The basic setup is already pretty great: Taro Sakamoto used to be one of the most feared assassins around, but then he fell in love, got married, had a daughter, gained some weight, and retired to run a small convenience store.

Of course, retirement does not exactly go according to plan.

Whenever Amy returned, there was usually a new book or project to discuss, but our conversations inevitably became something bigger. We talked about writing. We talked about publishing. We talked about the strange realities of trying to make a creative career work. We talked about technology, including artificial intelligence and its potential impact on authors. During one 2023 conversation, Amy also spoke about her experience with ADHD and what she had learned about adjusting her creative process to the way her own brain worked.

Of course, “just one more” has a way of becoming two.

The stories themselves are a delightful mix of adventure, humor, magic, and lessons about kindness, cleverness, greed, gratitude, and sometimes simply what happens when somebody makes a very bad decision.

What I found was a wonderfully entertaining collection of memories covering a remarkable range of experiences. Bruce takes the reader from the Jersey shore to Hawaii and eventually to the green hills of Vermont, building a portrait of a life that feels both personal and distinctly tied to different eras and places in America.

And some of these memories are anything but ordinary.

That idea gives the story much of its emotional power. Bunns may be small and treated as an outsider, but her courage grows from compassion rather than a desire to prove everyone wrong. Her quest is not simply about finding acceptance; it is about learning to trust herself and recognizing that being different does not make her dangerous or less worthy.

The book has a wonderfully Vermont quality to it. The humor is dry, observant, and rooted in the personalities and small details of rural life. These are the kinds of stories that find comedy in ordinary conversations, stubborn characters, local habits, and the quiet absurdities that people living in small communities understand especially well.

What I enjoyed most about this book was how accessible it is. Rather than one long narrative, it's made up of dozens of short entries featuring haunted locations, ghost stories, and local legends from across Vermont. That made it a perfect distraction after a busy day. I could pick it up, read a few stories, put it down, and come back later without ever feeling like I had lost my place.

This time, our assignment was Spider-Man: The Other – Evolve or Die. With the upcoming Spider-Man movie reportedly drawing inspiration from this storyline, Jordan and I both sat down to read it before we see what makes it onto the big screen.

Barillaro’s warm illustrations and graphic-novel-style passages make the world feel expansive and alive. Some pages invite you to pause and absorb the artwork, while the more dramatic sequences give the adventure a cinematic quality.

I first became interested in this book after having Nancy as a guest on my podcast. She was kind enough to send me a copy, and I'm grateful she did. As someone who spends a lot of time reading children's books, interviewing authors, and sharing stories with my own kids, I found it to be a fascinating look behind the scenes of children's publishing.

The artwork is breathtaking. Every page feels like it could be framed, with sweeping landscapes and expressive characters that pull you into the story. It's one of those graphic novels where you occasionally stop reading just to admire the illustrations.

I've had the creators on my show several times over the years, so when they sent me a copy of the newly remastered Volume One, I was excited to finally sit down and experience the story in its collected form.

Unlike many picture books, Be You doesn't tell a traditional story. Instead, it's a collection of gentle encouragements for children as they grow and discover who they are. The message is simple: be curious, be brave, be kind, be creative, and most importantly, be yourself.

The story follows Lily-May as she prepares to share something special with her classmates. While she starts out feeling nervous, she ultimately introduces them to a wonderful concept: slowing down and noticing the world around them. What follows is a gentle celebration of curiosity, mindfulness, and finding joy in everyday moments.

The moment I saw it on the shelf, I was flooded with memories. This was one of those books I remember fondly from growing up—a collection that always seemed to have something interesting waiting inside. Finding it again all these years later felt a little like reconnecting with an old friend. 

This vintage paperback is packed with the kind of fast-talking, absurd humor that doesn’t show up much anymore. Poor Cosmo Topper once again finds himself dragged into supernatural chaos thanks to the endlessly mischievous George and Marion Kerby. What follows is part ghost story, part screwball comedy, and part social satire, all wrapped together with Smith’s playful writing style. 

What I appreciated most is that the book does not turn Roxie’s family into a lecture. Her parents are capable, loving, funny, and real. Their blindness is part of the story, but it is not the whole story. That makes the book feel honest in a way young readers can understand. 

The Golden Book presentation adds a lot to the charm too. The illustrations have that warm nostalgic feel that instantly transports you back to childhood, even if you’ve never seen this exact edition before. It feels familiar in the best possible way.

Each story is short, gentle, and just the right length to wind things down without dragging things out. Of course, this is Curious George, so there’s always a little bit of mischief mixed in—but it’s toned just right for bedtime. Nothing too wild, just enough to keep things fun and engaging before lights out.

The story follows a man returning to his childhood home in Prague, where he discovers three keys that unlock memories, history, and imagination all at once. It’s a layered, thoughtful story—but honestly, the artwork is what pulls you in and keeps you there.