Brenna and Joe are dismayed to hear from listener Dann that (of course!) the Muzak we're been hearing on Skins isn't what originally aired. And when we find out what we *could* be hearing, it's even more galling. Grrrr! Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod: > Brenna: @brennacg…

Kelly talks about the history and legacy of Robert Cormier's The Chocolate War for its 50th anniversary, including its long-running favor among book banners. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more YA news and recommendations, sign up for our What’s Up in YA newsletter! Learn something new, sharpen your skills…

Joe and Brenna's journey through the first series of Skins continue with extremely different episodes: an underwhelming episode on Jal that doesn't even put her front and center, and a harrowing episode about Chris that nearly broke Joe's husband. Plus: a ratings discrepancy, hatred for Michelle, and Brenna finally confesses why her mothering insti…

Actual teenage listener Neve (who is the child of listener Toni from Australia!) writes in to recommend the new iteration of Netflix's Heart Break High, which sounds like an Aussie version of Degrassi! Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod: > Brenna: @brennacgray (BlueSky/Insta…

Kelly and Erica talk about an exciting book release + adaptation combo and get into YA books released this month that you should have on your TBR. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more YA news and recommendations, sign up for our What’s Up in YA newsletter! Learn something new, sharpen your skills, and expan…

Brenna and Joe dip back into dystopian territory with The 5th Wave, Rick Yancey's 2013 novel and J Blakeson's 2016 film adaptation. This one is unique because it's aliens, though we are still dealing with a Chosen One narrative and a potential love quad. Plus: changing (sometimes inefficiently) perspectives, a film that moves too fast but is too lo…

If you're a librarian looking to boost your manga stock, these are some bangers to have on your shelves for summer reading. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more YA news and recommendations, sign up for our What’s Up in YA newsletter! Learn something new, sharpen your skills, and expand your horizons with ou…

Brenna and Joe kick off our summer programming with a long requested title: Skins. Every other week we're watching two episodes of Series 1, starting with "Tony" (episode 1) and "Cassie" (episode 2) and already we're into the thick of bad parents, hedonistic behaviour, and major empathy for Hannah Murray's Cassie, who is struggling with disordered …

After Victoria requested positive depictions of neurodivergence last week, Miriam reached out with a list of recommendations: Autism Titles > A Kind Of Spark - Elle McNicoll > Geek Girl - Holly Smale > Even If We Break - Marieke Nijkamp: Marieke Nijkamp > On The Edge of Gone - Corinne Duyvis > Metal Fish, Falling Snow - Cath Moore > The Winter Knig…

This week, guest host Sharifah offers up some excellent backlist science fiction and fantasy recommendations, and Kelly chats with author Paula Yoo about YA nonfiction and more. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more YA news and recommendations, sign up for our What’s Up in YA newsletter! Make this your most …

Brenna and Joe kick off "the kids aren't alright" summer with Megan Abbott's 2012 novel Dare Me and its 2019 TV adaptation. C/W: implied sexual assault and disordered eating. We're talking sociopathic girls, awful parents, and red hold blooded cheerleading in a pair of texts that may just feature the most unlikeable protagonists we've ever covered.…

After a brief lament about Sia's misguided directorial debut Music, Brenna and Joe tackle a question from listener Victoria about positive depictions of neurodivergence. Brenna defers to former guest Jes Battis' piece in the Los Angeles Book of Review "Imperfect Rhetorics: Neurodiversity in YA Literature and Popular Culture" which focuses on three …

Kelly highlights several of the YA adaptation news stories from 2024 so far, including queer romance, a lush historical story, a reboot, and more. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more YA news and recommendations, sign up for our What’s Up in YA newsletter! Make this your most bookish summer yet with persona…

Joe and Brenna return to Canadian YA to discuss writer/director Molly McGlynn's semi-autobiographical text, Fitting In (2023). The film has a great cast and explores a compelling story of non-normative female bodies. We have a few issues with the film's messaging, but overall the film is pretty enjoyable. Plus: praise for lead actor Maddie Ziegler,…

Kelly and Erica reunite on the podcast to talk about May's best YA releases. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more YA news and recommendations, sign up for our What’s Up in YA newsletter! Make this your most bookish summer yet with personalized reading recommendations from Tailored Book Recommendations! Our …

Joe and Brenna dip a toe into romantic fantasy with Alice Hoffman's 2001 novel Aquamarine and Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum's 2006 film adaptation. The book is a cute, slight, fast read, which begs the question: how is the film 1hr 50 mins?! Answer: Add a villain, give her endless cronies, then stretch the action out over a whole summer! Plus: teen fem…

Brenna and Joe respond to a question and a request from listener Tuck, who wants to know if we'll cover A Series of Unfortunate Events and recommends Otfried Preussler's hard to find (in English) book, Krabat: The Satanic Mill (1972). Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod: > Br…

Erica gets into new books that have Pacific Islander mythology, magical, wish-granting flowers, and time travel. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more YA news and recommendations, sign up for our What’s Up in YA newsletter! Make this your most bookish summer yet with personalized reading recommendations from…

Brenna and Joe dip back into queer romance (and fan fiction!) with Book 1 of E.L. Massey's Breakaway series, Like Real People Do (2022). This is very cute and sweet...but where is the conflict?! Everyone is so perfect! Massey needs to let people suck! Plus: comparisons to Heartstopper, Red, White & Royal Blue and The Kissing Booth 2, predictions fo…

Danika and Erica talk YA demographics and the books they're excited to read this summer. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more YA news and recommendations, sign up for our What’s Up in YA newsletter! Looking for a thoughtful Mother's Day gift? Go beyond the tried and true flowers and chocolate and give the g…

Brenna and Joe discuss John Green's last YA novel Turtles All The Way Down (2017) and its 2024 adaptation by Hannah Marks. C/W: self-harm. This is a tough read because of its visceral depiction of OCD, but we love the friendship between Aza and Daisy. Meanwhile, the long in-development film does a great job of visually capturing the intrusive thoug…

May is International Short Story Month, so dive on into some of the best YA short story collections this week with Kelly. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more YA news and recommendations, sign up for our What’s Up in YA newsletter! Looking to elevate your reading life? Tailored Book Recommendations is here …

For the first time on the show, Brenna and Joe check out a documentary...or rather a pair of documentaries: Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine's Boys State (2020) and Girls State (2024) These docs fill us with dismay for the future of US politics. But while Boys State has a dark nihilism to it, Girls State feels slight and surprisingly unaware; even its…

As promised/threatened, we're back with a review of Roku's The Spiderwick Chronicles S01. Join us as Joe walks Brenna through the highs (the focus on Jared's mental health) and lows (that theme song!) of the series' first eight episodes. Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod: >…

Vanessa and Erica get into a wide range of YA poetry, novels-in-verse, and other poetry-adjacent works in celebration of Poetry Month. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more YA news and recommendations, sign up for our What’s Up in YA newsletter! Looking to elevate your reading life? Tailored Book Recommendat…

Brenna and Joe are back in fantasy territory with the first five books in Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black's The Spiderwick Chronicles, as well the 2008 adaptation from Daniel Waters. We're mixed on lead Freddie Highmore's success playing twins, though we both like Sarah Bolger's Mallory, the use of fencing and Brenna even likes the CGI! Plus…

Erica highlights some new YA books out this week, which include a contemporary YA novel, a fantastical Lipan Apache mystery, a Caribbean-inspired fantasy, and an aro-ace contemporary romance. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more YA news and recommendations, sign up for our What’s Up in YA newsletter! Lookin…

At listener Kaetlyn's urging, Brenna and Joe check out S01 of the Percy Jackson TV show on Disney+. It's a much better text than the film! With more time, the central trio gels better, the motivation of Percy's mom is more clearly defined, and the adventures aren't as rushed. Plus: our fave Gods, a "feminist" Medusa episode, a few rushed elements, …

Mailbag returns after a brief hiatus, so we're showcasing listener recommendations from Clara, Charlotte, and Tea, Books and Chocolate, including: > Silverhorse by Lene Kaaberbøl > A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson > Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur by writers Brandon Montclare & Amy Reeder and artist Natacha Bustos > Fake Dates and Moonca…

It's time for a book club episode! This time, Vanessa and Erica discuss Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more YA news and recommendations, sign up for our What’s Up in YA newsletter! Looking to elevate your reading life? Tailored Book Recommendations is here to help with handpi…

Just in time for its 25th anniversary , Brenna and Joe check out Raja Gosnell's Never Been Kissed (1999). While Joe thinks this take on As You Like It is totally rufus, Brenna thinks he's blinded by nostalgia, particularly about the student/teacher romance. Plus: a charismatic David Arquette, Drew Barrymore's lisp, physical pratfalls, and - o…