Happy Valentine's Day! Scrapple takes a maiden voyage cohosting with Quinn as they travel back to Verona (by way of 8th grade English class). There they hear a tale of woe about poor Juliet and Romeo. The cultural reach that this play by William Shakespeare has is vast and well-recognized. Join us as we fall in love and fall into tears.
James from the Netflix hit "Love on the Spectrum" joins Penn and Scrapple to discuss "Prince Caspian" by CS Lewis. Sure there are some tangents that go into football, Game of Thones, and (of course) Renaissance fairs but it's all in good fun!
Join Penn and Scrapple as they roast "The Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown. Whether it is the insanely improbable plot twists or the verbose, clunky writing style, the girls delve into what made this one so bad.
Penn and a new cohost Aza, a hardcore Nerdfighter and John Green expert, discuss "The Fault in Our Stars." Typically controversial for people who have never read the book, it is touching, eye-opening, and even slightly hilarious. Cancer touches so many lives and this book demonstrates the quantity of its victims.
Penn and Scrapple reunite to discuss the last book of His Dark Materials, "The Amber Spyglass" by Phillip Pullman. While there are some tangents regarding Prince Harry, penises, and Philadelphia restaurants, the pair manage to discuss Lyra and Will and their adventures.
Join Penn and Rusty as they analyze book II in "His Dark Materials: The Subtle Knife" by Phillip Pullman. New characters like Will Parry and Dr. Mary Malone are introduced as they interact with old favorites like Lyra, Lee Scoresby, and Serafina Pekkala. As as aside, pardon our slight audio issues!
In a post-Christmas haze, Scrapple and Penn reread classic short stories "The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant and "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry. While there are similarities in these stories--couples, gifts, and a twist ending--the dynamic is very different. Listen in for some insight on gift giving, love, and some scandalous background on the authors.
Penn and JJ travel to 1800s Prince Edward Island when they cover "Anne of Green Gables" by Lucy Maude Montgomery. They talk about their own crush on teacher, akin to Anne's crush on hers as well as the comedic scrapes that are still funny today...even a hundred and more years later!
Penn and Katya travel through the wardrobe into Narnia to cover the classic children's story "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" by CS Lewis. The biblical parallels are off the chain, but even despite that, the book is alluring in the possibility of traveling to different worlds.
Penn and Scrapple discuss a childhood classic "Little House in the Big Woods" by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Who knew it would be enjoyable to find out how people lived in the 1860s, hunting their own meat and harvesting their own grain and collecting their own maple sugar!
Penn and Scrapple travel back to 8th grade where they first read "The Giver" by Lois Lowry in English class. A society that prioritizes safety, politness, and precision of language sounds good in theory but the loss of passion, color, and music bring up the question if such a life is worth it. Learn about Jonas, baby Gabriel and the wise Giver as they try to revolutionize their society.
Penn and new cohost Joysey discuss "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky. A teen classic featuring a boy Charlie as he travels through his freshman year of high school, making new friends and trying to keep them all while being a sensitive lovely soul.
Penn is joined by her high school buddy Rusty as they reread a true adolescent classic "The Catcher in the Rye" by JD Salinger. Holden Caulfield is on the lookout for phonies and sees them everywhere. This doesn't of course, keep him from conversing with them, I swear to God.
Happy Election Day! Today, Penn and new cohost Mijo discuss "My Brother Sam is Dead," by James Lincoln Collier & Christopher Collier. While this book takes place during the Revolutionary War, Mijo discusses his own experience as a soldier and how the theme that "war is ugly" carries through time.
Penn and Scrapple celebrate Halloween with an ice cold "Pint of Poe." Since it is the hangover day, Scrapple discusses a favorite poem "The Raven," while Penn discusses "The Cask of Amontillado," by the illustrious Edgar Allen Poe.
Welcome new cohost Katya as she and Penn discuss a Scholastic book fair classic, Goosebumps by R.L. Stine! Specifically focusing on the book "The Haunted Mask," the girls talk bullying, boys, and when to go home. Bonus content in the episode: some choice Russian phrases relevant for everyday life.
Penn and Quinn discuss a high school staple "The Crucible" by Arthur Miller. The play, while written in the shadow of McCarthyism, is still relevant today. Does it seem like a good idea to take the accusations of teenaged girls seriously, especially if one is holding a grudge against her former employer? Well, the good people of Salem found out too late.
Join Penn and Scrapple as they parse a feminist staple, "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. Interestingly, the woman in the story has parallels to Britney Spears and her struggles under a conservatorship. At any rate, #freedbritney is out there loving life.
Penn and Scrapple kick off spooky season by discussing one of Scraple's favorite horror books "Carrie" by Stephen King. While the story is legendary, the duo delve into the details of religion, womanhood, and lust.
Penn and Quinn talk maybe too much about their own gardens when covering this classic children's book. Perhaps "The Secret Garden" by Frances Hodgson Burnett planted the seeds of owning their own garden some day.
Join new co-host JJ as she and Penn delve into a Millenial classic, "Looking For Alaska" by John Green. Published in 2005, right during peak Manic Pixie Girl times, the podcast delves into this trope as well as reminiscing about the times of post-9/11, Dubya, and how little guidance school counselors would give us.
Get your tissues ready as Penn and Eeyore discuss the best-selling novel "The Lovely Bones" by Alice Sebold. They talk plot, true crime, and some vital Pennsylvania trivia. While the movie came out a few years later and involved the wonderful Peter Jackson, it doesn't hold a candle to the beautiful telling by the book.
Penn and Scrapple discuss a formative book series "Sideways Stories From Wayside School," "Wayside School is Falling Down," and "Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger" by the wonderful Louis Sachar. Since the books are short stories that weave in an out, telling a tale is tricky, so if you're lost, just hope you're not lost on the 19th floor and get to your local library.
Join Penn and her sister Sugarplum as they discuss a classic, "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott. Despite a couple hundred year difference, the sisters find some similarities with the Marches. Ultimately they decide who is the Meg and who is the Amy.
Have you ever worried about when your period was gonna start, why boys were shorter than you, and if it was time to start wearing a bra? If you have, you were probably at one time a preteen girl that understands a lot of what Margaret is going through. Join Penn and new cohost Eeyore as they discuss how relatable the book is to their own childhoods.
Quinn Dyer returns to discuss Sylvia Plath's only novel "The Bell Jar" with her pal Penn. They delve into how Sylvia's own life was mirrored in the novel, particularly her struggles with mental health. The book is a feminist classic and relatable to generations of women.
Scrapple and Penn discuss the Roald Dahl classic, "Matilda" while going on many delightful tangents to bring a smile to your face. We also discuss the movie as an independent work and in comparison to the brilliant book.
This week has Rocky, Penn, and Mac reveling in a true classic, "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood. They discuss iconic scenes, the television series, and how some of these topics foreshadowed current events.
Penn and Scrapple dig into the last book of the trilogy, "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins. While they do talk about pickles and Pittsburgh, they ultimately do talk about the inspirations behind the Hunger Games and how they feel about how it all ended.
Penn and Belle talk about the 2nd book in Suzanne Collins' trilogy. They discuss the complexity of teamwork, the trouble with unruly eyebrows, and the burden of being the Mockingjay. They also decide on "Who would you do?" which is something probably every reader has considered.
Join Penn and guest host Belle discuss the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins! They discuss reality TV, love triangles and what Penn and JLaw have in common. Listen in to relive the horrors of Panem.
Happy 4th of July! Rocky and Penn discuss what being an American means to them as well as discussing the complicated history between founding father Thomas Jefferson and slavery. While the book is historical fiction, there are details that are factually true. Join us as we parse out fact from fiction.
Join Rocky and her sister Mac as they discuss the classic "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen. They delve into who their favorite Bennet sister is and enjoy the ridiculous Mr. Collins. The duo touch on film adaptations as well; do you have a favorite?
This week Rocky & Penn review "Tuck Everlasting" by Natalie Babbitt. A staple of modern children's literature, this slim book delves into the possibility of immortality. Would you drink from the spring at Tree Gap?
Join Penn and her new cohost Quinn as they review Laurie Halse Anderson's "Speak. While the book is highly relatable, it is also commonly banned in schools. Trigger warning: sexual assault, gun violence, and language.
Rocky and Penn discuss the lovely and beloved "Ella Enchanted" as well as diving into the Cinderella origins story...in its many manifestations!
Please see the link below mentioned in the episode: https://www.ahaparenting.com/read/Divorce-protecting-kids
Revisit "Holes" by Louis Sacher where Camp Green Lake isn't green and there is no lake. Travel with Stanley Yelnats, his no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather, and Kissin' Kate Barlow into their past and future selves.
Penn and Scrappy discuss how they would do wandering through the woods, classic MTV shows, and somehow end up discussing Voldemort's, ahem, anatomy.
Join Penn and new guest host Scrapple as they discuss Voldemort's origins story, some real life inspirations for some of the more evil characters and why Snape is such a bad dude. I mean, Professor Snape.
Penn and new cohost Crimpet ponder why Dumbledore does what he does, why Ron is so annoying, and why are the old guys making the rules?
Rocky and Penn dive into book 4 of the Harry Potter series. They grieve the noble Cedric, while simultaneously wondering if Harry accidentally caught sight of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's...um... package.
Penn and temporary cohost Belle review book #3 of the Harry Potter series. What does butterbeer taste like? Was Gary Oldman the best choice for Sirius Black? And what would your Patronus be? These questions and more are answered in today's episode.
Rocky and Penn delve into book 2 of the Harry Potter series. They empathize with Ginny, hate on Draco, and wonder whatever happened to disposable cameras. While they agree on how endearing Dobby is, they disagree on whether they like book 2 or not.
Calling all Harry Potter fans, but especially those fans whose childhood consisted of waiting for these books to roll out! Penn and Rocky review the book, discussing favorite scenes and background trivia.