Welcome to the Shelf Care Interview, an occasional conversation series where Booklist talks to book people. This Shelf Care Interview is sponsored by HMH Books for Young Readers.

Ally Carter writes books about sentinels, spies, thieves, and diplomats. She is a New York Times best-selling author whose novels have sold over three million copies and have been published in more than twenty countries. She lives in Oklahoma, where her life is either very ordinary or the best deep-cover story ever.

Winterborne Home for Mayhem and Mystery is available now!

Shelf Care Interview: Ally Carter

On this episode of Booklist’s Shelf Care: The Podcast, host Susan Maguire talks to Karen Toonen, Collection Services Manager at the Naperville Public Library (IL) about how her library’s circulation changed during lockdown, and what she did about it; Audio Editor Heather Booth shares the five essentials of business books on audio; and Adult Books Editor Donna Seaman shares what she’s reading and loving. 

Here’s what we talked about:

Reunion Beach: Stories Inspired by Dorothea Benton Frank by Elin Hilderbrand, Andriana Trigiani, et al.
It Had to Be You by Georgia Clark.
The Cult of We by Eliot Brown.
Bridgerton, aka The Duke and I by Julia Quinn. 
Naked in Death by JD Robb.
Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women that a Movement Forgot by Mikki Kendall. Read by the author.
The City We Became by N. K. Jemisin. Read by Robin Miles.
All Together Now: A Newfoundlander’s Light Tales for Heavy Times by Alan Doyle.

Heather’s Tips for Selecting Business Books on Audio: 
1)	Look to the stars!
2)	Look to the *other* stars
3)	Think like a talk-y management business-y type
4)	Shop the airport
5)	Trust the content

The Man Who Lived Underground, by Richard Wright. 
Leonora in the Morning Light, by Michaela Carter.
Leonora Carrington Tarot card deck
Rescuing the Planet: Protecting Half the Land to Heal the Earth, by Tony Hiss.
Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest, by Suzanne Simard.

Episode 14: Circ Stats, Bridgerton, and Other Library Business

Raúl the Third is the Pura Belpré Honor-winning illustrator of ¡VAMOS! LET'S GO TO THE MARKET and ¡VAMOS! LET'S GO EAT. He is currently working on the expanded world of his ¡Vamos! series. He grew up in El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juárez, México, and now lives in Boston, Massachusetts with colorist and collaborator Elaine Bay and their son, Raúl the Fourth. 

His new books, TAG TEAM and TRAINING DAY will be publishing May 4 from Houghton Mifflin Books for Young Readers.

Shelf Care Interview: Raúl the Third

Welcome to the Shelf Care Interview, an occasional conversation series where Booklist talks to book people. This Shelf Care Interview is sponsored by Dreamscape Audio.

In this latest installment, Heather Booth talks to the team behind MURDER BY PAGE ONE, Olivia Matthews and Janina Edwards. 

Olivia Matthews is the cozy mystery pseudonym of award-winning author, Patricia Sargent of a reader. She's been inspired by writers, such as Walter Mosley, Dick Francis, and Tammy Hogue who put ordinary characters in extraordinary situations. Raised in New York city, she lives with her husband in Ohio. 

Janina Edwards is an earphone award winner, a graduate of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and recorded her first audiobook in 1987. She excels in portraying authentic characters and voices, the African diaspora west Africa, Southern us and west Indies. Janina is also a yoga teacher, a musician who plays the violin and Kirtan wallah and is owned by two cats. 

MURDER BY PAGE ONE  is available now!

Shelf Care Interview: Olivia Matthews and Janina Edwards

Welcome to the Shelf Care Interview, an occasional conversation series where Booklist talks to book people. This Shelf Care Interview is sponsored by Macmillan Children's Publishing Group.

In this latest installment, Ronny Khuri talks to Nidhi Chanani, author of JUKEBOX.

Nidhi Chanani was born in Kolkata, India and raised in California. She creates illustrations that capture love in everyday moments which are often featured at Disney Parks. In 2012 she was honored by the Obama Administration as a Champion of Change. She’s the author of Pashmina, Shubh Raatri Dost/Good Night Friend, and illustrator of I Will Be Fierce. Nidhi draws and dreams in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and kid.

Shelf Care Interview: Nidhi Chanani

On this episode of Booklist’s Shelf Care: The Podcast, host Susan Maguire talks to the Graphic Novels & Comics Round Table’s Jessica Jenner about the Best Graphic Novels for Adults reading list, Audio Editor Heather Booth gives us the skinny on the Odyssey Award winners, and Adult Books Associate Editor Annie Bostrom and I figure out who is more of a Kristy.

Here’s what we talked about:

2020 Best Graphic Novels for Adults
Year of the Rabbit by Tian Veasna, illustrated by the author, translated by Helge Dascher.
Parable of the Sower: A Graphic Novel Adaptation by Damian Duffy and Octavia Butler, illustrated by John Jennings.
Come Home, Indio by Jim Terry, illustrated by the author.
Best Graphic Novels for Adults Reading List nomination form.

Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, read by Bahni Turpin.
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds, read by Jason Reynolds.
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo, read by Elizabeth Acevedo and Melania-Luisa Marte.
When Stars are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed, read by a full cast.
Kent State by Deborah Wiles, read by a full cast.

We Are the Baby-Sitters Club: Growing Up Bookish and Bossy with the Iconic Series edited by Marisa Crawford and Megan Milks.
Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder.

Episode 15: Graphic Novels for Every Reader and Mother-Dog Summer

Welcome to the Shelf Care Interview, an occasional conversation series where Booklist talks to book people. This Shelf Care Interview is sponsored by Random House Children's Books.

In this episode of the Shelf Care Interview, Sarah Hunter talks to Reimena Yee, author of MY AUNT IS A MONSTER.

Reimena Yee is an illustrator, writer, and designer. Hailing from the dusty metropolis of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, she is now based in Melbourne, Australia. She once was a STEM student, but left to pursue her passion for the world and all its histories and cultures, which she weaves into her art and stories. She is the cofounder of UNNAMED, a comics collective that builds community and resources for visual-literary creators in Southeast Asia. She is the author-illustrator of the gothic comics The World in Deeper Inspection and the Eisner- and McDuffie-nominated The Carpet Merchant of Konstantiniyya. Séance Tea Party was her debut middle-grade graphic novel. @reimenayee

Shelf Care Interview: Reimena Yee

Welcome to the Shelf Care Interview, an occasional conversation series where Booklist talks to book people. This Shelf Care interview is sponsored by Random House Children's Books.

In this episode of The Shelf Care Interview, Maggie Reagan talks to Daniel Minter, illustrator of BLUE: A HISTORY OF THE COLOR AS DEEP AS THE SEA AND AS WIDE AS THE SKY

Daniel Minter is a fine artist and illustrator. His paintings, carvings, block prints, and sculptures have been exhibited at galleries and museums, both nationally and internationally. He has illustrated numerous books for children and is the recipient of the Coretta Scott King Illustration Honor, and Caldecott honor. He lives in Portland, Maine with his family.

Shelf Care Interview: Daniel Minter

This episode of Shelf Care: The Podcast is all about Summer Scares! The reading program, a collaboration between Booklist, the Horror Writers Association, United for Libraries, Book Riot, and NoveList, announced their title picks in February. Host Susan Maguire sat down with the folks behind Summer Scares to talk about the books they want you to read this summer, different levels of scariness, and the importance of snacks for patron engagement.

Here’s what we talked about:

This Thing between Us, by Gus Moreno
Such Sharp Teeth, by Rachel Harrison
Jackal, by Erin E. Adams
All these Bodies, by Kendare Blake
Anna Dressed in Blood, by Kendare Blake
#MurderTrending, by Gretchen McNeil
Chain Gang All-Stars, by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
Dead Flip, by Sara Farizan
Meddling Kids, by Edgar Cantero
LibraryReads
What Kind of Mother, by Clay McLeod Chapman
2024 Summer Scares Programming Guide
Horror Writers Association 
The Nest, by Kenneth Oppel
Ophie’s Ghost, by Justina Ireland
My Aunt is a Monster, by Reimena Yee
The Labyrinth of Lost and Found, by Jordan Lees (The Whisperwicks #1)
Don’t miss these webinars, featuring the Summer Scares Authors:
Summer Scares Adult 
Summer Scares YA
Summer Scares Middel Grade

YouTube Audio Library

Summer Scares 2024

On this episode of Shelf Care: The Podcast, host Susan Maguire sat down with Johanna Boyle and Marie Mulder from the Kent District Library in Michigan about the necessary work of the diversity audit, and what to do once the audit is done (hint: it involves spreadsheets). Then Audio Editor Heather Booth offers some solid suggestions for promoting your audiobook collection. Finally (oh, finally), Susan and Senior Editor, Books for Youth Maggie Reagan sat down for one last conversation about what Maggie is reading and loving, and what the heck romantasy means.

Here's what we talked about:

The Final Strife, by Saara El-Afiri
Made Glorious, by Lindsay Eagar
I Loved You In Another Life, by David Arnold
Compass and Blade, by Rachel Greenlaw
A Court of Thorns and Roses, by Sarah J. Maas
Fourth Wing, by Rebecca Yarros

After the Diversity Audit and Farewell, Maggie (sad emoji)

Welcome to another installment of the Shelf Care Interview, an occasional podcast series in which Booklist editors get to talk to book people. This Shelf Care Interview is sponsored by Dreamscape Media.

In this episode of the Shelf Care interview, Heather Booth talks with the creative team behind Rifts and Refrains, the audio-first production from Dreamscape Media's Dreamscape First Initiative. Rifts and Refrains is by Tiye with a shared narration by Benjamin Charles and iiKane.

Tiye is a USA Today Bestselling author and has penned over forty novels. When Tiye's not obsessed with her latest characters, she's addressing the mental health needs of others through her private practice and teaching. She loves laughing and dancing with her family and friends and curled up somewhere, anywhere, forever inspired to write emotional, angsty stories that allow readers to escape. Check out her website and join her newsletter at www.tiyelovebooks.com, and follow her on F.B. @Tiye Love Books, TikTok @tiyelove, and/or on her I.G. @tiye28always.

Benjamin Charles is Bahamian-born meditator, marathoner, and humanist interested in using the human voice to foster connection, combat loneliness, and incite joy! He has worked with many of the leaders in the industry including Podium, Audible, Dreamscape, Penguin Random House, and many many more. Upwards and onwards together.

iiKane has narrated numerous titles currently available on Audible and other major online platforms. Her strong suits are creatively voicing different characters; animation; romance, fiction, and nonfiction narration; urban dramas; and historical/memoir readings. She has fifteen-plus years of voice experience, and her work has been featured on numerous flagship radio stations across the country for clients including MTV, VH1, BET, McDonald's, Access Hollywood, and AT&T. She also actively promotes new titles and authors to her social media audiences and enjoys every opportunity to bring projects to life in audio!

The Shelf Care Interview: The Creative Team Behind RIFTS AND REFRAINS

On this episode of Shelf Care: The Podcast, we’ve got lots and lots of reading suggestions. First, host Susan Maguire is joined by Rebecca Vnuk, Executive Director, LibraryReads, for a mini-Read ‘n’ Rave, a version of the hit program that Booklist and LibraryReads host at ALA Annual. Then, Audio Editor Heather Booth talks to her daughter Julia about how libraries can help teens find good audiobooks. Finally, Susan and Sarah Hunter, Editor, Books for Youth and Graphic Novels, sat down to share a ton of great new graphic novels that you can use to celebrate the tail end of Graphic Novels in Libraries Month (and beyond).

“They Just Need to Get a Job”: 15 Myths on Homelessness, by Mary Brosnahan
The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern, by Lynda Cohen Loigman
Break Every Rule, by Brian Freeman
The Most Wonderful Time, by Jayne Allen
Marigold Mind Laundry, by Jungeun Yun, tr. By Shanna Tan
Swordcrossed, by Freya Marske
Bury Your Gays, by Chuck Tingle
Swan Song, by Elin Hilderbrand
The Strange Tales of Oscar Zahn, v. 1, by Tri Vuong, art by the author 
The Puerto Rican War: A Graphic History, by John Vasquez Mejias, art by the author
A Pillbug Story, by Alison Conway, art by the author
Ash’s Cabin, by Jen Wang, art by the author
Plain Jane and the Mermaid, by Vera Brosgol, art by the author 
The Deep Dark, by Molly Knox Ostertag, art by the author
The Worst Ronin, by Maggie Tokuda-Hall, art by Faith Shaffer
The Jellyfish, by Boum, art by the author 
Navigating with You, by Jeremy Whitely, art by Cassio Riberio
Anzu and the Realm of Darkness, by Mai K. Nguyen, art by the author
Gamerville, by Johnnie Christmas, art by the author
A New Car for Pickle, by Sylvie Kantorovitz, art by the author
Hearing Things, by Ben Sears, art by the author

Episode 36: So. Many. Book. Suggestions.

On this episode of Shelf Care: The Podcast, host Susan Maguire spoke to Allison Escoto of the Center for Fiction about book groups, being a solo librarian, and getting the opportunity to read nonfiction for the Carnegie Awards. Then, Audio Editor Heather Booth chats with librarian and author Van Hoang about the walking audiobook club she runs at her library. Finally, Susan and Adult Books Editor Donna Seaman talk about her forthcoming book, River of Books: A Life in Reading as well as what she’s been reading and loving lately.

Here’s what we talked about:

Stanley Ellin, mystery writer
James, by Percival Everett 
Out of the Sierra: A Story of Rarámuri Resistance, by Victoria Blanco
Girl Giant and the Monkey King, by Van Hoang
The Monstrous Misses Mai, by Van Hoang
Sociopath, by Patrick Gagne, read by the author
Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World, by Naomi Klein, read by the author
Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution, Cat Bohannon, read by the author
Elyse Dinh, audiobook narrator
The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative, by Florence Williams, read by Emily Woo Zeller
In Praise of Walking: A New Scientific Exploration, by Shane O’Mara, read by Liam Gerrard
River of Books: A Life in Reading, by Donna Seaman
The Editor: How Publishing Legend Judith Jones Shaped Culture in America, by Sara B. Franklin
The World She Edited: Katarine S. White at the New Yorker, by Amy Reading
Booker Prize Long List
Creation Lake, by Rachel Kushner
This Strange Eventful History, by Claire Messud
Playground, by Richard Powers
The Overstory, by Richard Powers
Wandering Stars, by Tommy Orange
Reading the Room: A Bookseller’s Tale, by Paul Yamazaki

Episode 37: Book-Clubbable

Welcome to another installment of the Shelf Care interview, an occasional podcast series in which Booklist editors talk to book people. This Shelf Care interview is sponsored by Lerner Publishing Group.

In this episode of Shelf Care Interview, Sarah Hunter talked to Carole Boston Weatherford about her forthcoming picture book, The Doll Test: Choosing Equality, which will be out in November. You can listen to this interview here.

Carole Boston Weatherford is the author of numerous award-winning books. Her picture book BOX: Henry Brown Mails Himself to Freedom, illustrated by Michele Wood, received a Newbery honor. Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre, illustrated by the late Floyd Cooper was a National Book Award long-list title, won the Coretta Scott King Award for author and illustrator, and received a Caldecott honor and a Sibert honor. When she's not traveling or visiting museums, Carole is mining the past for family stories, dating traditions, and forgotten struggles.

The Shelf Care Interview: Carole Boston Weatherford

On this episode of Shelf Care: The Podcast, host Susan Maguire talks to two of her Friends, the co-chairs of the annual book sale at her local branch library. They talk about being picky about donations, pricing, layout, and the treasures they found at the sale. Then, Susan chats with new Books for Youth Associate Editor Kelly Ferreira about what they’ve been reading and loving lately. 

Here’s what we talked about:

85 Days: The Last Campaign of Robert Kennedy, by Jules Witcover
Lessons in Chemistry, by Bonnie Garmus 
Janesville: An American Story, by Amy Goldstein
The Big House: A Century in the Life of an American Summer House, by George Howe Colt
A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II, by Sonia Purnell, read by Juliet Stevenson
Central Park West, by James Comey
A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership, by James Comey
Eddie Winston Is Looking for Love, by Marianne Cronin
Are You My Mother? by Dr. Seuss
Dragon Rider, by Cornelia Funke
P. C. Cast
Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer
Casey McQuiston
Bigfoot’s Big Heart, by Sarah Glenn Marsh, illustrated by Ishaa Lobo
Compound Fracture, by Andrew Joseph White
Ariel Crashes a Train, by Olivia A. Cole
The Deep Dark, by Molly Knox Ostertag, art by the author
The Sweetness between Us, by Sarah Winifred Searle, art by the author


Episode 38: With a Little Help from Our Friends

It’s that time of the year again, when the Booklist editors gather ‘round the proverbial fire and share some of their favorite reads of the year. Covering everything from our Top of the List titles to personal faves, this episode has a little something for every reader. Here’s what we talked about:

Donna:
We Loved It All: A Memory of Life. By Lydia Millet. (Adult Nonfiction Top of the List)
The Morningside. By Téa Obreht.
Martyr! By Kaveh Akbar.
My Black Country: A Journey through Country Music’s Black Past, Present, and Future. By Alice Randall.
The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth. By Zoë Schlanger.

Annie:
Wandering Stars. By Tommy Orange. (Adult Fiction Top of the List)
Donna Seaman interviews Tommy Orange for One Book, One Chicago
All Fours. By Miranda July.

Susan:
The Wedding People. By Alison Espach.
One of Us Knows. By Alyssa Cole.
The Cottage around the Corner. By D. L. Soria.

Sarah:
A Greater Goal: The Epic Battle for Equal Pay in Women’s Soccer—and Beyond. By Elizabeth Rusch. (Youth Nonfiction Top of the List)
Dispatches from Parts Unknown. By Bryan Bliss.
Ash’s Cabin. By Jen Wang. Art by the author. (Youth Graphic Novel Top of the List)
Feeding Ghosts: A Graphic Memoir. By Tessa Hulls. Art by the author. (Adult Graphic Novel Top of the List)
The Puerto Rican War: A Graphic History. By John Vasquez Mejias. Art by the author. 
The Jellyfish. By Boum. Art by the author.

Julia:
The House on Yeet Street. By Preston Norton. (Middle Grade Top of the List)
Bye Forever, I Guess. By Jodi Meadows.

Ronny:
That Always Happens Sometimes. By Kiley Frank. Illustrated by K-Fai Steele. (Picture Book Top of the List).
The Yellow Bus. Written and illustrated by Loren Long.

Kelly:
Ariel Crashes a Train, by Olivia A. Cole. (YA Top of the List)
The Dark We Know, by Wen-yi Lee.
Compound Fracture, by Andrew Joseph White.
My Throat an Open Grave, by Tori Bovalino.

Heather:
Birding with Benefits. By Sarah T. Dubb. Read by Mia Hutchinson-Shaw and Evan Sibley.
The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years. By Shubnum Khan. Read by Soneela Nankani.
Know Your Newlywed. By Heather Taylor, Hillary Nussbaum, and Elena Armas. Read by Tyler Posey, Mary Mouser, and a full cast.
Stars in Your Eyes. By Kacen Callender. Read by André Santana and others.
Nothing: John Cage and 4’33”. By Nicholas Day and Chris Rashka. Read by Fred Berman.
Onyx & Beyond. By Amber McBride. Read by André Santana.
Gender Queer. By Maia Kobabe. Read by Maia Kobabe and a full cast.
Tree. Table. Book. By Lois Lowry. Read by Hope Newhouse.
And
Anita de Monte Laughs Last. By Xochitl Gonzalez. Read by Jessica Pimentel and others. (Adult Audio Top of the List)
Better Must Come. By Desmond Hall. Read by Jaime Lincoln Smith. (Youth Audio Top of the List)


Episode 39: Editors' Choice 2024

On this episode of Shelf Care: The Podcast, host Susan Maguire talks to Katie Clausen, a Chicagoland children’s librarian, about what it’s like to be on the front lines of a book banning, who offers some tips and suggested language for dealing with a challenge. Then, on a lighter note, Susan talks to Audio Editor Heather Booth about what she’s been reading (and listening to) and loving lately.

Here's what we talked about:

Interview with Kelly Jensen in Episode 22
Foundations of Intellectual Freedom, by Emily Knox
Kate Messner’s Letter to Parents
The Secret History of the Rape Kit: A True Crime Story, by Pagan Kennedy. Read by Claire Danes.
The Use of Photography, by Annie Ernaux and Marc Marie. Translated by Alison L. Strayer. Read by Tavia Gilbert.
The Suite Spot, by Trish Doller. Read by Sarah Naughton.
Birding with Benefits, by Sarah T. Dubb. Read by Mia Hutchinson-Shaw and Evan Sibley.
How Does That Make You Feel, Magda Eklund? by Anna Montague. Read by Cynthia Nixon.
Nightbitch, by Rache Yoder.
The Payback, by Kashana Cauley.
The Survivalists, by Kashana Cauley.

Other helpful resources for dealing with contentious book challenges:
The Let Them Theory: A Life-Changing Tool That Millions of People Can't Stop Talking About, by Mel Robbins (A useful book for work and personal development, especially for helping to take book challenges less personally.)
Quick Tips & Language When Someone Wants to Challenge Materials
Handling Book Challenges


Episode 40: It’s Not New (But It Sucks): Dealing with Book Bans from the Frontlines

It’s time for Summer Scares, and the popular horror-reading program is in fine form again. Shelf Care host Susan Maguire spoke to librarian Becky Spratford, author Kendare Blake, and Booklist’s Julia Smith about this year’s selections for adult, teen, and middle-grade readers; transgressive horror; and Hellmouth Pokémon, as you do. She also spoke to Jocelyn Codner and Carina Stopenski, both of the Horror Writers Association’s Library Advisory Council, about the Summer Scares program guide, why libraries should serve horror readers, and what they’re reading and loving.
Here’s what we talked about:
Summer Scares Resource Page
Find Him Where You Left Him Dead, by Kristen Simmons
iRead Summer 2025: Level Up at Your Library
The Getaway, by Lamar Giles
Devils unto Dust, by Emma Berquist
Reprieve, by James Han Mattson
Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke and Other Misfortunes, by Eric LaRocca
The Luminous Dead, by Caitlin Starling
Summer Scares webinars: for Adult, YA, and Middle Grade 
All These Bodies, by Kendare Blake
In Every Generation, by Kendare Blake
Summer Scares Program Guide
HWA Young Adults Write Now scholarship
(or email libraries@horror.org)
Stoker Con 2025 Librarians’ Day
Stag Dance, by Torrey Peters
Detransition, Baby, by Torrey Peters
It Came from the Trees, by Ally Russell
Hide and Seeker, by Daka Hermon
Ravenous Things, by Derrick Chow
Eerie Tales from the School of Screams, by Graham Annable, art by the author
Skunk and Badger, by Amy Timberlake, illustrated by Jon Klassen
The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest, by Aubrey Hartman, illustrated by Macin Minor
Bad Badger: A Love Story, by Maryrose Wood, illustrated by Giulia Ghigini
Reluctant Witch, by Melissa Marr



Episode 41: Summer Scares 2025

This episode of Shelf Care is sponsored by the HarperCollins Library Marketing Team, AKA Library Love Fest. If you’re looking for great reading suggestions, author interviews and behind-the-book insights, check out the Library Love Fest podcast. Their latest episode features the team’s upcoming favorite reads as well as an exclusive interview with author Neal Stephenson talking about his forthcoming book, FALL; OR, DODGE IN HELL. Visit https://soundcloud.com/librarylovefest/shelfcare to listen.

Our first episode is here and it's about...Podcasts. Host Susan Maguire talks to Polli Kenn and Kate Gramlich of the Lawrence Public Library (KS) about their super-fun Book Squad Podcast. Then she chats with librarian and Booklist Audio Editor Heather Booth about podcast appeal and talking to your podcast-listening patrons. Finally, she and Associate Editor for Adult Books Annie Bostrom talk about a book that is the perfect combo of light and dark.

Books we talked about:
 
Grimm’s Fairy Tales on audio
Sadie by Courtney Summers on audio
Greatest Love Story Ever Told by Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally on audio

Readalikes for Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams:

The Assistants by Camille Perri 
The Bucket List by Georgia Clark 
Stray City by Chelsea Johnson

Episode #1: It's a Podcast!

Seems like you can’t swing a weeded book these days without hitting a true crime podcast. But having a large swathe of our communities so engaged with a narrative—that’s good news for libraries, because we traffic in helping folks find their next obsession. But it ain’t all true crime; this episode also touches on another kind of graphic storytelling—the graphic novel, and why they’re so important to libraries. Truly, this episode contains multitudes. 

You can find the full show notes, with links to Booklist reviews where available, at www.booklistonline.com/shelf-care.

Here’s what we talked about:

Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup. By John Carreyrou. 

A False Report: A True Story of Rape in America. By Christian T. Miller and Ken Armstrong. 

I’ll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman’s Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer. By Michelle McNamara. 

The Fact of a Body: A Murder and a Memoir. By Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich. 

My Friend Dahmer. Written and illustrated by Derf Backderf. 

American Predator: The Hunt for the Most Meticulous Serial Killer of the 21st Century. By Maureen Callahan. 

Savage Appetites: Four True Stories of Women, Crime, and Obsession. By Rachel Monroe. 

Stay Sexy & Don’t Get Murdered: The Definitive How-To-Guide. By Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. 

I’ll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman’s Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer. By Michelle McNamara. Read by Gabra Zackman. 

The Cheerleaders. By Kara Thomas. Read by Phoebe Strole. 

Dannemora: Two Escaped Killers, Three Weeks of Terror, and the Largest Manhunt Ever in New York State. By Charles A. Gardner. Read by Jonathan Yen. 

Dark Sacred Night. By Michael Connelly. Read by Titus Welliver. 

The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century. By Kirk Wallace Johnson, Read by MacLeod Andrews. 

Miss Ruffles Inherits Everything. By Nancy Martin. Read by Suzie Althens.

A Tale of Two Murders: Guilt, Innocence, and the Execution of Edith Thompson. By Laura Thompson. Read by Jilly Bond. 

Sadie. By Courtney Summers. Read by Dan Bittner.

The Killer Across the Table. By John E. Douglas. Read by Jonathan Groff. 

Along Came a Spider. By James Patterson. Read by Taye Diggs. 

This Was Our Pact. Written and illustrated by Ryan Andrews. 

ALA Graphic Novels & Comics Round Table

Episode #3: Graphic 2 Ways

Welcome to the Shelf Care Interview, an occasional conversation series where Booklist talks to book people.

This Shelf Care Interview is sponsored by Revell.

In this episode of the Shelf Care Interview, Susan Maguire talks to Lynette Eason, the award-winning author of over fifty books including the Women of Justice, Deadly Reunions, and Blue Justice series. Her books have appeared on multiple bestseller lists, and the movie, Her Stolen Past, based on Lynette’s novel, premiered in February 2018 on Lifetime.

The first book in the Danger Never Sleeps series, Collateral Damage, comes out in January (on January 7th) from Revell.

Shelf Care Interview: Lynette Eason on Collateral Damage

The Booklist editors gathered around the fire (JK, we gathered in the sound-proof-ish room in the basement of the ALA office) to dig a little deeper into how the Editors’ Choice lists come together, to call out a few faves, and to talk about what’s coming in 2020.

For the shownotes, visit www.booklistonline.com/shelf-care.

Episode #6: Editors' Choices

Welcome to the Shelf Care Interview, an occasional conversation series where Booklist talks to book people.

This Shelf Care Interview is sponsored by Revell.

In this episode of the Shelf Care Interview, Susan Maguire talks to Suzanne Woods Fisher, award-winning, bestselling author of more than 30 books, including, On the Summer Tide, as well as the Nantucket Legacy, Amish Beginnings, the Bishop's Family, the Deacon's Family, and the Inn at Eagle Hill series among many other novels. She's also the author of several nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace and Amish Proverbs. 

The third book in the Deacon's Family Series, Two Steps Forward, comes out on February 4th, 2020, from Revell.

Shelf Care Interview: Suzanne Woods Fisher on Two Steps Forward

Welcome to the Shelf Care Interview, an occasional conversation series where Booklist talks to book people.

This Shelf Care Interview is sponsored by Sourcebooks.

In this episode of the Shelf Care Interview, Julia Smith talks to Chris Ferrie, award-winning physicist and popular author of science books for children about his new series, the Everyday Science Academy.

The first four Everyday Science Academy Books (Let's Fly a Plane!, Let's Ride a Wave!, Let's Get Moving!, and Let's Make a Rainbow!) come out in June from Sourcebooks.

Shelf Care Interview: Chris Ferrie on the Everyday Science Academy series

Welcome to the Shelf Care Interview, an occasional conversation series where Booklist talks to book people.

This Shelf Care Interview is sponsored by Capstone.

In this episode of the Shelf Care Interview, Ronny Khuri talks to Susan Muaddi Darraj and Siman Nuurali.

Susan Muaddi Darraj is the award-winning Palestinian American author of more than 10 books including the new Farah Rocks series. She is an associate professor of English at Hartford Community College in Bel Air, Maryland, and she teaches creative writing at Johns Hopkins University and Fairfield University.

Siman Nuurali is the author of the Sadiq series, which was named one of Chicago Public Library's 2019 Best of the Best books. She grew up in Kenya but now lives in Minnesota where she works in a children's hospital. Siman and her family are Somali, just like Sadiq and his family.

Shelf Care Interview: Susan Muaddi Darraj and Siman Nuurali

Host Susan Maguire talks to her Booklist colleagues about what media is bringing them comfort during COVID-19 self-isolation in an episode that may or may not have been an excuse to talk to her co-workers. (Weeping emoji.) 

Here’s what we talked about:

Books:
Blue-Eyed Devil. By Lisa Kleypas.
Choo-Choo School. By Amy Krouse Rosenthal. Illustrated by Mike Yamada. 
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. By JK Rowling. 
My America. Written and illustrated by Karen Katz. (coming June 2021)
Race through the Skies: The Week the World Learned to Fly. By Martin W. Sandler. 
Space Opera. By Catherynne M. Valente. 
Where the Crawdads Sing. By Delia Owens.  

Audiobooks:
Circe. By Madeline Miller, read by Perdita Weeks. 
Gingerbread. By Helen Oyeyemi, read by the author. 
Grimm’s Fairy Tales. Read by a full cast. 
Norse Mythology. By Neil Gaiman, read by the author. 
A Tall History of Sugar. By Curdella Forbes, read by Robin Miles. 

TV & Movies: 
Barry. 
Emma (2020) vs. Emma (1996) vs. Emma (1972). 
Futurama.
Jo Jo Rabbit. 
Love is Blind. 
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. 
Star Trek Voyager 
Valhalla Murders 

Etc:
Animal Crossing on Nintendo Switch. 
Harry Potter exhibits online. 
Jigsaw Puzzles! (As of this writing, Ravensburger is out of puzzles online (!!!!!)

Shelf Care Episode #8: Shelf-Isolation

Welcome to the Shelf Care Interview, an occasional conversation series where Booklist talks to book people.

This Shelf Care Interview is sponsored Boom! Studios.

In this episode of the Shelf Care Interview, Ronny Khuri talks to Sabaa Tahir, Nicole Andelfinger, and Sonia Liao. 

Sabaa Tahir's New York Times bestselling series An Ember in the Ashes dives into the pasts of fan-favorite characters with an all-new prequel graphic novel series. Sabaa Tahir, writer Nicole Andelfinger, and artist Sonia Liao present an early tale of Elias and Helene at Blackcliff, where they’ll have to confront the painful realities of Martial rule in A Thief Among the Trees, available this July from BOOM! Studios. Visit boom-studios.com to learn more.

Booklist Shelf Care Interview: Sabaa Tahir, Nicole Andelfinger, and Sonia Liao

Welcome to the Shelf Care Interview, an occasional conversation series where Booklist talks to book people.

This Shelf Care Interview is sponsored by Fabled Films Press.

In this episode of the Shelf Care Interview, Julia Smith talks to Tracey Hecht. Hecht is the author of The Nocturnals book series, which includes The Best Burp, published in April, and The Weeping Wombat, scheduled to hit bookshelves this August.

Booklist Shelf Care Interview: Tracey Hecht

Welcome to the Shelf Care Interview, an occasional conversation series where Booklist talks to book people. This Shelf Care Interview is sponsored by Sourcebooks and Random House Children's Books.

In this episode of the Shelf Care Interview, Julia Smith talks with  two debut authors: Kim Johnson, author of This Is My America, which was published by Random House Children’s Books this past July, followed by a conversation with Alex Aster, whose Curse of the Night Witch was published in June by Sourcebooks.

Shelf Care Interview: Kim Johnson and Alex Aster

Welcome to the Shelf Care Interview, an occasional conversation series where Booklist talks to book people. This Shelf Care Interview is sponsored by Gale.

In this episode of the Shelf Care Interview, author Duchess Harris provides a historical perspective from the pages of Being LGBTQ in America: LGBTQ Social Movements in America, and she discusses the importance of empathy in schools today. Insights include how the school community can be a safe space for middle and high school students and the ways that Gale eBooks diversity, equity, and inclusion collections embrace differences by putting relevant content at users’ fingertips—inside or outside the classroom.

Shelf Care Interview: Duchess Harris

(For the full notes with links, visit booklistonline.com/shelf-care)

On this episode of Booklist’s Shelf Care: The Podcast, Susan gets real scared…Summer Scare(d), that is! Ha ha ha ha ha, good one. 

Hear from author Silvia Moreno-Garcia and librarian horror expert Becky Spratford, librarians Konrad Stump and Evelyn Gathu, and Booklist’s own Julia Smith about this year’s Summer Scares program, from how the books are selected to that one author in the UP who can only be reached if you call the gas station in town. 

Here’s what we talked about:

Summer Scares 2021 list:

The Hunger, by Alma Katsu (2018)
The Cipher, by Kathe Koja (reissued by Meerkat Press, 2020)
Frankenstein in Baghdad, by Ahmed Saadawi, translated by Jonathan Wright (2018)
Undead Girl Gang, by Lily Anderson (2018)
The Diviners, by Libba Bray (2012)
The Marrow Thieves, by Cherie Dimaline (2017)
Fearsome Creatures of the Lumberwoods, by Hal Johnson and illustrated by Tom Mead (2015)
Ollie’s Odyssey, written and illustrated by William Joyce (2016)
Whichwood, by Tahereh Mafi (2017)

RA for All: Horror
Women in Horror month
Horror Writers Association
Summer Scares 2020 Program Guide (2021 guide is coming soon…)
UP Notable Books 2020
Yoopernatural Haunts: Upper Peninsula Paranormal Research Society Case Files, by Brad Blair, Tim Ellis, and Steve LaPlaunt
The Ballad of Black Tom, by Victor LaValle
Case File 13: Zombie Kid, by J. Scott Savage
In the Valley of the Sun, by Andy Davidson
Goosebumps series, by R. L. Stine
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, by Alvin Schwartz, illustrated by Stephen Gammell

Episode 13: This Book Is a Platypus (Summer Scares 2021)

Where we talk all things readers’ advisory, collection development, reference, and other library-related bookish stuff, from your friends at Booklist. Want more? Is it even possible? Go to www.booklistonline.com/newsletters to discover the magic.

Booklist's Shelf Care Podcast

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