Julie Berry on Why We Need Myth and Building Lifelong Readers (E169)

Send us a text (https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/tex...)


 Julie Berry is the New York Times bestselling author and award-winning storyteller. Julie’s works span across genres and age groups, from the NCTE Walden Award–winning Lovely War (https://amzn.to/4n4hD05) to the Printz Honor novel The Passion of Dolssa (https://amzn.to/46Biijz) , to middle grade adventures like The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place (https://amzn.to/47K2Oem) and the Wishes and Wellingtons trilogy (https://amzn.to/4goXXkZ) , to heartwarming picture books. Her brand-new YA novel, If Looks Could Kill, just released yesterday—congratulations, Julie! Julie also owns Author’s Note (https://www.authorsnote.com/browse) , a charming independent bookstore in Medina, New York, where she fosters community, conversation, and a love of reading.


In this rich conversation, we explore:

• How Julie chose the monster and villain at the heart of her latest novel
• Why mythology, symbols, and metaphors are essential for making sense of the world
• The surprising and powerful benefits of book clubs—especially for middle grade readers
• Why cultivating lifelong readers matters so deeply
• The joys and positive ripple effects Julie has noticed since opening her bookstore

Julie’s insights remind us of the transformative power of stories, the importance of keeping curiosity alive, and the role books play in shaping thoughtful, imaginative communities.


Connect with Julie:

• Instagram (  / julieberrybooks  )
• Facebook (  / julieberrybookspage  )
• Website (https://julieberrybooks.com/)

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• P.G. Wodehouse books (https://amzn.to/3VOgspl)
• Terry Pratchett books (https://amzn.to/4pspVAf)
• Dave Barry books (https://amzn.to/46B5Bp0)
• Erma Bombeck books (https://amzn.to/4pmDz87)
• The Lord of the Rings trilogy (https://amzn.to/4mixBlO) by J.R.R. Tolkien
• The Chronicles of Narnia (https://amzn.to/4n2YBqF) by C.S. Lewis
• Agatha Christie books (https://amzn.to/4prXkuO)
• Jane Austen books (https://amzn.to/4gtyEOz)
• The Hero with a Thousand Faces (https://amzn.to/4nrRSXg) by

Join us for the BFF Book Club Holiday Party! 🎄✨


 We’re closing out the year with The Music Shop by Rachel Joyce and a cozy virtual celebration on December 16th at 5 PM PST. Bring a festive drink, a book that captivated you in 2025, and get ready for fun conversation + a bookish giveaway for attendees!


👉 RSVP here: https://www.bookishflights.com/read/f...


✨ Find Your Next Great Read! We just hit 175 episodes of Bookish Flights, and to celebrate, I created the Bookish Flights Roadmap — a guide to all 175 podcast episodes, sorted by genre to help you find your next great read faster.


Explore it here → www.bookishflights.com/read/roadmap (https://www.bookishflights.com/read/r...)


Support the show (https://patreon.com/BookishFlights?ut...)


Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!


• Instagram (  / bookishflights  )

• Facebook (  / bookishflights  )

• Website (https://www.bookishflights.com/)