Best Kid Friendly Book Reviews Podcasts (2024)

1
Kitty Ruskin: A year of casual sex 42:17

13m ago42:17

42:17

At the beginning of 2019, writer and journalist Kitty Ruskin was young, free, and single and eager to give her sex life a bit of a shake-up. Having previously shunned the idea of one-night stands and kissing complete strangers, Ruskin decided to embrace her sexuality and embark upon a year of no-strings, casual sex. Partly inspired by Sex and the C…

1
Festival Mozaic, SLO County Animal Services update, and the importance of sea otters 58:21

6h ago58:21

58:21

KCBX program director Marisa Waddell talks with Lloyd Tanner of Festival Mozaic about what it’s like to be an arts administrator who puts together a multi-day event at venues all over San Luis Obispo County. On Peace, Love & Pets host Robin Coleman checks in with Dr. Eric Anderson of SLO County Animal Services to get an update on the shelter, servi…

1
Ep 20 Books That TRAUMATIZED US as kids ✨ BOOKS THAT MADE US SERIES 1:18:26

2h ago1:18:26

1:18:26

Today is the big kick off of our Satanic Panic Series! We laugh, we cry, we use this platform to help heal ourselves, and hopefully you all, by discussing topics that are difficult, but ultimately helped to shape us as people. First and foremost, take care of yourselves. Please be aware of Trigger Warnings, and adjust your listening as necessary. Y…

1
Laura Dockrill: Love, longing & postpartum psychosis 45:48

7d ago45:48

45:48

Laura Dockrill was just 14 years old when she first set eyes on her husband, Maccabees guitarist Hugo White. The pair quickly began an intense relationship, exchanging carefully curated mixtapes and letters doused in Body Shop perfume. Despite a longing on both sides, the teenagers never let their friendship spill over into romance. It is this tale…

1
Lahaina's devastating fire, Rantec's family friendly workplace, and the book Living & Loving Unapologetically 59:29

4d ago59:29

59:29

Connie Framberger shares her story of Maui’s devastating fire with KCBX’s Brian Reynolds, and offers advice about how to help the residents recover. On Working Lunch, SLO Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jim Dantona chats with Vinay Clauson and Thane Atkinson of Los Osos based business Rantec. Join correspondent Tom Wilmer for a visit with Ha…

1
Ep 19 Is THE GREAT GATSBY Still Great 100 YEARS LATER?! + Millennial Roman Empires! 1:26:26

4d ago1:26:26

1:26:26

Today we’re back for our fourth installment in our “Books That Made Us” nostalgia series, covering our reread of a classic: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. We venture back to highschool in the early 2000’s to remember all the books that made the deepest impact on us, even if we didn’t realize it then. The themes, the quotes, the characters…

1
Fiona McPhillips: When We Were Silent 30:28

14d ago30:28

30:28

In this episode, author and journalist Fiona McPhillips talks to Róisín Ingle about her new novel, When We Were Silent. It’s a thriller set in a Dublin convent school, where a culture of silence and abuse is rampant. The story was partly inspired by the 2020 podcast series about disgraced Irish swim coach George Gibney. In this wide-ranging convers…

1
Ep 18 Am I The A HOLE, Honestly?! REACTING TO MORE Reddit Book Threads! 1:12:08

11d ago1:12:08

1:12:08

We’re back at it with Part 2 of the popular series where we respond to “Am I The A Hole” Bookish Questions on Reddit, and then pose those same questions to you, our listeners! Do we think getting upset at your coworker who won’t leave you alone about books is okay? Does telling your group of friends at a party that your husband isn’t “well read” ma…

1
Ready For It? It’s our Taylor Swiftathon 1:09:41

21d ago1:09:41

1:09:41

The Queen of Pop, Taylor Swift, is finally back in Dublin this weekend, bringing her Eras tour to more than 150 thousand fans at the Aviva Stadium over three nights. To celebrate the singer's return, we’ve gathered a panel of Swifties to talk about her music, stardom, and her dedicated fanbase. Writer, DJ, and disability activist Louise Bruton give…

1
Summer pet tips, 'Lives Well Lived'- the book, and Playing With Food- Bao buns 59:34

18d ago59:34

59:34

Listen to a discussion about pet summer safety with Robin Coleman of Woods Humane Society and Dr. Dorian with Vetama Mobile Veterinarian Care. It’s Peace, Love & Pets. Filmmaker Sky Bergman has just published a book as a companion to her documentary “Lives Well Lived”. She and KCBX’s Brian Reynolds discuss the benefits of intergenerational connecti…

1
Ep 17 Book of Azrael was overhyped? | BOOK TROPE PICK UPDATE for Ashley 1:18:59

21d ago1:18:59

1:18:59

Welcome back to the BATB Podcast, where your hosts Liz and Ashley pick books for each other to read based on our most liked and least liked tropes so that we can talk to you about them! Well… sometimes that’s what we do! Today is our first follow up episode to our favorite tropes / “non-icks,” where we report back on The Book of Azrael by Amber V. …

1
Why engineering needs more women 36:44

28d ago36:44

36:44

Last year, just 23% of all engineering graduates in Ireland were women, while female engineers currently represent just 12% of the profession. Orlagh Costello, an engineer, coach, and speaker, is on a mission to change this and to encourage more women into this very male-dominated industry. Ahead of International Women in Engineering Day on June 23…

1
Ep 16 Life-Changing BOOKS THAT MADE US ✨ High School Edition! 53:52

25d ago53:52

53:52

You all know that as proud Millennials, Ashley and Liz like to use this podcast as a way to take us all back. So picture it. It’s 2004. You’re reluctantly reading some book your English teacher assigned. Maybe it’s The Great Gatsby, Fahrenheit 451, or Brave New World. You want to like it, you sort of do, but between the New Found Glory concerts and…

1
The Neuroscience of Manifesting: Sabina Brennan 38:19

1M ago38:19

38:19

According to psychologist and neuroscientist Dr Sabina Brennan, we all have the power to manifest our dreams into reality. However, it has nothing to do with wishful or magical thinking. Manifesting, she says, requires a change in the way we think and behave: it’s about learning how to harness the power of the brain. In her new book,The Neuroscienc…

1
Dr. Jill Stearns of Cuesta College, 'Oldest San Francisco', and the UCSB Koegel Autism Center 59:44

1M ago59:44

59:44

The SLO Chamber of Commerce’s Jim Dantona visits with the Superintendent and President of Cuesta College, Dr. Jill Stearns. Award-winning Oakland-based author, Alec Scott, shares insights about his book 'Oldest San Francisco’. Student reporter Ashley Segat speaks with Dr Anna Krasno from UCSBs Koegel Autism Center.…

1
Ep 15 A Court of Mist and Fury (+ Book Bingeing & Blackouts) | BOOK 2 ACOTAR SERIES 1:19:24

1M ago1:19:24

1:19:24

Today we continue our ACOTAR Deep Dive Series into book two, A Court of Mist and Fury! Come along this journey with us as we hash out all the major plot points, meet the inner circle, and ask important questions like IS TAMLIN REDEEMABLE? Do you want to discuss these books with us in real time? Find us on Fable @bestiesandthebookclub for more in de…

1
Surviving the split: How to have a good divorce in Ireland 39:21

1M ago39:21

39:21

When it comes to getting divorced in Ireland, many couples end up going through the Irish courts to settle their separation agreements. This process often involves one side battling against the other and can, in some cases, take years to finalise, costing anywhere from twenty to sixty thousand euros. According to divorce expert and author Michelle …

1
The Live Oak Music Festival, comedian Kathy Griffin, rattlesnakes and more 58:01

1M ago58:01

58:01

KCBX's Beth Thornton visits Girls Inc. in Carpinteria, a girls’ leadership program and a place for after-school care. The non-profit is prepared to serve as a community gathering space during extreme heat events. KCBX’s Sal Espana speaks with comedian Kathy Griffin ahead of her Central Coast appearance. KCBX reporter Alyssa Toledo speaks with journ…

1
Ep 14 "Fourth Wing was overhyped!" UNPOPULAR book OPINIONS! 54:16

1M ago54:16

54:16

We love unpopular *book* opinions, yes we do! We love unpopular *book* opinions, how about you?! On today’s episode Ashley and Liz delve into the world of unpopular bookish opinions sent in by you, our listeners and subscribers! Do we cringe when a popular book is being torn up in order to be rebound? Do books set unrealistic expectations for men? …

1
Best of The Women’s Podcast: Caitlin Moran 53:19

2M ago53:19

53:19

A regular on The Women's Podcast, journalist and author Caitlin Moran was in Dublin recently as part of her latest book tour. As someone who regularly discusses the problems of girls and women in public, Moran has often been confronted with the question: “But what about men?”. Indeed, the statistics on male misery are grim: boys are falling behind …

1
Ep 13 A Court of Thorns and Roses (and Teen Heartthrobs?) | BOOK 1 ACOTAR SERIES 1:14:55

2M ago1:14:55

1:14:55

Today is all about the book that started it all: A Court of Thorns & Roses by mother herself, Sarah J. Maas. We take a deep (ish) dive into book one, and kick off our five-part ACOTAR series, because we couldn’t soldier on with this podcast and just skip over such an important part of our book journey! We also have a hilarious fave or fail of the w…

1
Women in Politics: Battling the rising tide of abuse 1:00:09

2M ago1:00:09

1:00:09

The local and European elections are taking place in just over two weeks time, on Friday June 7th. Since the beginning of the campaign, there have been a number of worrying incidents where election candidates have faced intimidation, harassment and abuse while out canvassing or hanging up party posters. Green Party Councillor Janet Horner and Socia…

1
Chumash Marine Sanctuary, The Heat Beat, Farm to School, Santa Barbara cruise ship restrictions, and sea otter tools 58:00

2M ago58:00

58:00

If the federal government approves the designation this summer, the Chumash Marine Sanctuary would be the first marine sanctuary in the U.S. to be nominated by, and named after, an Indigenous tribe. This week on our series The Heat Beat, Beth Thornton reports that taking precautions can save lives and minimize visits to the ER. Local farmers are gi…

1
Ep 12 AM I THE A HOLE? Reddit Bookish Edition! 55:09

2M ago55:09

55:09

On today’s episode Ashley and Liz respond to AITA Reddit questions with bookish themes. Do we think you should kick the husbands out for a weekly book club night with the girls? Is loaning out your mom’s books and not getting them back okay? What about being on your phone reading during formal events? You heard all of our opinions here first! Inclu…

1
Marian Keyes: My Favourite Mistake 1:01:08

2M ago1:01:08

1:01:08

Author, podcaster and fond friend of the show, Marian Keyes is back with her sixteenth novel ‘My Favourite Mistake’. It follows Anna Walsh, as she ditches her high-flying PR job and makes the move from the Big Apple to the wilds of Connemara. In this episode, Keyes talks to Róisín Ingle about abandoning the original idea for the book, in favour of …

1
The Heat Beat, filmmaker Sky Bergman's 'Mochitsuki', Your Brain on Art, and a Certified Music Practitioner 58:01

2M ago58:01

58:01

In the first part of our four part series called The Heat Beat, Beth Thornton reports on how communities can prepare for heat waves and save lives. Filmmaker Sky Bergman speaks about her latest film- Mochitsuki, which explores the ancient tradition of preparing Mochi to celebrate the Japanese New Year. The authors of ‘Your Brain on Art’ talk about …

1
Ep 11 "you NEED TO read When the Moon Hatched" + UPDATE! Books That Made Us "The Dark is Rising" Review 55:29

2M ago55:29

55:29

What happens when Ashley and Liz accidentally read different books for an episode?! We thought we were both reading The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper - the middle school nostalgia read we previously picked for this series. HOWEVER… we didn’t. Listen on to find out how that snaphoo occurred, and what we thought about the nostalgia books we DID read…

1
Childfree by choice: The women who choose not to have kids 1:00:05

2M ago1:00:05

1:00:05

In this episode, author Caroline Magennis talks to Róisín Ingle about her new book Harpy: A Manifesto for Childfree Women. It’s a look beyond the often divisive conversation around choosing not to have children, and offers an alternative message of hope and celebration. We also hear from Margaret O’Connor, a Limerick-based psychotherapist and prese…

1
Ep 10 Favorite BOOK TROPES That DON'T Give Us The ICK! 1:09:13

2M ago1:09:13

1:09:13

WHAT THINGS DO NOT GIVE US THE ICK?! There are so many! And we cannot wait to discuss them with you! If you’ve been following along, you know we did an entire series on “what DOES give us the ick.” So now, we’re flippin that on its head. First, Ashley and Liz delve into the world of book tropes, laying out our top five that we can’t live without. T…

1
Recycling textiles, sustainable water solutions, the Tall Poppy Syndrome, and an inclusive community of kids on wheels. 58:00

2M ago58:00

58:00

On this week’s show, you’ll learn about a recent workshop on recycling textiles. Organizer Dave Cross of the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce speaks with KCBX’s Beth Thornton. On this month’s episode of Working Lunch, host Jim Dantona speaks with Janette Garrett and Jeff Szytel of Water Systems Consulting about providing solutions for sustain…

1
Wallis Bird: 1000 years of female composers 59:51

3M ago59:51

59:51

It’s hard to believe the last time Wallis Bird was on the podcast was nearly five years ago in 2019. Since then, the Berlin-based musician has released two more albums, the latest of which, Visions of Venus, was released last month. It’s a creative collaboration with the German classical quintet Spark, and together they are showcasing 1000 years of…

1
Students learn to market their art, a musician uses the sounds of the harvest, a book on the Point San Luis Lighthouse, exploring local BIPOC history, and honeybees 59:09

3M ago59:09

59:09

An annual art-exhibit that highlights the talent of Cuesta College’s students is teaching them how to market and exhibit their art. A short film that follows a local musician who turned the sounds of a wine harvest into music is here at the SLO International Film Festival. Author Kathy Mastako talks with KCBX's Brian Reynolds about her book on the …

1
Ep 09 RANKING All The THRONE OF GLASS Books by Sarah J Maas!! 1:01:32

3M ago1:01:32

1:01:32

This week Ashley and Liz embark on a nearly impossible task! We rate all eight Throne of Glass books from least liked, to most liked! When we said this was a doozy, we meant it! Especially since all 8 books are easily 4 or 5 star reads for us. Is Tower of Dawn (“Chaol’s book) deserving of all the hate it gets? Is Kingdom of Ash as epic as everyone …

1
Fertility on Ice: why more women are choosing to freeze their eggs 45:23

3M ago45:23

45:23

Last November, Pastiche, a pop singer-songwriter from Malahide in Co Dublin was diagnosed with endometriosis, more than a decade after her first symptoms of the condition developed. While the diagnosis itself came as a relief, the 26-year-old was told she may face difficulties when trying to conceive later on. This ultimately led to her decision to…

1
Ep 08 “Book Memory Unlocked” BOOKS THAT MADE US ✨ Elementary & Middle School Edition 48:09

3M ago48:09

48:09

This week Ashley and Liz kick off the episode with some serious Millennial nostalgia. We’re talking American Eagle jeans, Warped Tour, and books from the 90’s! We take you on a journey back to your youth through the books that made us who we are today. What stories molded our easily pliable elementary and middle school brains? The Hobbit, Anne of G…

1
Dana Reserve, Playing With Food, 'The Misplaced', and Baile Folklorico 58:29

3M ago58:29

58:29

A large housing development proposed for Nipomo comes before County Supervisors for a vote. Cookbook author Brigit Binns invited the Playing With Food team into her kitchen to cook, chat, and eat. Longtime SLO city employee Terry Sanville speaks about his days with traffic management and his new novel 'The Misplaced'. Baile Folklorico classes and p…

1
Narcissistic mothers: How to handle one and how to heal 52:14

3M ago52:14

52:14

What does narcissism in mothers look like? According to psychotherapists Helen Villiers and Katie McKenna, the narcissistic mother can be “extremely critical, condescending, oppressive and very judgmental”, with devastating impacts for the entire family. They can also use covert or insidious tactics: taking on a victim role or using guilt tripping …

1
Ep 07 “We Courted the Cowboys AND Gargoyles” BOOK ICK FOLLOW UP! 1:19:23

3M ago1:19:23

1:19:23

This week Ashley and Liz kick off the episode with some snow, a sword store, and a haunted Stanley Hotel (aka The Shining Hotel) fave and fail. In previous episodes we discussed our “icks” (our most disliked book tropes), picked books to read that we thought each other would be “Icked out” by, and today, we finally discuss those books! There’s smal…

1
Digital Democracy, singer songwriter Al Stewart, and Pacific Wildlife Care 58:39

3M ago58:39

58:39

Digital Democracy is the result of a collaboration between Cal Poly and CalMatters that aims to give every Californian access to information about what our lawmakers in Sacramento are doing. Al Stewart is appearing at the Cuesta CPAC with his band Empty Pockets on Saturday April 20th. He talks with KCBX's Sal Espana about history, wine, and songwri…

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