Episode 17 - The Golden Compass

Have you ever wanted to stumble across a world of magic and mystery and hatch your own dragon to be a beloved companion and eternal friend? One of this podcast duo did as a child. The other did not. Join Kelly and Emily as they revisit Bruce Coville's "Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher" and we find out which of the two still has the beautiful childlike spirit of whimsy in her heart, while also being the one who writes these episode descriptions.   Next Episode: "Starring Sally J. Freedman as Herself" by Judy Blume Twitter: @ThrowbackBSPod

Kelly and Emily return from the depths to discuss another book of Emily's childhood - this time, it's Robin McKinley's "Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast". It's time to talk about baffling breezes, boring beasts, and names for horses. Fun fact: this time it's NOT a sad novel about a historical girl and lots of people who die, so. It's got that going for it.   Next episode: Bruce Coville's "Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher" Music: "Heartbreaker" by Jahzzar (betterwithmusic.com) Twitter: @ThrowbackBSPod

Look, Kelly and Emily may not have the Time Stone, but that doesn't mean they can't do a little time traveling of their own! Let's gently ramble back to 1908 for a re-reading of L.M. Montgomery's classic children's book, "Anne of Green Gables". Emily and Kelly wanted to talk about a beautiful love story for the ages, a story of two neighbors and their eternal connection. But instead of the Eternal Soulmates Diana and Anne, they're stuck with... Gilbert. This week: a discussion of imaginative orphans, Why Marilla Is The Best, what kind of podcast Anne and Diana would have, and what the heck is a gable anyway?   Next episode: Robin McKinley's "Beauty" Music: "Heartbreaker" by Jahzzar (betterwithmusic.com) Twitter: @ThrowbackBSPod

There's a time in every friendship where two people find themselves on opposite sides of an issue, an impassable chasm of roiling emotion between them - for Kelly and Emily, this moment is called Gary Paulsen's "The Island". Come join them to try and survive being stranded on an Island of Emotion as Kelly and Emily talk (argue?) about this story of a boy on an island and the value of the pretentious tales we love as kids. Next time: "Anne of Green Gables" by L. M. Montgomery Twitter: @ThrowbackBSPod Music: "Heartbreaker" by Jahzzar (betterwithmusic.com)  

Maybe it's been awhile since you've read Roald Dahl's "James and the Giant Peach". If so... wow, better buckle in because that book is a WILD ride. This week, Kelly and Emily chat about whether giant insects make terrible friends, giant peach socialism, Emily's polar bear phobia, and how much they definitely did not remember how weird this book is.   Next episode: Gary Paulsen, "The Island" Twitter: @ThrowbackBSPod Music: "Heartbreaker" by Jahzzar (betterwithmusic.com)

There's an unsung hero we need to talk about, friends. A person who just wants to break free from the monotony of 9-5 and the torture of climbing 30 flights of stairs every day. Kelly and Emily understand this person. Kelly and Emily love this person. This person... is Mrs. Gorf. Yes indeed, this week is a return to Louis Sachar with 1978's "Sideways Stories from Wayside School". It's time to talk about how much biting people is too much biting people, the mysteries of the 19th floor, and HOLD UP WAIT Kick the Can has rules?! A lot of rules?! Kelly's having a very educational week.   Next time: James and the Giant Peach Music: "Heartbreaker" by Jahzzar Twitter: @ThrowbackBSPod

The end of the year is a time to look back... for Kelly and Emily, it's a time to reflect on the first episode of Throwback Bookstack by revisiting Patricia Wrede's series about dragons: this time, they read the fourth and final book of the series, Talking to Dragons. It's time to discuss how humor evolved throughout the series, Chekhov's Kitten, how to melt wizards, and naming your kid 'Daystar'. If you want to hear our previous Patricia Wrede discussion, scroll back in your feed aaaaall the way back to Episode 1. Music: "Heartbreaker" by Jahzzar (betterwithmusic.com) Twitter: @ThrowbackBSPod Next Up: Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar

Just because we're in the long and lonely offseason, with Spring Training so very far away, doesn't mean that Emily and Kelly don't have baseball in their hearts and on their minds! This week they go back to their old friend, historical fiction, to read Virginia Euwer Wolff's 1998 tale "Bat 6", about youth sports in a post-World War II town. It's time for Another Sad Book as they discuss sports, spice cake, and generational trauma in the aftermath of WWII. So, uh. Maybe drink some wine with this one. Content Note: This book contains themes relating to racism, Japanese internment camps, and racially-motivated violence. So if you're not in a headspace for that, this may be one for you to skip. Twitter: @ThrowbackBSPod Music: "Heartbreaker" by Jahzzar (betterwithmusic.com) Next episode: "Talking to Dragons" by Patricia Wrede

Someday, Kelly will get it together and we'll get back to a regular release schedule. Obviously, October was not that someday.   However, here is another episode! For all of you lovely people out there! This time, Kelly and Emily are reading Sharon Creech's "Walk Two Moons". They laugh, they cry, they cry some more. And more. And more. If y'all have read this book, you know what I'm talking about. Join us as we discuss the depictions of grief in this book for youths.   Music: "Heartbreaker" by Jahzzar (betterwithmusic.com) Twitter: @ThrowbackBSPod

We all want adorable sentient animals to be our best friends, right? Well, apparently everyone doesn't want that. (Spoiler alert: Emily. It's Emily). This week, Kelly and Emily re-read Philip Pullman's "The Golden Compass" and discuss talking bears, talking animals, talking magical compasses... it's a world of communication, folks. Settle in for a conversation about political themes, religious factionalism, and the important question: do daemons smell?   Twitter: @ThrowbackBSPod Music: "Heartbreaker" by Jahzzar Next up: 'Walk Two Moons' by Sharon Creech