Circulating Ideas

Steve chats with Zach Weinersmith, creator of the webcomic Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal and author of the new book, Sawyer Lee and the Quest to Just Stay Home, about how his background shapes his work, the difficulties of crafting an Edwardian farce for eight year olds, how his daughter’s input affected the book, and how … Continue reading 316: Sawyer Lee and the Quest to Just Stay Home by Zach Weinersmith – Summer Reading Spectacular 2026

Steve chats with Rob Hart, author of the new book, Three Hitmen and a Baby, the third book in the Assassins Anonymous series, about how the skills of an assassin do not translate to the skills of a parent, the emotional depth the book explores, fight choreography, found family, and how Rob upended his plans … Continue reading 315: Three Hitmen and a Baby by Rob Hart – Summer Reading Spectacular 2026

Steve chats with Camille Perri, author of the new book, Social Animals, about reluctant dog parents, why librarians should star in a reality show, the loneliness epidemic, and how she balances humor, relationship-building, and mystery to craft her new novel. Plus, over at the Circ Desk, NoveList librarians Sydney and Caleigh provide some great readalikes … Continue reading 314: Social Animals by Camille Perri – Summer Reading Spectacular 2026

Steve chats with Catherine Kurtz, author of the new book Feast, about how her painting and food writing skills contributed to her first novel, why food is the perfect vehicle to connect readers, the feeling of hope at the heart of the book, and a few anachronisms she could not help but include in the … Continue reading 313: Feast by Catherine Kurtz – Summer Reading Spectacular 2026

Kicking off the 2026 Circulating Ideas Summer Reading Spectacular, Steve chats with humorist and librarian Hayley DeRoche, author of the new book, Dress Your Baby in Sage and Taupe: a Handbook for the Sad Beige Parent, about the “sad beige” parenting aesthetic, how a Werner Herzog joke went viral, the deeper cultural critique of consumerism … Continue reading 312: Dress Your Baby in Sage and Taupe by Hayley DeRoche – Summer Reading Spectacular 2026

Steve chats with Jarrett Dapier, writer of the graphic novel Wake Now in the Fire, about his path to librarianship, the story of Chicago public school students fighting back against censorship, the irony of Persepolis being the target of that censorship, and what librarians can do to fight quiet censorship. Read the transcript! It starts … Continue reading 311: Wake Now in the Fire by Jarrett Dapier