Category Archives: New Episode

Episode 112: Summer Vacation Books

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The Mamas are here to help you pack for vacation with books for little ones, middle graders, young adults, grown ups and weirdos. They’ve got books about canoeing goats, Hawaiian folklore, mind-controlling orchids, sirens, witches and more—perfect for reading on the beach, in your backyard or in Bigfoot’s hut in the Pacific Northwest. Grab one of the Mamas recommendations and escape reality for the summer. Margie and Heather will be right there with you.

Book Chat

Picture Book: 

Goats Afloat by Lezlie Evans and illustrated by Julia Patton 

Middle Grade Books:

How to Tell a True Story by Tricia Springstubb

The Invisible Wild by Nikki Van de Car

Young Adult Books:

Night Swimming by Aaron Starmer

When the Bones Sing by Ginny Meyers Sain

Grown Up Books:

The Amalfi Curse by Sarah Penner

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna

Eat the ones you love by Sarah Maria Griffin

The Sirens and Weyward by Emilia Hart

Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping on a Dead Man by Jess Squanto

Culture Creep: Notes on the Pop Apocalypse by Alice Bolin

Episode 111: Staying Active with Activity Books

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The Mamas get cooking in episode 111, serving up fun ideas to keep you and your kiddos active over summer break. From gluing 3-D toys to grilling up your veggies, the book chat is filled with a variety of resources to help prevent brain drain while you’re on vacay.

Book Chat:

  • My First Town, a Building Block Book by Merrill Rainey
  • Tasting History by Max Miller
  • Dear Writer, Pep Talks and Practical Advice for the Creative Life by Maggie Smith
  • The Essential Cottage Cookbook: Simply Delicious Recipes for Cottages, Cabins, and Wherever Your Travels Take You by Andrea Buckett
  • The Dessert Course, the Hows and Whys of Baking by Benjamin Delwiche, aka Benjamin the Baker
  • Sebze: Vegetarian Recipes from My Turkish Kitchen by Ozlem Warren
  • Crocheting the National Parks: 20 Patterns for Accessories, Home Décor, Plushies, and More Inspired by Natural Wonders by Krista Ann
  • Cozy Crime Scene Coloring book by Mira Luna and Jojo Weirdo
  • Canton Cover-up Coloring Book 

Episode 95: Fall Vibes

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Get a peek behind the scenes as the Mamas fall straight into conversation before starting the show, then gear up  for happy fall vibes from Heather and surly vibes from You-Know-Who. The book chat includes a cornucopia of books that are perfect for fall reading, from stories for kids about acorns, bears, and popcorn to one for grown-ups about lazy bones. The Mamas will get you ready for leaf peeping season.

Book Chat:

Picture Books (3-5 year olds)

Because of an Acorn by Lola M. Schaefer and Adam Shaefer with the art by Frann Preston-Gannon

Sometimes We Fall by Randall de Seve and art by Kate Gardiner 

Middle Grade Book (8-12 year olds)

Popcorn by Rob Harrell

Grown Up Book

Chaos at the Lazy Bones Book Shop by Emmeline Duncan

Episode 92: Summer Sci-fi

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It’s Sci-fi week and the Mamas are going where no Mamas have gone before. After a deep dive into our AI overlords, the Mamas share some great dystopian, post-apocalyptic, Frankenstein-ish, cozy mysteries. And, that’s all in one book! Once again, the Mamas cover all ages with alien picture books, post-apocalyptic middle grade (ages 8-12) and dystopian grown up recommendations. Don’t worry, Margie talks about sports for only a few minutes. Feel free to fast forward. 

Book Chat:

Middle Grade

Alebrijes by Donna Barba Higuera

Picture Books

Dalmartian by Lucy Ruth Cummins

The Spaceman by Randy Cecil

Grown Up

The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton

Episode 82: Graphic Novels R Cool (Who Knew!)

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In this episode of the Two Lit Mamas podcast, the Mamas get graphic but Tipper Gore can chill – no warning label required for this bundle of sweet, fun, and entertaining Middle Grade (ages 8-12)and Young Adult (ages 13 and up) novels in comic form! That’s right, the mamas are chatting about graphic novels and *spoiler alert* they are loving them.   

Book Chat:

The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz
Inked by Dominic Bustamante, Colored by Eleonora Bruni

EVE by Victor LaValle
Illustrated by Jo Mi-Gyeong, Colored by Brittany Peer

Break by Kayla Miller

Doom’s Day Camp by Joshua Hauke

Animal Rescue Friends by Meika Hashimoto and Gina Loveless
Illustrated by Genevieve Kote, Breakdowns by Axelle Lenior

World Class byJay Sandlin 
Illustrated by Patrick Mulholland, Colored by Rebecca Nalty

Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier 

Episode 81: Books for Grown Ups

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The Mamas want to help you through the dark days of winter with recommendations for the grown up books they plowed through over the holidays. Don’t worry, they’ll be back with  kid book recs next time around, but for episode 81, all you parents, teachers, and writers out there, prepare to get your read on. Happy New Year! Here’s to hoping 2024 isn’t a hot mess.  

Book Chat:
See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt

Margie’s Winter Break Reads:
They Never Learn by Layne Fargo
The House in the Pines by Ana Reyes
The Forgotten Girls by Monica Potts

Heather’s Winter Break Reads:
Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman
Divine Rivals & Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross
Galatea by Madeline Miller

Episode 74: This Magic MG Moment

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It’s a magical moment indeed when Margie realizes a book can have too many fart jokes. Heather didn’t even use her witch wand to open Margie’s eyes. Shocking! In the latest episode of the Two Lit Mamas podcast, the Mamas sprinkle fairy dust on their Middle Grade book chat to spin stories filled with the magic of Gullah conjurers and Norse gods – stories that have the Mamas wishing for broomstick guardians and talking alligators. The Mamas then compel you to listen until the end when they share their latest grown-up book pick, a very twisty turny non-magical mystery that will make you laugh and yell, “girlllllll, don’t do it!”   

Middle Grade Book Chat:
Loki: A Bad God’s Guide to Being Good by Louie Stowell 
Conjure Island by Eden Royce

Grown Up Book Chat:
Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano

Episode 71: MG Books for Foodies

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The Mamas revisit their favorite topic, food! Gather the kid foodies in your life and share these fun summer reads for ages 8-12 that focus on diversity, overcoming adversity, friendship, family and most importantly delicious foods. The Mamas will wet your appetite for fiction, fusion food and cake! If you can stave off hunger, hang on to the end of the episode for recommendations from the Mamas for six new books with LGBTQIA+ characters and themes in honor of PRIDE month.  

Book Chat:

Pie in the Sky by Remy Lai

The Takeout by Tracy Badua

Pick 6: LGBTQIA+ Books for Middle Grade

Ellie Engle Save Herself by Leah Johnson

Too Bright to See by Kyle Lukoff 

The Insiders by Mark Oshiro

Ring of Solomon by Aden Polydoros

Glitter Boy by Ian Eagleton

The Song of Us by Kate Fussner

Episode 70: Hidden Folk in Middle Grade

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The Mamas go in search of fairies, gnomes, and magical folk in Middle Grade novels (for 7-12 year olds) to kick off summer! Well, let’s be honest, Heather went in search of them and Margie stomped along  begrudgingly but that didn’t keep them from bringing you two winners along with a fun round of 2 Book and a Fake. Can you spot the fake?

Book Chat:

Dust and Grim by Chuck Wendig
Gnome is Where Your Heart Is by Casey Lyall

Show Links:
Thirteenth Circle by MarcyKate Conolley and Catherine Holmes
Last Summer in Outer Space by Joshua Levy
I Have a Bad Feeling by Jeff Strand
The Video Game Stole My Sister by Justin Stone

Episode 68: Judy Blume FanMamas

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The Mamas revisit their own middle school trials, traumas, and triumphs through a book chat around Judy Blume’s famous 1970 children’s book, Are You There, God, It’s Me Margaret and the new movie of the same title. If that isn’t enough, they also dig into the Amazon documentary Forever Judy Blume for a full-scale Judy Blume love fest. Grab your BFF and join the Mamas’ secret club. They won’t make you increase your bust, but you will need a code name. (Lit Mama One and Lit Mama Two are taken)

Book Chat: 

Are You There, God, It’s Me Margaret by Judy Blume

Pick 6: 

Authors who also wrote for kids and adults

Carl Hiaasen

Terry Pratchett

Rick Riordan

Neil Gaiman

Ursula Le Guin

Jane O’Connor

Show Links:

NYT article about Margaret movie