Kindness matters now, more than ever, and works like Owly are important ways to cultivate that kindness.
I’ve known Andy Runton for a long time, interacting mostly online but with the occasional chat at a conference or convention, and I’ve loved his work on Owly even longer than I’ve known him! Though we both live in the metro Atlanta area, it was only recently that we met for the first time on our home turf. We got together for a late lunch of tacos and then recorded this interview for the podcast. It was a delightful experience, and I hope it’s not decades until we have another in-person meetup!
Check out my interview with Andy Runton now, either as a podcast or the transcript!
Owly always reaches out to a friend in need.
Owly is a wonderful friend! He's honest, trustworthy, and kind. And whenever any of his pals are in trouble, he always finds a way to help. In this collection of nine stand-alone stories, Owly demonstrates the power of friendship by cheering up his friends when they're down, rescuing his friends when they're in danger, and encouraging his friends when they doubt themselves. But Owly's buddies also show what it means to be a great friend in return!
Through a unique blend of words and symbols, Owly can be read by the youngest readers and is a perfect introduction to graphic novels!
Summer Reading List
One of the things I’m enjoying is putting together a Summer Reading List, with each guest author adding a book or two of their choosing. I’ll update the list with each episode until we have our complete list at the end of the summer!
The Steerswoman (Cory Doctorow’s pick)
How to Solve Murders Like a Lady; Children of Anguish and Anarchy; Georgette Heyer; Saara El-Arifi; the Daevabad Trilogy (City of Brass, Kingdom of Copper, Empire of Gold) (Amita Murray’s picks)
How the Word Is Passed (Kirsten Miller’s pick)
James Madison's Notes on the Debates in the Federal Convention, May 25, 1787 (A. J. Jacob’s pick)
Summer Romance; Expiration Dates (Jessie Rosen’s picks)
Bitter Seeds (Andy Runton’s pick)
Ready Reference
Mentioned on the podcast:
The Circ Desk
Guess who’s got the next shift on The Circ Desk? Rebecca Vnuk from Library Reads and Yaika Sabat from NoveList, that’s who! This week, they chat about graphic novels and why Library Reads only promotes titles for adults!
The Circ Desk recommends:
Steve Thomas is a public library manager who lives in the suburbs of Atlanta with his wife, two kids, and one dog. He has worked in libraries since the year 2000 and has hosted the Circulating Ideas podcast since 2011. He really likes Coke Zero.
Currently Reading: The Bourne Shadow by Brian Freeman