Show Notes
"Stories bond us, but so does struggle" ~Sam Helmick In this episode of Rogue Librarians, we speak with Sam Helmick, President of the American Library Association. This is our third conversation with Sam! This time we are focusing on the upcoming Youth Media Awards and what this event means to children, librarians, and book lovers everywhere. Below are all the pertinent links. Stream the Youth Media awards at ala.unikron.com and on the ALA Facebook page. For more information go to the ALA Youth Media Awards information page Sam Helmick’s contact information: @geometric rabbit or @shelmick on Instagram @samhelmick on Bluesky @samhelmick on Facebook Some books we talked about during the podcast: Bluebird, by Sharon Cameron American Dirt, by Jeanine Cummins The 13 ½ Lives of Captain Bluebear, by Walter Moers Rumo and His Miraculous Adventures, by Walter Moers Good Spirits, by BK Borison Charlotte’s Web, by E.B. White - special edition The Poet X, by Elizabeth Acevedo Island of the Blue Dolphins, by Scott O’Dell The Witch of Blackbird Pond, by Elizabeth George Speare Big, by Vashti Harrison Hair Love, by Matthew A. Cherry, Illustrated by Vashti Harrison Where the Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak A Heart In The Body Of The World, by Deb Caletti
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When you’re fighting censorship, the goal isn’t just to say “this is bad.” It’s to make sure kids can still find the books, the stories, and themselves. In our conversation with authors Ashley Hope Pérez and Elana K. Arnold, we talk about how the anthology Banned Together helps librarians, teachers, readers, and writers stand up for the freedom to read—and build community along the way. What are you protecting right now: a book, a voice, or a space? The following things came up during our discussion. Rogue Librarians Episode 10. Out of Darkness: Interview with Ashley Hope Pérez
Week, schmeek, we’re celebrating Banned Books Month and our freedom to read throughout October. This week we talk with author and poet Amber McBride about her novel in verse, The Leaving Room, which turns big questions about death, story, and spirit into something tender and human. Our conversation ranges from books and storytelling to censorship and the comfort literature can offer young readers. Amber reminds us that reading can be joy, resistance, and freedom all at once. And yes — the freedom to choose what we read matters more than ever. We are not saying read everything. We are saying people should have access, choice, and context. That distinction changes everything. You can find Amber McBride at amber-mcbride.com and on Instagram, Tiktok, and Threads @ambsmcbride Books and media we discussed during our conversation include: Tar Beach, by Faith Ringgold
Join us as we kick off our celebration of banned books week and our freedom to read. We welcomed back our friend Sam Helmick, the immediate past president of the American Library Association, to discuss Susan Orlean’s marvelous book, The Library Book. During our discussion, we brought up a few prior episodes of Rogue Librarians, including: Episode 17. The Librarian of Basra (Part 1: Why It's Banned) Episode 18. The Librarian of Basra (Part 2: Close Reading) Episode 54. Fahrenheit 451 (Part 1: Why It’s Banned Episode 53. Fahrenheit 451 (Part 2 : Close Reading)
In this episode we welcome back our friend, Rogue name Undine, for a close reading of The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. We decided to give this book the Sacred Reading treatment introduced to us by the incredible podcast Harry Potter and the Sacred Text. We used the practice of Lectio Divinia and modeled our discussion after the “sacred reading” format used by Casper ter Kuile, Vanessa Zoltan and Matthew Potts in their podcast. Here is the link to their webpage, which explains the process in more detail. Harry Potter and the Sacred Text
Welcome to season 5 of The Rogue Librarians! We are opening with a discussion of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. Published in 1986, this dystopian tale of a religious revolution in the U.S. only seems to get more relevant with time. In Part 1 we learn a little about the history of the book and of course, why it’s been banned. We are joined by a special guest, Rogue name Undine, who brings insight and art history to the conversation. Materials discussed during the podcast include: In Banned Bits: Article Why This School District Used A.I. to Help Determine Which Books to Ban, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Aug 2023.