Favorite person alert: Justina Engel returns to discuss Ali Sparkes' 2009 sci-fi novel FROZEN IN TIME. During summer vacation siblings Ben and Rachel dig up a bomb shelter in their backyard. Inside the bomb shelter are their great aunt and uncle, cryogenically frozen (and there's a puppy there too). Family mysteries, government conspiracies, and in…

In this episode of Required Reading, we dive into Edgar Allan Poe’s haunting short story, The Tell-Tale Heart. Through the fevered confession of an unreliable narrator, Poe explores the thin line between sanity and madness, guilt and obsession. We discuss how Poe uses rhythm, repetition, and symbolism to capture the relentless beat of a guilty cons…

An ode to the magic and miseries of girlhood - but mostly the magic. Comedian and Emmy-winning producer Britt Migs joins me to discuss Louise Rennison's 1999 British classic: Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging. Follow Britt! Follow Erin! Support the podcast!

Yes, it's the incest book. This week Lauren Badillo Milici joins me to discuss VC Andrew's salacious and iconic first novel Flowers in the Attic. Four siblings are trapped in an attic by their mother and grandmother in an attempt to hide their existence from their grandfather. Check out Lauren's book and her work at GamesRadar! Follow Erin! Support…

Miracle of miracles! Kevin T Porter of Good Christian Fun returns to discuss one of the best-selling book series of all time: Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer. Artemis Fowl is a twelve year old criminal mastermind, on a quest to save his family's reputation and gold. But a little fairy named Holly Short just might get in his way. Check out Kevin's previ…

Comedian Enor Bishop joins me to discuss Stephen King's immortal classic from 1987: Misery. Author Paul Sheldon's life is saved after he is pulled from the wreckage of his car by his number one fan: Annie Wilkes. Trouble is, she won't let him leave. Get tickets to Enor's show on November 15th 2025! Follow Erin! Support the show!…

In this episode of Required Reading, we explore Edgar Allan Poe’s chilling masterpiece, The Cask of Amontillado. Set in the eerie catacombs beneath an Italian palazzo, the story follows Montresor’s calculated revenge against Fortunato—an act cloaked in deception, wine, and madness. The episode unpacks themes of pride, guilt, and psychological horro…

Another week, another Goosebump! Book 4 in the series is Say Cheese and Die, where a mysterious camera causes misfortune to whoever appears in a pic! Goosebumps episode one! Two! Three! With Chelsea Pope! With Keara Sullivan! Support the podcast! Follow me!

It's a mini episode and a solo episode so you know it's gonna be absolutely whack-a-doodle. I talk about my favorite Halloween movies! Here's my letterboxd list! Follow me! Support the podcast!

This week Amanda and Victoria discuss the novella The Vampyre by John Polidori (NOT LORD BYRON), and how it helped create the vampire genre we know today.

AAAAAH! Legendary director Paul Feig joins me to discuss Mary Shelley's immortal Frankenstein from 1818. Check out Paul's newest film The Housemaid only in theaters December 19th!

This week on Required Reading, we dust off our middle school readers and learn about high schoolers in love. We read Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, the passionate and mature love of a 13 and 15 year old. It's basically Elizabethan Degrassi. Co-Hosts: Dr. Nic Hoffmann, Mike Burns, Mike Carroll "n Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare creates a vio…

Original guest and girlhood expert Georgia Shenk returns to discuss a book I was not allowed to read and the touchstone for "mean girl"-hood of the 00s.....other than the one you're thinking of. It's THE CLIQUE by Lisi Harrison! When new girl Claire moves into mean girl Massie's guest house, worlds collide. Claire eats sugar and does not fit in wit…

This week we are reminding you that this is the best of all possible podcasts. We talk Candide by Voltaire! Keep on reviewing and subscribing so we can continue doing this! or perhaps, this is our last episode and we will go to tend our gardens. Host: Dr. Nic Hoffmann Panel: Mike Burns and Mike Carroll Here from us! "The Last Time I Rewound: VHS, S…

This week on the podcast it's an all-time classic of girlhood: Frances Hodgson Burnett's A LITTLE PRINCESS with podcaster Caroline Ely! Sarah Crewe enters Miss Minchin's boarding school as a wealthy heiress, but when her father dies finds herself shoved into servitude, poverty, and hunger. Check out Caroline's podcast Good Christin Fun (Erin was on…

TV writer Jillian Tsai of Netflix's Haunted Hotel joins me to discuss the first entry into the mega-series WARRIORS from 2003! Rusty is a cozy house cat who chooses to join Thunderclan, a group of feral cats who live in the woods behind his house and are having a land dispute with other clans. He becomes a warrior apprentice, Firepaw, and uncovers …

This week Amanda and Victoria discuss another book that probably should have been a trauma indicator, Dicey's Song by Cynthia Voight...also Anime Horse Girls

This week we get the energy up by having Mike Carroll talk about Beowulf again! We plan on coming out with an episode every first and third Friday of the Month for the rest of the school year and hopefully you come along for the ride with us! We are starting out with Grendel by John Gardner a deceptively short book for the complex magnitudes it con…

Author Sierra Marilyn Riley (The Dark Cove Theatre Society) joins me to discuss one of MY all-time favorite books from childhood: THE WESTING GAME! When wealthy paper magnate Samuel Westing dies he leaves a complicated will demanding 16 "heirs" - most of whom live at an apartment building across a field from his creepy mansion - partake in a game t…

Mind-blowing writer Jenny Bicks (Welcome to Flatch, Sex and the City) joins me to discuss our second Roald Dahl book JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH. Fun fact: same year as Phantom Tollbooth! Little James finds himself inside a giant peach, surrounded by several very large and very friendly bugs! Support the podcast!…

We are back, baby! This week we are joined by graphic novelist Rebecca Michaud as we talk about the DC Elseworld comic, Superman: Red Son by Mark Millar, Dave Johnson, and Killian Plunkett; Superman the pinko, classic! Host: Dr. Nic Hoffmann, Mike Burns, and Mike Carroll. Guest: Rebecca Michaud Imagine a reality where the world’s most powerful supe…

Bellbottoms, capris, cargos: its the summer of pants. Kelly Krauter joins me to discuss Ann Brashare's 2001 immortal classic THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS. And don't you dare roll your eyes. Best friends Carmen, Tibby, Lena, and Bridget are about to spend a summer apart for the first time in their 15 years of life. Just before they go their…

Kelsey Buckley returns to wrap up our summer camp series with a nonfiction book: THEATER GEEK. Theater Geek by Mickey Rapkin chronicles one summer at renowned theater camp Stagedoor Manor. Follow Kelsey! Follow Erin! Support the podcast! As of this writing (8.26.25) we have earned $3.56 from ad revenue! Thank you for listening!…

Writer Joanna Truman joins me to discuss one of the most iconic characters in children's literature: Harriet M Welsch AKA Harriet the Spy!! From Louise Fitzhugh in 1964, Harriet the Spy follows Manhattanite 11 year old kid spy Harriet M Welsh as she writes infinitely in her trusty notebook about her pesky classmates in order to survive the departur…

Comedian Maggie Winters joins me to discuss THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH by Norton Juster with illustrations from Jules Feiffer! The Phantom Tollbooth follows bored schoolboy Milo as he enters a mystical and very unreasonable land in search of the princesses of Rhyme and Reason! AND - episode 100 is approaching! Let me know what you'd like me to do! I hav…

Broadway's Natalie Ortega returns to discuss another entry in Camp Required Reading: CAMP ROCK! From 2008, the DCOM (Disney Channel Original Movie, of course) Camp Rock follows Mitchie (Demi Lovato) at the celebrated music camp where dreams are made, as long as no one finds out her mom is the new cook! Follow Natalie! Support the podcast! Follow Er…

Keara Sullivan returns to Required Reading to go to camp and, frankly, it's horrifying. We dive into Goosebumps THE HORROR AT CAMP JELLYJAM by RL Stine. Wendy and her brother Elliot fall off their parent's car, down a mountain, and into Camp Jellyjam where something STINKS. Follow Keara! Read her Substack! Support the podcast! Follow Erin!…

This week Amanda and Victoria discuss the epic poem by Virgil (or Vergil), The Aeneid. Also, our weird obsession with bunt cakes.

Camp Required Reading is BACK, campers! Victoria Harley (A Breath of Fresh Movie podcast) joins me to discuss RL Stine's 12th book in the Fear Street saga: Lights Out. Holly doesn't like the outdoors, but she'll be a camp counselor to help her uncle save his failing camp - but someone's trying to sabotage it all! Check out some of our other camp ep…

Author, creator, and marketing maven Madeline North returns to discuss a dragon classic: ERAGON by Christopher Paolini. Young Eragon finds a dragon egg and quickly Saphira the dragon hatches. All matter of mayhem breaks loose as forces from throughout the kingdom seek out the egg. Follow Madeline! Check out Madeline's new marketing agency! Listen t…

It's week two of Camp Required Reading and Chelsea Pope returns to discuss Goosebumps #9: Welcome to Camp Nightmare! The food at Camp Nightmoon isn't great. The counselors are a little strange. And the camp director, Uncle Al seems sort of demented. OK, Billy can handle that. But when other campers disappear... and his parents don't answer his lett…

This week I am debuting a special summer camp series!! Haley OC joins me to discuss SUNKISSED by Kasie West, a YA romance inspired by Dirty Dancing. Avery has always used music as an escape. But after her best friend betrays her, even her perfectly curated playlists can't help her forget what happened. To make matters worse, her parents have dragge…

Writer Chad Morton (Abbott Elementary) joins me to discuss the most banned book of the 21st century: Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey. Fourth graders George and Harold accidentally hypnotize their terrible principal into actually becoming Captain Underpants, the comic book hero they drew! See Chad's work on Abbott Elementary on ABC! Check out the w…

Welcome to our first "Book Club" episode, as Amanda and Victoria discuss Sinners, Conclave and the atrocious Lilo and Stitch live action. Fair warning: there's no outline, no script, and plenty of tangents. Back to our regularly scheduled programming in July!

Krista Moy returns to discuss William Golding's 1954 classic Lord of the Flies! Also it's EPISODE 75!! We did it babes! A group of boys crash-land on an island and all hell breaks loose. Check out Krista's previous episode about A Streetcar Named Desire! Follow Krista! Follow Erin! Support the podcast!…

This week Justine Engel joins me to read our first American Girl DOLL book: Meet Samantha! In 1904 wealthy orphan Samantha Parkington realizes the injustices that exist in the world around her, including child labor, segregation, and women's suffrage. Next week is our 75th episode! We will be reading Lord of the Flies - come prepared! Follow Justin…

Filmmaker Molly McGlynn joins me to discuss our first poetry collection - Shel Silverstein's WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS! We ask the critical question: was Shel Silverstein hot? Let us know. Follow Molly! Follow Erin! Support the podcast!

Longest episode title ever? Perhaps. You're welcome. Teaching artist Sara Childrey joins me to discuss TWO movies: The Swan Princess (1994) and Barbie of Swan Lake (2003)! Follow Childrey's substack! Check out some other movie episodes: The Nightmare Before Christmas! The Last Unicorn! Support the podcast! Follow Erin!…

Poet and author Erin Taylor joins me to discuss Kate Chopin's 1899 novel THE AWAKENING. Edna Pontellier struggles between her increasingly unorthodox views on femininity and motherhood with the prevailing social attitudes of the turn-of-the-century Louisiana. (Wikipedia) Erin Taylor's book Bimboland! Support the podcast! Follow Erin!…

Author Alex Brunkhorst joins me to discuss what was almost our very first book - The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald. It just turned 100! Set in the Jazz Age on Long Island, near New York City, the novel depicts first-person narrator Nick Carraway's interactions with Jay Gatsby, a mysterious millionaire with an obsession to reunite with his form…

Another solo episode! Do you like these? Please let me know. Goosebumps book 3 follows Evan Ross when he discovers a can of "Monster Blood" in an old toy store. And it's got an appetite. Follow Erin! Support the podcast! Listen to Goosebumps Book 2! Listen to Goosebumps Book 1!

Book two in our Goosebumps deep dive! Something weird is going on with Dad ever since he got fired from his job - and why is he wearing that hat all the time? Could be he's a mad scientist! Follow Erin! Support the show! Listen to Goosebumps Book 1!

Zannah Schorer returns to discuss Brandon Mull's absolutely buck wild novel: FABLEHAVEN. Kendra and Seth discover their grandparents live on a nature preserve for all the world's mythical creatures (a haven, you might say, for fables...) Follow Zannah! Follow Erin! SUPPORT THE PODCAST Listen to Zannah's previous episode about The Tail of Emily Wind…

I love this one :) Writer Christin Campbell joins me to discuss the 1982 Rankin/Bass film THE LAST UNICORN! A unicorn leaves the protection of her enchanted forest to discover if she really is the last of her kind. Follow Christin! Follow Erin! Support the podcast! Another Required Viewing episode: The Nightmare Before Christmas!…

This week Amanda and Victoria explore Simone de Beauvoir's exploration of women, The Second Sex, and discuss intersectionality and a whole blend of modern-day f**kery.

Rachel Moss joins me to discuss Midnight for Charlie Bone by Jenny Nimmo from 2002! Many write it off as a Harry Potter rip-off but - hear this - it might be a whole lot better. When Charlie Bone discovers he can hear the voices of people in photographs he is whisked away to the Bloor Academy to train his powers, where he becomes entrenched in a ge…

It's just me this week! I am debuting a new intermittent series where I read all of RL Stine's immaculate Goosebumps series! Follow me! Support the show!

Madeline Douglass returns and this time we've got a third: former co-worker Luke Henke! We all worked in a Girl Scout Museum in college. Jealous? From Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1850 comes one of the first mass-produced books of all time: The Scarlet Letter. The novel tells the story of Hester Prynne, who conceives a daughter with a man (minister Arthu…

This week Amanda and Victoria discuss Uncle Tom's Cabin and its enduring (and destructive) legacy.

Not to be biased but this is a really good one! Author Gretchen Schreiber joins me to discuss two-books-in-one, Crown Duel and Court Duel by Sherwood Smith from 1997/1998/2002? The first book follows the adventures of young Countess Meliara "Mel" Astiar of Tlanth as she and her small group of forces rebel against the greed of King Galdran; along th…