Stacks and Stories

Tails and Tales - Part 3 - Exotic and Interesting Animals

This episode is the 3rd and final part of our series on animals. The Summer Library Program theme this year is “Tails and Tales”, so we asked some of the employees here at MLC to talk about their favorite animals or pets and maybe share their favorite book which features an animal. While we might not have a Joe here, we are going to talk about some exotic (and interesting) animals! Have you ever wondered if a rabbits’ ears are only for listening? Do you know what's the only animal that can't jump? Or why is a hedgehog called a hedgehog? Tune in to find out these answers and more in this episode of Stacks and Stories. Books Mentioned All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot Because of Winn-Dixie by Katie DiCamillo The Friend by Sigrid Nunez Frog and Toad are Friends by Arnold Lobel Hedgehog Needs a Hug by Jen Betton Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien The Saggy Baggy Elephant by Kathryn Jackson The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin by Beatrix Potter The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams

Tails and Tales - Part 2 - Dogs

This episode is part 2 of 3 in our Tails & Tales series. The Summer Library Program theme this year is “Tails and Tales”, so we have asked some of the employees here at MLC to talk about their favorite animals or pets and maybe share their favorite book which features an animal.  Today is all about man’s best friend, the dog. Have you ever heard of a dog that can shift gears in a car? What about a dog that enjoys a mentholated cough drop? Have you ever wondered why so many poodles ask for the same haircut? Learn about all these dogs and more in today's episode.   Books discussed: Can I Be Your Dog? by Troy Cummings The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling Charlotte's Web by E.B. White Stellaluna by Janell Cannon Clifford the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell Thunderpug by Kim Norman and Keika Yamaguchi

Tails and Tales - Part 1 - Cats

This episode is part 1 of a 3-part series on animals. The Summer Library Program theme this year is “Tails and Tales”, so we have asked some of the employees here at MLC to talk about their favorite animals or pets and maybe share their favorite book which features an animal. Today is cats galore! Are black cats considered good luck anywhere? What are some fantasy books that have cats in them? Where does a cat named Yoshimi like to hang out? Tune in to find out these answers and more in this episode of Stacks and Stories. Books Mentioned Are You Listening? By Tillie Walden The Black Cat Book by Walter Copeland; illustrated by Charles Robinson The Cat Who Walks Through Walls by Robert A. Heinlein Catwings (series) by Ursula K. Le Guin I Am a Little Cat by François Crozat Saga (series) by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka; illustrated by Lane Smith

True Crime with Alex and Kayla

On this episode, join Alex and Kayla as they discuss the true crime genre. Listen as they discuss what they like most about true crime and recommend a few of their favorites. Murder, cults, jewel thieves, and goats all get a mention. Stacks and Stories regular Shellie will moderate the discussion. Books Mentioned Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators by Ronan Farrow Deadly Cults: The Crimes of True Believers by Robert L. Snow Diamond Doris: True Story of the World’s Most Notorious Jewel Thief by Doris Payne with Zelda Lockhart The Goat Castle Murder: A True Natchez Story that Shocked the World by Sim C. Callon and Carolyn Vance Smith I’ll be Gone in the Dark: One Woman’s Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara North Mississippi Murder and Mayhem by Kristina Stancil

Memoirs with Katie and Miranda

On today’s episode, join Katie and Miranda as they discuss memoirs. Listen as they discuss what they like most about memoirs and recommend a few of their favorites. If you already love memoirs or are just curious about the genre, tune in. You may hear about a new book that could interest you. Books Discussed All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot Born a Crime by Trevor Noah Educated by Tara Westover Junji Ito's Cat Diary: Yon and Mu by Junji Ito This is Just My Face: Try Not to Stare by Gabourey Sidibe The Worst Journey in the World by Apsley Cherry-Garrard Books/Authors Briefly Mentioned Amy Poehler March by John Lewis Maus by Art Spiegelman Mindy Kaling They Called Us Enemy by George Takei Tina Fey

Parks & Recommendations - Episode 3

On this episode, the recommendations continue as Alex, Charlie, Mary Rodgers, and Miranda give recommendations for Parks and Rec characters who, as Jean-Ralphio would put it, are the wooooorst. Please note that the audio has been pulled from the video “Parks and Recommendations – Part Three” and has been edited to fit the podcast format.   Books Mentioned Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilkey Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder: A Hannah Swensen Mystery by Joanne Fluke Confessions of an Undercover Agent: Adventures, Close Calls, and the Toll of a Double Life by Charlie Spillers Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy He’s Just Not That into You by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo Little Women by Louisa May Alcott Love, Ruby Lavender by Deborah Wiles Moon on the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice The Playboy Interview edited by G. Barry Golson Side Hustle: From Idea to Income in 27 Days by Chris Guillebeau What Was I Thinking?: The Dumb Things We Do and How to Avoid Them by William B. Helmreich, Ph.D. The Wives by Tarryn Fisher  

Parks and Recommendations - Episode 2

Join Charlie, Mary Rodgers, Alex, and Miranda as they recommend books for other Parks and Rec characters! This episode features book recs for besties: best friends Tom and Donna as well as Leslie's two besties, Ben and Ann! Books mentioned in this episode include: Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone by Brené Brown Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding The Chiffon Trenches: A Memoir by André Leon Talley Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid Dune series by Frank Herbert The Encyclopedia of the Exquisite: An Anecdotal History of Elegant Delights by Jessica Kerwin Jenkins The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling How to Make Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer Ramona Quimby series by Beverly Cleary Ready Player One series by Ernest Cline You are a Bad Ass: How to Stop Doubting your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory

Parks and Recommendation - Episode 1

Join Charlie, Alex, Mary Rodgers, and Miranda as they give book recommendations for the characters of one of their favorite shows: Parks and Recreation. Parks & Rec fans will enjoy this episode, featuring book recommendations for April Ludgate, Chris Traeger, Ron Swanson, and Leslie Knope herself. Stick around for the bonus feature centered on everybody's favorite tiny horse, Lil Sebastian. This is the first part of a three part series.

Shelf Absorbed - Best Reads of 2020

Welcome to this episode of Stacks and Stories, the podcast of the Mississippi Library Commission. On today’s episode, join Shellie and Tracy as they discuss the best books they read, but were not necessarily published, during 2020. How well did their reading routines hold up during the pandemic? Did they find anything that they truly enjoyed? Please note that the following audio has been pulled from the MLC's Shelf Absorbed “Best Books Read in 2020” video that was posted to the MS Library Commission YouTube on December 23, 2020 and has been edited to better fit the podcast format. So, stay tuned.     Watch the original chat, originally released on December 23, 2020, on the Mississippi Library Commission’s YouTube Channel at https://youtu.be/YvjmXO7kjAg.

Comfort Reads

Join Tracy and Shellie as they discuss comfort reads: the books that bring them comfort, relax them, and that they can always turn to when they're in need of a good time.