer (1967)The High King (1968)Other books by Alexander:Time Cat (1963), discussed by Deborah on a blog postAnd Let the Credit Go (1955)Janine is French (1960)The Wizard in the Tree (1974)Park Avenue Vet (1960)Fifty Years in the Doghouse (1964)The King's Fountain (1971)Also mentioned:A 2012 School Library Journal pollSam, Banks, and Moonshine...
2024-06-2838 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading Anne of Green Gables by L.M. MontgomeryDeborah and Mary Grace discuss Anne of Green Gables, L.M. Montgomery's beloved 1908 tale of a strong-willed and imaginative orphan.Other books in the series:Anne of AvonleaAnne of the IslandAnne of Windy PoplarsAnne's House of DreamsAnne of InglesideThe Blythes are Quoted (short stories)Also mentioned:Some books and poems that Anne reads:"Curfew Must Not Ring Tonight" by Rose Hartwick Thorpe"The Lady of Shallot" by Alfred, Lord TennysonBen Hur by Lew Wallace"Marmion" by Sir W...
2024-06-1345 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading February's Road by John VerneyMary Grace introduces Deborah to John Verney’s 1961 novel February’s Road. Other books by Verney:Friday’s Tunnel (1959)Ismo (1964)Seven Sunflower Seeds (1968)Samson’s Hoard (1973)Going to the Wars (1955)A Dinner of Herbs (1966)Also mentioned:The Arm of the Starfish (1965) by Madeleine L’Engle,Verney’s illustrations.A post on the blog Clothes in Books.The illustrations of Edward Ardizzone.An obituary of Verney in The Independent.A post on the Farnham Trust’s website about Verney.
2024-05-2942 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading Stuart Little by E.B. WhiteDeborah and Mary Grace reread Stuart Little, E.B. White's 1945 classic about the adventures of a New York boy who looks exactly like a mouse. They discuss their early memories of reading Stuart Little (or, in Mary Grace's case, having her mom read it to her), Garth Williams' wonderful illustrations, and pioneering children's librarian Annie Carroll Moore's vehement opposition to the book. Mentioned on this episode:Charlotte's Web by E.B. WhiteThe Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. WhiteThe Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B...
2024-05-1635 min
New Books in LiteratureDeborah Kalb, "Off to Join the Circus" (Apprentice House, 2023)In Deborah Kalb’s debut adult novel Off to Join the Circus (Apprentice House Press 2023) it’s 2018, Howard Pinsky’s sister Adele, who ran away in 1954, as his parents said, “to join the circus,” is suddenly, 64 years later, in Bethesda wanting to be a part of the family. Howard, now 75 and a retired lawyer married to Marilyn, a retired teacher, spent years researching circuses and trying to find his sister. Now, during a two-week period when their eldest daughter is about to give birth at 46, their middle daughter’s younger son is about to become a Bar Mitzvah, and their youngest...
2024-04-0220 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton JusterOn this episode, Mary Grace and Deborah discuss The Phantom Tollbooth, Norton Juster's 1961 classic about Milo, a boy who's bored with life until a mysterious tollbooth takes him and his electric car to The Lands Beyond, where he meets the warring kings of Dictionopolis and Digitopolis and many other memorable characters. Jules Feiffer's numerous illustrations are as important a part of the story as the text.This is the last episode of our first season. We'll be back in May. Mentioned on this episode:The Dot and the Line (1963), written and illustrated by N...
2024-02-2227 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley SnyderMary Grace and Deborah discuss The Egypt Game, Zilpha Keatley Snyder's 1967 Newbery Honor Book about a group of children who create an elaborate game based on ancient Egypt. Mentioned on this episode:The Egypt Game: A Second Look, The Horn BookThe Kirkus Review review of The Egypt GameA 2011 post on the website Banned Reads Project featuring three teenagers' perspectives on The Egypt GameThe ACLU’s list of The 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-2000The Waste Land by T.S. EliotThe Love Song o...
2024-02-0833 min
RadiolabG: Relative GeniusAlbert Einstein asked that when he died, his body be cremated and his ashes be scattered in a secret location. He didn’t want his grave, or his body, becoming a shrine to his genius. When he passed away in the early morning hours of April, 18, 1955, his family knew his wishes. There was only one problem: the pathologist who did the autopsy had different plans.In the third episode of “G”, Radiolab’s miniseries on intelligence, first aired back in 2019 we go on one of the strangest scavenger hunts for genius the world has ever seen. We follow E...
2024-02-021h 14
People of the BookOFF TO JOIN THE CIRCUS: Deborah Kalb chats with Meryl about her delightful family sagaMeryl talks with Deborah Kalb about her new novel, Off to Join the Circus, which is about an overly enmeshed, neurotic Jewish family in the Washington, D.C. area, and what happens when a relative returns after 64 years. They also chat about Deborah’s other writing, and her daily blog, Q & A with Deborah Kalb. In addition, Deborah shares what it was like growing up in a family of legendary journalists. She is the daughter of Marvin Kalb and niece of the late Bernard Kalb.
Deborah is a freelance writer and editor. She spent about two decades wo...
2024-02-0130 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading Danny Dunn and the Anti-Gravity Paint by Jay Williams and Raymond AbrashkinOn this episode, Deborah and Mary Grace discuss Danny Dunn and the Anti-Gravity Paint, published in 1956. In the first book of the popular series, Danny discovers a secret rocket project and, oops, accidentally launches the rocket into space.Discussed in this episode:A 2023 New Yorker article about Danny DunnOther books in the series:Danny Dunn and the Homework Machine Danny Dunn and the Fossil CaveAs Deborah mentions, Danny Dunn and the Anti-Gravity Paint was illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats, who wrote and illustrated the Caldecott A...
2024-01-2425 minRereading Our ChildhoodOur Favorite Children's Books from 50 Years AgoMary Grace and Deborah ring in 2024 with a special episode where they count down their five favorite books from 50 years ago, defined as published between 1972 and 1974. They (mostly) didn't reread these books for the episode, so their choices are based on their childhood memories.As Mary Grace mentions, the format was inspired by the Book Riot podcast, which has done a number of similar countdowns, including a fun episode on the top bookish phenomena of the past 25 years. Here are Deborah's and Mary Grace's favorites--but we suggest that you listen to the episode before looking...
2024-01-1123 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading Pippi Longstocking by Astrid LindgrenMary Grace and Deborah discuss Pippi Longstocking, Astrid Lindgren's 1945 classic (published in English in 1950) about an anarchic Swedish girl. They discuss their love for the book as children, their mixed feelings on rereading it, and Pippi as a feminist icon. Mary Grace, who spent a month in Sweden earlier this year, talks about Lindgren's legendary status in Sweden, where she's literally on the money. Discussed on this episode:The BBC News survey on the 100 greatest children's books of all time, with Pippi Longstocking at #3 Pippi in the South Seas by Astrid LindgrenT...
2023-12-1435 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading Half Magic by Edward EagerMary Grace and Deborah discuss Edward Eager's Half Magic, the first of Eager's seven books of magical adventures. Four bored siblings living in a Midwestern city in the 1920s find a magic amulet...except it only grants half of what you wish for. We talk about what has and hasn't held up in the six decades since Half Magic was published, about Eager's life, and about the real (and extremely inappropriate) silent movie they go to.Mentioned on this episode:Barbara, the inappropriate movie, reviewed in Motion Picture World . (The critic didn't like it any...
2023-11-3034 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie BrinkDeborah and Mary Grace read Carol Ryrie Brink's 1935 Newbery Medal winner Caddie Woodlawn, which is based on Brink's grandmother's childhood adventures on the Wisconsin frontier. Mentioned on this episode:Caddie Woodlawn's Family by Carol Ryrie Brink (previously titled Magical Melons) (1939)Two Are Better Than One by Carol Ryrie Brink (1968)Louly by Carol Ryrie Brink (1974)Mary Grace mentioned what she thought were two different blog posts on a website about portrayals of American Indians in children's books. Actually, it was just one post: https://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/2007/03/reflections-on-caddie-woodlawn-teaching.html.
2023-11-1642 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading Freaky Friday by Mary RodgersMary Grace and Deborah reread one of their childhood favorites, Mary Rodgers' 1972 mother-daughter body-switching story Freaky Friday. They also discuss Rodger's posthumous 2022 memoir Shy, which was a New York Times Notable Book. Mentioned on this episode:The intro to the PBS show Mystery!, with animation based on illustrations by Edward Gorey.A Billion for Boris, the sequel to Freaky Friday, which Mary Grace and Deborah both enjoyed as children. Summer Switch by Mary Rodgers, in which Ape Face and his dad switch bodies, with less-than-hilarious results. Freaky Monday, a supposedly co-authored...
2023-11-0338 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading Little Witch and The Little Leftover WitchDeborah and Mary Grace celebrate Halloween by reading two books about witches, Little Witch by Anna Elizabeth Bennett, published in 1953, and The Little Leftover Witch by Florence Laughlin, published in 1960. Both books are about lonely little witches who find homes with non-magical families. Other witch-related books mentioned on the episode:The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare (1958)The Active Enzyme Lemon-Freshened, Junior High School Witch by E. W. Hildick (1973)The Wizard of Oz books by L. Frank BaumThe Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling
2023-10-1929 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'EngleMary Grace and Deborah reread Madeleine L'Engle's 1962 classic A Wrinkle in TIme, about...well, it's hard to describe what it's about. A troubled girl. A missing father. A genius brother. Three mysterious women. Interplanetary adventure. An evil, throbbing brain. None of this does justice to a book that two science fiction-hating girls ended up loving, and that their grown-up selves had a wonderful time returning to. Discussed on this episode:Listening for Madeleine, Leonard Marcus's book of interviews with people in L'Engle's life. Cynthia Zarin's controversial 2004 New Yorker profile of L'Engle.Th...
2023-10-0554 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading The Great Brain by John D. FitzgeraldDeborah and Mary Grace read John D. Fitzgerald’s 1967* novel The Great Brain, the first book in the series featuring John, the narrator, and his older brother Tom, the eponymous Great Brain, who wreaks havoc on their late 19th-century Utah town with his devious moneymaking ventures. Mentioned on this episode:The Amazon review that gives parents a heads-up about disturbing content in the book. Mary Grace recommends the Encyclopedia Brown books, featured on a previous episode, for fans of The Great Brain. She also recommends Two Are Better than One and Louly, by Ca...
2023-09-2132 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading The Owl Service by Alan GarnerMary Grace and Deborah reread Alan Garner’s Carnegie Medal-winning 1967 novel The Owl Service, which tells the story of three teenagers, Alison, Gwyn, and Roger, who find themselves reliving a Welsh legend of love and betrayal that plays out over every generation. Discussed on this episode: A 2021 Guardian profile of Garner. Mary Grace recommends Lloyd Alexander’s The Chronicles of Prydain series and Susan Cooper’s The Dark is Rising series for fans of The Owl Service.The real-life dinner plates that inspired the book, at the Bodleian Libraries‘ Facebook page.
2023-09-0746 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective by Donald J. SobolEncyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective, which was published in 1963, is the first of Donald J. Sobol’s 29-book series featuring Encyclopedia, the boy detective who always gets his man (or boy, or girl). The solution to each crime is revealed at the end of the book. In this episode, Deborah and Mary Grace match wits with Encyclopedia, and with each other, in identifying the culprits.Discussed on this episode:The full Encyclopedia Brown series on Goodreads.Two-Minute Mysteries, a collection of Sobol’s syndicated columns for adultsSobol’s New York Times obitua...
2023-08-2431 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading "B" is for Betsy by Carolyn HaywoodMary Grace and Deborah celebrate the beginning of a new school year by rereading "B" is for Betsy,, Carolyn Haywood's 1939 novel about a little girl navigating the complicated world of first grade. It was the first in a long series of books about Betsy and her friends.Mentioned on this episode: The twelve books in the Betsy series, on Goodreads Haywood's Eddie series, on GoodreadsHaywood's Penny series, on Goodreads Mary Grace's blog page where she discusses Dorothy Canfield Fisher's Understood Betsy (it's #7 on the list)Haywood's New...
2023-08-1042 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading Ballet Shoes by Noel StreatfeildDeborah and Mary Grace discuss Ballet Shoes, Noel Streatfeild's classic 1936 story of a trio of adopted sisters, Pauline, Petrova, and Posy, who attend a school for professional children in the performing arts in London. Ballet Shoes is the first in what became a series of "Shoes" books about children working in the theater, the circus, etc. Mentioned on this episode: Plays that the girls perform in:The Blue Bird, by Maurice Maeterlinck (a large chunk of which, weirdly, appears in the text of Ballet Shoes)A Midsummer Night's Dream, by William...
2023-07-2730 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading The Children of Green Knowe by L.M. BostonOops! Mary Grace made a mockery of the show title by picking a book that it turns out she probably didn't read as a child. What she (and Deborah) actually did read was The RIVER at Green Knowe. Nevertheless, they had a great time discussing The Children of Green Knowe, the first book in the series, which is about a boy named Tolly who goes to live with his great-grandmother in a mansion haunted by seventeenth-century children. Mentioned on this episode:The Amazon review that Mary Grace mentions where the reviewer complains about the book be...
2023-07-1335 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading Harriet the Spy by Louise FitzhughMary Grace and Deborah discuss Harriet the Spy, Louise Fitzhugh’s 1964 classic about an 11-year-old would-be writer, her spying career, and her interactions with her nanny, her classmates, and her parents. Discussed on this episode:Other books in the series:The Long Secret (1965)Sport (1979, published posthumously)Other books by Fitzhugh: Suzuki Beane, a parody of Eloise, written by Sandra Scoppettone and illustrated by Fitzhugh.Nobody’s Family Is Going to Change (1974).Deborah's Q&A with Leslie Brody, author of the Fitzhugh biography Sometimes You Ha...
2023-06-2942 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading Henry Reed, Inc. by Keith RobertsonMary Grace and Deborah discuss Henry Reed, Inc., Keith Robertson's 1958 novel about a boy who starts a research business while spending the summer with his aunt and uncle in a small town near Princeton, New Jersey. This is the first in a five-book series about the adventures of Henry and his friend Midge. Other books in the series:Henry Reed's Journey (1963)Henry Reed's Baby-Sitting Service (1966)Henry Reed's Big Show (1970)Henry Reed's Think Tank (1986) As Mary Grace mentions, Robertson's first novel, Ticktock and Jim, is available as a fr...
2023-06-1539 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth by E.L. KonigsburgDeborah and Mary Grace reread Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth, E.L. Konigsburg’s 1967 debut novel. You can listen to this episode here.Discussed on this episode: Other books by E.L. Konigsburg:From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, Konigsburg’s Newbery Medal winner about a brother and sister who run away to the Metropolitan Museum.(George)A Proud Taste for Scarlet and MiniverAbout the B’nai BagelsA Smithsonian Magazine article commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of From the Mix...
2023-06-0139 minRereading Our ChildhoodRereading Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy BlumeOn the first episode, Mary Grace and Deborah revisit Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, Judy Blume's 1970 classic of adolescence.Mentioned on the podcast:Other books by Judy Blume:Then Again, Maybe I Won’t, the boy equivalent of Are You There, God? It’s Me, MargaretTales of a Fourth Grade Nothing and Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great, the first two books in the popular Fudge seriesIt’s Not the End of the World, the story of a girl whose parents are divorcingForever, the much-banned book about a teen...
2023-05-1840 min
Living The Writing Life Podcast with Nancy ChristieIn Conversation With … Deborah Kalb, authorDeborah Kalb is the author of the forthcoming adult novel Off to Join the Circus (available on Bookshop, Barnes & Noble and Amazon) as well as three novels for kids: Thomas Jefferson and the Return of the Magic Hat, John Adams and the Magic Bobblehead, and George Washington and the Magic Hat.
Together with her father, Marvin Kalb, she co-authored Haunting Legacy: Vietnam and the American Presidency from Ford to Obama and she also has published other books on politics and government as well as working as a journalist for more than two decades covering Congress and politics.
2023-05-1739 min
Families Under PressureNever let a crisis go to waste: COVID-19 silver liningsNever Let a Crisis go to Waste: Opportunities to Reduce Social Disadvantage from COVID-19.This is a special episode, recorded as part of a panel discussion hosted by Life Course Centre research leaders. In the midst of a global crisis that has upended almost all aspects of how we live and work, a life course approach turns attention to the long-term impacts of COVID-19. Looking at the pandemic through a life course lens also provides a chance to reflect on opportunities from COVID-19 for examining long-standing, taken-for-granted rules and regulations about living and working.In the paper, ‘Never let a cr...
2021-11-0827 min
Castaway BooksCastaway Books with author Kathleen Marple KalbIn this week's episode Kathleen Marple Kalb, author of the Ella Shane Mystery series, tells me about her life growing up in Western Pennsylvania and her work as a news anchor.http://www.abrakdeborah.wordpress.com
2021-05-0628 min
Conversations with Rich BennettVampires, Meanies and Rapper Raindrop Read?Rich Bennett and Brian Godfrey talk with Local Authors Kelly Anne White, Veronica Bartles, Deborah Kalb, Rachel Kolar, Natia Raina aka Raindrop and Timothy Young.Send us a textDonate HereSupport the showRate & Review on Apple Podcasts Follow the Conversations with Rich Bennett podcast on Social Media:Facebook – Conversations with Rich Bennett Facebook Group (Join the conversation) – Conversations with Rich Bennett podcast group | FacebookTwitter – Conversations with Rich Bennett Instagram – @conversationswithrichbennettTikTok – CWRB (@conversationsrichbennett) | TikTok Sponsors, Affiliates, and ways we pa...
2019-10-141h 45Harford County Living with Rich BennettVampires, Meanies and Rapper Raindrop Read?Rich Bennett and Brian Godfrey talk with Local Authors Kelly Anne White, Veronica Bartles, Deborah Kalb, Rachel Kolar, Natia Raina aka Raindrop and Timothy Young.
2019-10-141h 44
How to Get Audiobook in Radio & TV, Great InterviewsCharlie Rose: David Wise, Deborah Kalb, Marvin Kalb, and Eric Greitens, July 28, 2011 by Charlie Rose | Free AudiobookListen to full audiobooks for free on :https://hotaudiobook.com/freeTitle: Charlie Rose: David Wise, Deborah Kalb, Marvin Kalb, and Eric Greitens, July 28, 2011
Author: Charlie Rose
Narrator: Charlie Rose
Format: Original Recording
Length: 53 mins
Language: English
Release date: 07-28-11
Publisher: Charlie Rose Show
Genres: Radio & TV, Great Interviews
Summary:
A conversation with investigative journalist David Wise. Next, a conversation with author Deborah Kalb and Marvin Kalb, Senior Fellow at the Shorenstein Center for the Press, Politics and Public Policy, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. Finally, a conversation with Eric Greitens. [Broadcast Date: July 28, 2011]
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2011-07-2853 min