May the force of good watching, reading, listening be with you this month.

Watch

Bluey (Disney+)
I’m a little late to the Bluey party, but my kids only recently jumped on the bandwagon. I haven’t gotten to the point where I’m watching it without the kids, but I’ve been referring to lessons learned in the show as examples enough that my 7-year-old has started mumbling “I kinda hate Bluey”. He loves it. I love it. It’s brilliant. (Dana)

Hope On the Street (Amazon Prime)
Docuseries following j-hope as he travels to meet street dancers and learn from them. I think this will mostly appeal to fans of j-hope and BTS (like me), but maybe you will enjoy it if you like street dance! (Casey)

Secrets of Sulphur Springs (Apple TV+)
Time travel, ghosts, a decades old connection between two families rediscovered, all in a mysterious hotel! Some very sweet friend and family moments between the mysteries. It’s full of cliffhangers, but I love it anyway! (Hazel)

Secrets of the Elephants (National Geographic)
Never thought I’d binge watch a series on elephants, but I simply could not stop. Natalie Portman does a beautiful job narrating this four-part program which explores the worlds of savanna, desert, rainforest, and Asian elephants. Especially appreciated that the subject matter experts were locals. (Janet)
Check out our Hulu Roku to watch.

Shirley (Netflix)
So good! It tells the story of Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to Congress, as she becomes the first Black candidate to seek a presidential nomination. (Seana)

Talk to Me
A pretty good horror movie where a group of friends conjure spirits using an embalmed hand. Things don’t go well for them! (Todd)

Read

Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution by R.F. Kuang
Words make genuine magic in this fantastical depiction of 19th century Oxford University, where translators hold the key’s to the English Empire’s successes and failures. It’s a long one, but it’s thoroughly enjoyable. (Liz)

The Bad Ones by Melissa Albert
A gothic horror mystery. What more could I ask for? Four people disappear in one day in a small town. Turns out people have disappeared before. Could they be connected? This was an atmospheric mystery that kept me guessing. (Ash)

Don’t Look at Me Like That by Diana Athill 
One of the best books I’ve read in years. (Janet)

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng
I loved it! (Seana)

Sheine Lende by Darcie Little Badger
After reading and loving Elatsoe, I was so excited to hear about this prequel! Another interesting mystery that’s also all about friends and family connections. And, of course, ghosts! (Hazel)

Storm Peak by John A. Flanagan
Fun who-dun-it in a cool setting I’ve visited several times – Steamboat Mountain Resort in Colorado. (Deb)

World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments by Aimee Nezhukumatathil
Each short chapter of this book is an ode to a species of flora, fauna, or to another natural phenomenon (Monsoon was one chapter), tied in with autobiographical vignettes. It’s delightful. (Dana)

Listen

Do Your Doo Diligence (Outside/In podcast)
Love the Outside/In podcast about the natural world but this episode was especially good. Some may not appreciate hearing how letting dogs go off-leash in the woods and on the beach is detrimental to local habitats but if it changes a few minds, it’s worth it. I love dogs, btw! (Janet)

The Flight Girls by Noelle Salazar, narrated by Xe Sands
Wow. So good. I think this book made me cry, for a different reason each time, every day it took to complete it. (Deb)

Hope on the Street Vol. 1
Now that you’ve *Watched*, you can *Listen* to the album that accompanies the Hope on the Street docuseries. (Casey)

The Humans by Matt Haig, narrated by Mark Meadows
When an extraterrestrial visitor arrives on Earth, his first impressions of the human species are less than positive. Taking the form of a Professor, he navigates his way through the Professor’s life and his perspective is…enchanting, hilarious and insightful. (Deb)

Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder, narrated by Cherry Jones
A coworker recently told me that Cherry Jones narrates the Little House books, and because I love listening to her, I had to give it a listen. (Ash)

The Mona Lisa Vanishes by Nick Day, narrated by Carlotta Brentan
This nonfiction book is intended for upper elementary school children, but even adults will enjoy this exciting account of Leonardo da Vinci, the Mona Lisa heist, and the early days of forensic science.  (Seana)