Episodes

  • Our guest this week is Amanda Cleary Eastep, author of the Christian middle-grade series The Tree Street Kids from Moody Publishers.



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  • Today’s Guest: Author Jamin Still

    Tales of Hibaria: The Awakening by Jamin Still

    The Master of Tides- Book 1 of The Tales of Hibaria by Jamin Still

    Other titles in this episode:

    The Green Ember

    Skyward Series by Brandon Sanderson

    The Wilderking Trilogy by Jonathan Rogers

    Sonya’s Chickens by Phoebe Wahl

    Even If He Doesn’t… What We Believe About God When Life Doesn’t Make Sense by Kristen LaValley



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  • Get ready to spring into reading with our latest Stories from the Ashes episode, where we're showcasing a delightful lineup of children's books perfect for the season. From charming picture books to beloved read-alouds, we've handpicked a selection of stories that will spark imagination and inspire young readers. Plus, don't miss out on our exclusive Spring Reading Bundle (download below), complete with fun reading challenge bookmarks and book log sheets to keep little bookworms engaged all season long!

    Tune in now and let's embark on a springtime literary conversation together!

    And don’t miss our newly updated Easter Book List!

    Books that came up in this episode:

    The Easter Treat by Roger Duvoisin

    The Easter Egg Artists (also published as The Paintbrush Bunny) by Adrienne Adams

    Hurry, Spring! by Sterling North

    Rascal by Sterling North

    Sketching Outdoors in Spring by Jim Arnosky

    There’s More… Much More by Sue Alexander

    Spring is Like the Morning by M. Jean Craig

    Hooray for Spring by Iwamuraby

    Tiny Perfect Things by M.H. Clark

    Spring Things by Maxine W. Kumin and Artur Marokvia

    The Story of the Root Children by Sibylle von Offers

    The Winter Wren by Brock Cole

    Beatrice Potter, Scientist by Lindsay H. Metcalf

    Pick, Pull, Snap! Where Once a Flower Bloomed by Lola M. Schaefer

    Anywhere Farm by Phyllis Root

    The Forever Garden by Laurel Snyder

    The Boy Who Didn’t Believe in Spring by Lucille Clifton and Britton Turkle

    A New Beginning: Celebrating the Spring Equinox by Wendy Pfeffer

    Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring by Kenard Pak

    Spring an Alphabet Acrostic by Steven Schnur

    Spring Thaw by Steven Schnur

    Welcome Back Sun by Michael Emberley

    When Spring Comes by Kevin Hanks

    Silver by Walter de la Mare

    Spring Song by Barbara Seuling

    All’s Right with the World by Jennifer Adams

    The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night by Peter Spier

    Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey

    Brambly Hedge by Jill Barklem

    Hurray for Spring! by Patricia Hubbell

    Miss Jaster’s Garden by N.M. Bodecker

    Hanna’s Cold Winter by Trish Mark

    The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

    Heidi by Johanna Spyri

    The Gardener by Sarah Stewart

    The Librarian by Sarah Stewart

    A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus

    The Narnia books by C.S. Lewis

    The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

    Spring Things by Bob Raczka

    Hi, Mister Robin! by Alvin Tresselt and Roger Duvoisin

    “Sweet Afton” (poem by Robert Burns)

    “Pippa’s Song” (poem by Robert Browning)

    Thanks for listening! If you’re looking for more seasonal books, be sure to check out our Winter Words Wonderland episode!



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  • Join us in our conversation with Author and trusted Book Reviewer, Megan Saben. And find her book, Something Better Coming at the top of our Easter book list!

    * The Redeemed Reader website where Megan shares book reviews.

    * A page about Something Better Coming with a video preview.

    * If you’re interested in hearing more on our discussion topic of Truth and Story, but specifically as found in picture books, here’s a taste on Redeemed Reader.

    * A link to the fine art page for Megan’s illustrator friend, Ryan Flanders.

    * Here’s a coupon code good for 10% off PLUS free media mail shipping through 3/31/2024. Good within the U.S. (International orders can contact Megan to see what you might work out.) Code: RESURRECTION24

    * Westminster Kids carries Something Better Coming. They’re the only online store that does, besides ordering directly through Megan above. https://westminsterkids.com/products/7533495582920

    Share this episode or Megan’s book with a friend!

    The following book links are to the RA Amazon Storefront.

    Books in this episode:

    Something Better Coming by Megan Saben and Ryan Flanders

    Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis

    Stepping Heavenward by Mrs. E. Prentiss

    “More Love to Thee” hymn by Elizabeth Prentiss- hear it here on YouTube

    The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom

    Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke

    Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

    The Feminization of American Culture by Ann Douglas

    Five Little Peppers and How They Grew by Margaret Sidney

    The Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger

    Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis

    Heckedy Peg by Audrey Wood

    I Spy books

    Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson

    Mother West Wind stories by Thornton Burgess

    A Year in the Big Old Garden by James D. Witmer

    Bird Life in Wington by John Calvin Reid



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  • Join Ambre, Charlesa, and Kimberly in this episode as they share their favorite winter books!

    Get cozy with their top recommendations and don't miss out on our special winter bundle, featuring handy reading trackers and exciting short reading challenge bookmarks. Embrace the magic of winter reading with this delightful episode!

    Winter Bundle PDF printable

    In this episode, Kimberly reminisces about printing coloring sheets from Jan Brett’s website years ago, wondering if they are still available. Guess what? They are! Explore a plethora of options right here—so many delightful choices await!

    Books shared in this episode:

    Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner

    Bargain Bride by Evelyn Sibley Lampman

    Hanna’s Cold Winter by Trish Marx

    A Hat for Mrs. Goldman: A Story for Knitting and Love by Michelle Edwards

    The Fellowship of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

    The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

    An Elephant in the Garden: Inspired by a True Story by Michael Morpurgo

    My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George

    Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton

    Cold Snap by Eileen Spinelli

    Treasures of the Snow by Patricia St. John

    Ellen and the Winter Wolves by Jamin Still

    A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus

    Derwood Inc. by Jeri Massi- Book 1 of The Peabody Series

    The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

    On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder

    The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder

    Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

    Jack and Jill: A Village Story by Louisa May Alcott

    Brave Irene by William Steig

    The Old Woman Who Named Things by Cynthia Rylant

    Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing & Lots More Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing by Judi and Ron Barrett

    Miss Jaster’s Garden by N. M. Bodecker

    The Duchess Bakes a Cake by Virginia Kahl

    The Mitten by Jan Brett

    The Hat by Jan Brett

    The Skyward series by Brandon Sanderson

    Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson

    Henry the Explorer by Mark Taylor

    The Lion and the Bird by Marianne Dubuc

    “Winter” by Walter de la Mare (a Poem)- we also recommend de la Mare’s Snow.

    The two books for Kimberly’s request for Russian fiction that I couldn’t recall in the moment were both by Theodore Acland Harper:

    * His Excellency and Peter

    * Siberian Gold

    Kimberly’s song recommendation:

    Relient K - In Like a Lion (always winter)

    Thank you for joining us this week! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!

    Don't miss out on our complimentary literary catalogue, showcasing books our team has read and highly recommends!

    Subscribe now for upcoming episodes filled with bookish delights and curated book lists. Elevate your reading journey with our recommendations and stay tuned for more literary adventures!

    PIN ME!

    Book links in this episode are to the Reshelving Alexandria Amazon storefront and using them supports our efforts to keep this podcast ad free.



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  • With many in our community already elbow deep in our 2024 Reading Challenges, we thought it was a good time to listen in to Ambre and (RA Moderator) Kimberly Schluterman discuss how Kimberly approached the 2023 Reading Challenge.

    Kimberly’s three most influential books:

    Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

    Rocket Boys (The Coalwood Series #1), also published as October Sky by Homer H. Hickam Jr.

    Kristy’s Great Idea (Baby-Sitter’s Club) by Ann M. Martin (Kimberly’s breakthrough into love of reading title)

    Share this episode with a friend!

    Books and resources discussed in the episode:

    Feel free to order any titles through our storefront.

    Love & Friendship movie (based on Lady Susan)

    A Little History of the World by E. H. Gombrich

    Dave Barry’s books

    Elephant & Piggie Books

    There is a Bird on Your Head by Mo Willems

    Mother Bruce by Ryan T. Higgins

    Goodnight Already! by Jory John & Benji Davies

    Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems

    The Complete Peanuts by Shulz

    Poultrygeist by Eric Geron

    Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson

    Garfield comics by Jim Davis

    All Cats Are on the Autism Spectrum by Kathy Hoopmann (updated edition of All Cats Have Aspergers Syndrome)

    Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

    All of Jane Austen’s books

    Baby Lit books

    The Childhood of Famous Americans series

    Keeper of the Bees by Gene Stratton Porter

    Bargain Bride by Evelyn Sibley Lampman

    Shepherd of the Hills by Harold Bell Wright

    Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

    Thanks for spending time with us! Subscribe for future episodes and free booklists!



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  • Our guest this week is Anna Rose Johnson, author of the award winning The Star That Always Stays and the forthcoming The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry (pre-orders are open!).

    Check out Anna Rose’s Instagram page for more genealogy information from The Star That Always Stays.

    The Star That Always Stays

    The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry

    Books recommended in this episode by the host and guest:

    Jane of Lantern Hill by L. M. Montgomery

    Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

    Emily of Deep Valley by Maud Hart Lovelace

    The Betsy Tacy series by Maud Hart Lovelace- this is a graded series where the reading level and maturity of the content rises with eac book as the cast ages and matures. Content Considerations are available in our free literary catalogue.

    The Shoe books by Noel Streatfeild- a ten book series

    Melendy Quartet- four book series (The Saturdays, Then There Were Five, The Four-story Mistake, Spiderweb for Two: A Melendy Maze)

    Gone-Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright (two book series with Return to Gone-Away Lake)

    Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery

    Pollyanna Grows Up by Eleanor H. Porter (sequel to Pollyanna, for teens)

    Maggie Rose, Her Birthday Christmas by Ruth Sawyer

    The Mitchells series by Hilda Van Stockum (three book series: Five for Victory, Canadian Summer, Friendly Gables)

    From Anna by Jean Little

    Mine for Keeps by Jean Little

    The Penderwicks series by Jeanne Birdsall

    Vanderbeekers series by Karina Yan Glaser

    Rosetown by Cynthia Rylant

    A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus

    Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans

    The Ramona series by Beverly Cleary (eight book series)

    Thank you for joining us this week! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!

    Be sure to check out our free literary catalogue of books our team has read and recommends! And subscribe for future episodes and book lists!

    Book links in this episode are to the Reshelving Alexandria Amazon storefront.



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  • In this exciting episode, we welcome back the talented author Steven J. Carroll. Steve has just wrapped up his compelling teen dystopian trilogy, "The City of Words," and graciously joins Ambre and Charlesa for an engaging conversation about this thought-provoking series. Tune in as we delve in and unravel the layers of depth in Steve’s spellbinding storytelling.

    Episode correction: Steve references a Bible passage as being in The Book of John, when it’s actually in The Book of Revelations.

    Steve’s Books:

    City of Words by Steven J. Carroll (Dystopian-Teen)

    * City of Words (Book 1)

    * Mountain of Shadows (Book 2)

    * Island of Man (Book 3)

    The Histories of Earth (4 book series) by Steven J. Carroll (Middle Grade Fantasy/Teen)

    * In the Window Room

    * A Prince of Earth

    * All the Worlds of Men

    * Worlds Unending

    The Road to Jericho by Steven J. Carroll (A standalone)

    Other books discussed in this episode:

    Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn

    The List + The Last Lie by Patricia Forde

    Words on Fire by Jennifer Neilsen

    Shield by Dawn L. Watkins

    Interested in our last interview with Steve? Check it out here:

    Thanks for listening! Subscribe for free booklists and new episodes!



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  • Today’s guest, Carolyn Leiloglou, is the author of the the new The Restorationists series! Book 1, Beneath the Swirling Sky just recently released and has been so well received! Below, check out all her books currently available and maybe find a new favorite!

    Carolyn’s books:

    Beneath the Swirling Sky (The Restorationists)

    Library’s Most Wanted

    Wild Things and Castles in the Sky: A Guide to Choosing the Best Books for Children (anthology)

    Noah Green: Junior Zookeeper and the Garage Sale Pet (OOP)

    Please support our podcast by making recommended book purchases through our storefront!

    Books recommended in this episode:

    Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C. S. Lewis

    Till We Have Faces by C. S. Lewis

    The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson

    Skyward series by Brandon Sanderson

    Once Upon a Saturday by Edward Fenton: Archive link to read for free.

    Katie and the Sunflowers by James Mayhew

    Bedtime for Frances by Russell Hoban

    Hidden Truths by Elly Swartz

    Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley

    The Bootlace Magician by Cassie Beasley

    Thank you for Listening! This podcast is free, so please feel free to share it!



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  • Today’s guest, Millie Florence, is a delightful middle grade author. In this episode, she shares her experience as an author who first published at thirteen! Grab your young writers and give her journey a listen.

    Millie’s Books (aff link):

    The Balter of Ashton Harper

    Lydia Greene of Mulberry Glen

    Honey Butter

    No Snow Yet- Millie’s upcoming picture book!

    Other Titles Discussed in this Episode:

    Anne of Green Gables

    A Little Princess

    The Secret Garden

    The Mysterious Benedict Society

    The Hunger Games

    Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling

    Spilling Ink: a Handbook for Young Writers About Writing by Ellen Potter (Author), Anne Mazer (Author), Matt Phelan (Illustrator)

    The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien

    The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien

    The Five Children and It by Edith Nesbit

    The Railway Children by Edith Nesbit

    Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

    Three Knocks on the Wall by Evelyn Sibley Lampman

    Bargain Bride by Evelyn Sibley Lampman

    Ramona by Beverly Cleary

    Jane Austen’s books

    Thanks for listening to Stories from the Ashes! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and book news from Reshelving Alexandria!

    **Links in this post are most likely affiliate links. They cost you nothing to use and support the podcast!**

    Share this episode and author with a friend!



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  • Loren G. Warnemuende, the accomplished author behind the 'Daughter of Arden' fairy tale retellings inspired by the classic Maid Maleen story, takes us on her remarkable 25-year journey in crafting these enchanting tales in this episode.

    Loren’s books:

    Daughter of Arden Trilogy

    * Exile

    * Wandering

    * Promise

    All three titles can be ordered from Bandersnatch Books.

    Thanks for reading Reshelving Alexandria! Subscribe for new episodes, book lists, and special announcements.

    While curious where I could read the original Maid Maleen story I found this lovely illustration is from the 1917 collection of Grimm’s Fairy Tales illustrated by Arthur Rackham. I thought you might enjoy it as well!

    Books discussed in this episode:

    Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

    Green Dolphin Street by Elizabeth Goudge

    Deerskin by Robin McKinley- This is an adult book with adult content

    Beauty by Robin McKinley

    Bearskin by Howard Pyle

    A Little History of the World by E. H. Gombrich

    An Elephant in the Garden by Michael Morpurgo

    The Wilderking Trilogy by Jonathan Rogers

    Comedy IG channel with literary therapy sessions:

    Thanks for listening! If you enjoy these episodes, please share them with a friend and leave a review on your listening platform!



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  • You read that right: in this episode, I call Jane Austen "Jean Watson". And I don’t even think I caught it as it happened! This episode was recorded nine months ago right after I started addressing the fact that I lost my ability to see inside my head as part of the mental burnout after the house fire trauma/paperwork/etc..

    In listening to the playback this week, I caught five absurd slips of the tongue (and I’m open to the possibility of there being more) and I am just so grateful to be able to so clearly see the progress I’ve made on my brain recovery this year. If you want to hear more about my misspeaks and how I’ve been healing my brain, I talk more about it here.

    In this rapid fire episode Val, Charlesa, and I delve into a diverse collection of over 100 book suggestions impeccably matched with the RA 2023 12-book reading challenge. These recommendations, primarily designed for challenge takers, offer a literary adventure suitable for every reader.

    Quick reminder that we have challenges of many lengths and most could still be finished if you started now!

    Books in this episode:

    I’m going to be real- listing over 100 books and covers in the show notes wasn’t in the cards this week, but I did add the titles to an episode list on our RA Amazon Storefront so it would populate pretty covers for you because covers are so pretty!

    Resources and notes from the episode:

    * Our Favorite Small Publishers are all listed here, and the FB RA community have also recommended Voyage Comics, Cluny Media, and YWAM.

    * In the episode I mention that Magical Melons is the sequel to Caddie Woodlawn. It’s been published under Magical Melons and Caddie Woodlawn’s Family which is what you will see if you look for it on our Storefront list.

    * The Other Half of the Church podcast where they read the whole book aloud and discuss it.

    * Charlesa brings up Unbroken because it keeps coming up as a recommendation without content considerations. Please do not pick up this book without checking out content considerations.

    Thanks for listening! Subscribe for free to receive new episodes and booklists.



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  • Our Guest:

    This week I had the pleasure to talk with my husband, Erik Sautter, about his literary journey and his experience being married to a crazy book lady (me).

    We opened the floor to your questions and you didn’t disappoint! Thank you!

    Let us know in the comments if you have more questions and we’ll tackle them on IG and FB for you!

    Books and resources recommended in this episode (minus Goosebumps, that’s not a recommendation, that one’s just here because… well… you know…):

    The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

    The Pigman by Paul Zindel

    The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner

    Encyclopedia Brown by Donald J. Sobol

    Goosebumps- Erik insisted I include the above meme he made just for this day.

    Red Phoenix by Larry Bond

    1984 by George Orwell

    Animal Farm by George Orwell

    A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

    Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut

    Fox in Sox by Dr. Seuss

    Sandra Boynton

    Let’s Talk About series by Joy Berry- We have the full set, but I see some individual titles have been reprinted!

    Math Doesn't Suck: How to Survive Middle School Math Without Losing Your Mind or Breaking a Nail by Danica McKellar

    Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes

    Scholastic DVD Collections- these can still be found second hand for a steal or at the public library

    Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome

    Reading Rainbow Presents: Gregory the Terrible Eater (1992 FHE release)

    Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina

    Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

    DoesTheDogDie.com- a website with crowdsourced content for books, movies, tv, and more.

    Phillis Wheatley by Shirley Graham- Find a complete printable list of The Messner Biographies here.

    The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

    Thank you for listening! If you enjoy our podcasts, please leave a review or stars wherever you are listening- it means a lot to us!



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  • Our Guest:

    Elly Swartz is a middle grade author of books with heart. So much heart! Ambre has spent the last year and a half trying to get anyone who will listen to have their older kids read Elly’s book Give and Take. If you haven’t yet, there’s no time like the present! It’s a beautiful book for anyone with anxiety, friends, or a family. (ha!)

    Elly’s catalogue includes:

    * Finding Perfect

    * Dear Student

    * Give and Take

    * Smart Cookie

    * Hidden Truths (Release Date of October 31st, 2023- Find it on our “Pre-Orders We’re Excited About It” Amazon Storefront List.

    Elly’s three influential books from her own life:

    * Ramona the Brave by Beverly Cleary

    * Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret

    * Mick Harte Was Here by Barbara Park

    Books we’ve both loved:

    * Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White- audiobook read by the author

    * Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

    Elly’s 6” (give or take 6” or so) of favorite books on Emotional Intelligence for Kids:

    * Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork

    * Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin

    * Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper

    * Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes

    * The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman

    * Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

    * The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor

    * A Work in Progress by Jarrett Lerner

    * I'm Worried (The I'm Books) by Michael Ian Black and Debbie Ridpath Ohi

    * When Things Aren’t Going Right, Go Left by Marc Colagiovanni and Peter H. Reynolds

    Other Recommendations from Ambre:

    * The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson

    * Watch Season One of the Wingfeather Saga for FREE here!

    “Be Kind to Yourself” by Andrew Peterson (A favorite in our home)

    Thank you for listening! Subscribe for free to receive new episodes and book lists!

    Help spread the love by sharing with a friend!



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  • Our Guest:

    Inara Sautter is Ambre’s eldest ( as a Tolkien fan, she prefers Eldar) daughter, a writer, and the lead producer of the Stories from the Ashes podcast.

    She joins Ambre in this episode to share her experience growing up with dyslexia, her joy in being a reader, her thoughts on family read alouds, and her journey thus far as a writer (among other things!).

    Her delightful short story fan fiction on the characters of The Lord of the Rings taking a day trip to the strip mall can be found here: The Fellowship, a Minivan, a Leaf Blower, and a Few Doughnuts.

    If you would like to leave Inara a tip for making these podcasts possible, you may do so here. Just leave a note that it’s for her and she will send you many thanks as she gleefully enlarges her Tolkien shelf. On her behalf- thank you!

    Books Recommended in this Episode:

    Due to the frequency with which Inara is asked for book recommendations by community members, we have given her her own List on the RA Amazon storefront. All of the following titles can be found there along with other books she loves!

    * Book of Dragons by Edith Nesbit, our favorite audiobook reader for Nesbit is Cathy Dobson (it’s the green cover)

    * Five Children and It by Edith Nesbit

    * Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

    * Green Ember series by S.D. Smith

    * The Phoenix and the Carpet by Edith Nesbit

    * Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter

    * Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Douglas Wiggin

    * Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher

    * Baby Island by Carol Ryrie Brink

    * Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne

    * The Red Door by Rachel Lulich- Pre-order until September of 2023!

    * The Skyward Series by Brandon Sanderson

    * Enchantress from the Stars (Published in 1970) by Sylvia Engdahl

    * An Elephant in the Garden: Inspired by a True Story by Michael Morpurgo

    * Soldier, Statesman and Defendant: Aaron Burr by Jeannette Covert Nolan

    * Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr: Their lives, their times, their duel by Anna Erskine Crouse and Russel Crouse

    * Thomas Jefferson: His Many Talents by Johanna Johnston

    * Benjamin Franklin Scientist-Diplomat by Charles Michael Daugherty

    * The Story of Benjamin Franklin by Enid LaMonte Meadowcroft

    * Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome

    * Jack Zulu and the Waylander’s Key by S.D. Smith and J.C. Smith

    * The Mystery of the Loch Ness Monster by Jeanne Bendick

    * The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle

    * James Baldwin Fifty Stories Retold by James Baldwin

    * Silmarillion by J.R.R Tolkien

    Resources Recommended:

    * The Young Writers Workshop

    * Inara listened extensively to books through our Audible subscription as a pre-reader and has barely slowed down now that she’s a confident reader.

    * Audible is currently offering a 3 month free trial for new members. Click here to check it out!

    * To discover more books that we’ve read and recommend, check out our free Living Books Literary Catalogue of good, true, and beautiful books for your family.

    Thank you for Listening. This podcast is public, so please share it with a friend!

    Subscribe now and never miss a free booklist, article, or podcast! Join our community of book lovers!



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  • Our Guest: Author Rachel Lulich

    * The Red Door Coming September 2023 -orders available from Bandersnatch Press:

    * Random Walk (Fractured Galaxy Book 1)

    * The Ethics of Hope (Fractured Galaxy Book 2)

    * Standard Candles (Fractured Galaxy Book 3)

    * The Confessing Church (A play)

    * To Do This Right: Poems of Faith

    Find a free literary database containing books we discuss on the podcast here:

    Links on our website are often affiliate links- they don’t cost you any extra to use but they greatly help support the costs of running this site. Thank you!

    Featured books in this episode:

    * Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe

    * Five Little Peppers by Margaret Sidney

    * Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien

    * The Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner

    * Thoroughbred (72 book series)

    * Histories of Earth by Steven J. Carroll Podcast Episode

    * Rifles for Watie by Harold Keith

    * The Wheels of Time by Robert Jordan

    * Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare

    * The Ranger’s Apprentice Series by John Flanagan

    * The Good Master by Kate Seredy

    * Jane Austen for comfort reads

    Thank you for listening! Share this episode with your Hopepunk loving friends!



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  • Our Guest: Aaron “Hutch” Hutchings is an incredible adventure guide and real life survival specialist. He’s proudly autistic and a speed talker- depending on the platform you listen through, you may be able to slow the audio down if you find it hard to keep up!

    * Hutch’s site: Ready Set Adventure. Be sure to check out all the free activities available including plans to build a kid’s crossbow! You can also purchase adventure kits to complete with your kids!

    * Hutch’s most recent book, How To Make and Use Hide Glue: "The Duct Tape of our Ancestors.", is frequently referenced in this episode.

    ***This episode focuses on all the real life applications of the book, Echo Mountain by Lauren Wolk, and we strongly recommend reading it before listening unless you don’t mind spoilers!***

    Find a free literary database containing books we discuss on the podcast here:

    Links on our website are often affiliate links- they don’t cost you any extra to use but they greatly help support the costs of running this site. Thank you!

    Featured books in this episode:

    These titles can all be found or searched through our Amazon Storefront.

    * Echo Mountain by Lauren Wolk

    * My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George

    * Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

    * Guts: The True Stories Behind Hatchet and the Brian Books

    by Gary Paulsen

    * The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

    * Cinderella Man: James J. Braddock, Max Baer, and the Greatest Upset in Boxing History by Jeremy Schaap

    * Oh, the Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss

    * The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien

    * The Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind (!!!heavy adult content!!!)

    * How To Make and Use Hide Glue: "The Duct Tape of our Ancestors." by Aaron "Hutch" Hutchings

    * Wolf Hollow and its sequel: My Own Lightning by Lauren Wolk

    * Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk

    * Tarzan by Burroughs

    * A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

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  • Our Guest: Steven J. Carroll, author and songwriter.

    I truly believe that this series, The Histories of Earth, is the best series you and your kids haven’t read yet. The books increase in complexity and length as they go along and as the characters age. If you only take one series recommendation from me this year, let it be this one- and don’t judge it on book one for, while perfectly delightful, it’s setting the stage and the stories mature as you go. The audiobooks are perfection.

    *age recommendations in the episode by book (as the series scaffolds)- for teens and parents too!*

    Books mentioned in this episode:

    The Histories of Earth (4 book series) by Steven J. Carroll

    * In the Window Room

    * A Prince of Earth

    * All the Worlds of Men

    * Worlds Unending

    The Road to Jericho by Steven J. Carroll

    City of Words by Steven J. Carroll (Dystopian YA to be covered in a separate interview)

    * City of Words

    * Mountain of Shadows

    Life is Beautiful- a movie

    The Divine Comedy: Inferno, Purgatorio, Paradiso

    The KJV Bible

    Robinson Crusoe

    Find more books we recommend in our free searchable literary database!

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  • Our Guest:

    Reader and artist Kelly Curtis. A serendipitous meeting through Facebook has lead to this wonderful discussion and her sharing of her alternative book covers from last year’s reading. More of Kelly’s art can be found and purchased on Etsy in her shop EudemoniaArt.

    Find a free literary database containing books we discuss on the podcast here:

    Links on our website are often affiliate links- they don’t cost you any extra to use but they greatly help support the costs of running this site. Thank you!

    “It all started with Miss Prim.

    For many years, I was convinced of a tragic lie: that novels were lesser things than non-fiction. In my youth, a novel was a school assignment to trudge through, because some conclave of intellectuals blessed it with merit. At best, the story within would relate to some "real" thing of interest. This conviction became less of one over time. And it changed completely in January when the ancient widow character in The Awakening of Miss Prim shook my depths. From there I began novel reading for pleasure; to soften all the hardness; to elevate the soul.

    I am not a speedy reader, but I managed 13 novels this year. I painted a little painting for each book, which I happily display here.” -Kelly Curtis

    Featured books in this episode:

    * The Great Divorce CS Lewis

    * The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis

    * The Awakening of Miss Prim: A Novel by Natalia Sanmartin Fenollera

    * Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

    * Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery

    * Jane Austen’s books

    * Echo Mountain by Lauren Wolk

    * Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy

    * The Scent of Water by Elizabeth Goudge

    * The Dean’s Watch by Elizabeth Goudge

    * Skyward Novellas by Brandon Sanderson

    * Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien

    * The Book of Ruth

    * Gladys Aylward: The Little Woman by Gladys Aylward with Christine Hunter

    * The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

    * These Are My People: a Biography of Gladys Aylward by Millie Howard

    * The Proper Place by O. Douglas

    * Thomas Becket: Warrior, Priest, Rebel by John Guy

    * The Histories of Earth series by Steven J. Carroll with Joel Froomkin (Narrator) Further information now that I’ve finished the series: book four does have some “religious content” in that they meet a society founded by Ancient Romans and tell them the history that came since Ancient times on Earth including the downfall of their Empire and the influence of Christianity in that time. They are all appalled (lol) to have ever become a monotheistic society. It does not proselytize. I loved this series and cannot recommend it highly enough!

    * Enchantress from the Stars by Sylvia Engdahl

    * The Confessions, Revised: Saint Augustine (The Works of Saint Augustine: A Translation for the 21st Century, Vol. 1) by Augustine and Maria Boulding (Translator)

    * The Julian Messner Shelf of Biographies- Link is to our printable series list

    * The Story of Clara Barton of the Red Cross by Jeannette Covert Nolan

    * Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsk

    Kelly’s other covers from last year:

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  • Welcome back for Season 2 of the Stories from the Ashes podcast!

    We’re so glad you’re listening and learning along with us!

    Today’s guest is Gloris Young, children’s book illustrator, artist, and one of the most influential people in Ambre’s love of stories and reading. You can see some of her journal pages and read her writings on her blog, Gloriadelia.

    Find a free literary database containing books we discuss on the podcast here:

    Links on our website are often affiliate links- they don’t cost you any extra to use but they greatly help support the costs of running this site. Thank you!

    Correction: Actress Agnes Moorehead was incorrectly identified as costumer Edith Head.

    Featured books in this episode and those illustrated by our guest:

    * Marco Polo by Manuel Komroff (Gloris illustrated the gorgeous map)

    * John of the Sirius trilogy by Doris Chadwick: John of the Sirius, John of Sydney Cove, John and Nanboree (Gloris illustrated the covers and interior maps)

    * Let's Explore… the British Isles A Geography Reader by Caroline Walker (Gloris illustrated the cover, interior illustrations, and maps- Inara modeled for the arm of the Lady of the Lake!)

    * James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl- as most of you know, I have huge Dahl reservations which doesn’t change the fact that I loved this read aloud experience as a child.

    * Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson narrated by Greg Wagland

    * Muppet Treasure Island (movie)

    * Fluffy Goes to School by Kate McMullan

    * The Monster at the End of this Book by Jon Stone

    * Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White narrated by the author

    * Dear Genius: The Letters of Ursula Nordstrom by Leonard S. Marcus (S1E6, below, is where Ambre reads some of the backstory on the writing of Charlotte’s Web as referenced in this episode.)

    * Mr. Bear Squash-You-All-Flat by Morrell Gipson

    * Once On A Time by AA Milne

    * News of the World by Paulette Jiles narrated by Grover Gardner

    * The Cay by Theodore Taylor narrated by LeVar Burton

    * The Bomb by Theodore Taylor

    * The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah (one of the books Gloris couldn’t remember the title of during our conversation). She only recommends this book for adults and not teens. Content Considerations: non-erotic sex scene between two unmarried characters, violence at the hands of the Nazis, SA off scene referenced from a Nazi.

    * The Four Wings by Kristin Hannah (the other title Gloris was going to look up the title of. Also only recommended for adults) Content Considerations: Non-erotic sex scene

    * A Dog Named Christmas series by Greg Kinkade. **Content Considerations: main characters with special needs both mental and physical. In book three the protagonist moves in with his girlfriend.** All of the books work as stand alone titles and Books one and two have been listened to multiple times by Gloris and are her top recommendations from the series.

    * Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien- Ambre prefers narration by Rob Inglis for the first read through and Andy Serkis after for younger children.

    * Cider with Rosie, The Autobiographical Trilogy by Laurie Lee

    * Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder

    * 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff (we also recommend the movie)

    * Q's Legacy: A Delightful Account of a Lifelong Love Affair with Books by Helene Hanff

    * A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus

    * The Bible

    * David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

    * Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe

    Recommended children’s authors:

    * Edith Nesbit

    * C.S. Lewis

    Ambre’s art that Gloris inquired after:

    Jacqueline Biang Art

    Thank you for listening to Stories from the Ashes. This podcast is free so please share it!



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