Hey friends! Before we dive into this week’s movie chatter, let’s take care of a little housekeeping. Believe it or not, a lot of you are watching our videos on YouTube—and we love that! But here’s the twist: 55% of you aren’t subscribed. 😱
Now, we’re not here to spam your feed or overwhelm you with nonsense. This is a very cozy, very chill corner of the internet. So if you’ve stumbled across our content or see us pop up in your feed now and again—go ahead and hit that subscribe button. It helps more than you know, and we’ll be here to entertain and educate, no matter what.
Now, onto the good stuff… NOVEMBER MOVIES! 🍿
We’re a little behind thanks to Spooktober (worth it), but Sara’s got a list of upcoming releases and streaming hits for November, and they’re a ride.
👹 Godzilla Minus One
Straight outta post-war Japan, this one’s not your average monster flick. It’s in Japanese (yes, subtitles—but some dubbing too) and has been critically hailed as one of the best films of the year. A proper Godzilla resurgence? We’re here for it.
🪞 Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Yes, it’s back. No, there’s not enough Beetlejuice in it. Tim Burton directs, and the cast is stacked: Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Jenna Ortega, Monica Bellucci (who still looks incredible), and more.
But… we have to ask: if it’s Beetlejuice times two, where’s number three? Because it definitely needed more of him. Oh, and Monica Bellucci’s character? Kinda unnecessary. We said what we said.
🎭 M. Night Shyamalan’s Trap
30,000 concertgoers. One serial killer. Zero escape… allegedly. Starring Josh Hartnett, this one’s a psychological thriller that might mess with your head. But one thing we all agreed on: there’s no way this is rated G. That’s just fake news.
💔 It Ends With Us
Based on Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel, starring Blake Lively (yes, we have thoughts), and featuring characters with names like “Ryle.” Or is it “Riley”? Either way… why?
Controversy alert: The film deals with domestic violence, but some interviews around it felt a little too lighthearted. Plus, the drama around the production may have overshadowed the actual story. Also… Ryle? Really?
🏝️ Blink Twice
Directed by Zoë Kravitz, starring Channing Tatum, Christian Slater, and a killer cast. Tech billionaire invites a cocktail waitress to his private island. She accepts. Things get weird. Guys—don’t do this. If a rich stranger invites you to an island: Don’t go. Seriously.
🤖 Afraid (from Blumhouse)
Smart home horror alert! John Cho stars as a dad testing out a futuristic AI assistant called AIA that… totally doesn’t become a creepy control freak or anything. Just a helpful robot with cameras in every room. Totally fine. Totally not terrifying.
🫢 Speak No Evil (Remake)
James McAvoy plays creepy very well in this American remake of the 2022 Danish psychological horror. The original left people shouting “WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!” at their screens—and we’re curious how the U.S. version stacks up.
Also, McAvoy is back doing the whole “quietly menacing” thing (think Split), and honestly, it works. But again… don’t go on weekend getaways with people you barely know.
TL;DR: Don’t Go. Don’t go to an island. Don’t let AI into your house. Don’t follow mysterious British families into the countryside. And for the love of popcorn, don’t fall for a “free vacation.” Spoiler alert: it’s never free.
Except us! We’re free here at the library. 🎉
Thanks for hanging out with us—see you next time with more movie talk and unsolicited life advice. 😉
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What are you watching this month? Drop your picks (or warnings) in the comments!
Bob Books Get a Makeover 📚✨
Okay, so this whole conversation started because Nicole was checking out Publishers Weekly (like librarians do), and noticed something interesting—Bob Books is getting a whole new look!
If you’re not familiar, Bob Books are kind of the cousin to Hooked on Phonics. They’re phonics-based reading tools for young kids, and they’ve been around since the mid-80s. Started by Bobby Lynn Maslen (a preschool teacher) and her husband John (the illustrator), it was a totally homegrown project that blew up.
Scholastic publishes them now, and they’re revamping the series for a more modern look—plus expanding it. The books now cover a wider range of reading stages and phonics skills, and they’re even introducing Babbling Books in August 2025 for pre-readers. We’ve got them at the library—and yes, they get checked out a lot.
The Podcast That Shook the Reading World 🎧
So then Nicole brought up this podcast—Sold a Story by Emily Hanford. Ever heard of it? If you haven’t, now’s the time.
Emily’s a senior education reporter with American Public Media, and she spent five years digging into how schools were teaching reading—specifically, how we somehow moved away from phonics and into this thing called “three cueing.” That’s where kids guess at words using pictures or context instead of sounding them out.
Nicole: And, yeah… it didn’t go well.
Sal: I mean, what could go wrong with teaching kids to guess instead of read?
The podcast is gripping—story-driven, emotional, and full of real family voices. It explores how this method got so widespread, despite evidence it wasn’t working. Literacy rates were dropping, and a lot of parents were left confused and frustrated.
The podcast went viral, won awards (including one from Scripps—the spelling bee people!), and sparked a serious national conversation.
What Does That Mean for Us?
It means phonics is back, baby. At least, it’s getting a serious re-evaluation.
Nicole: And to be fair, the debate isn’t just black and white. Some people argue that the context-based method can work, if implemented properly and balanced with phonics. The issue is when it’s used as a replacement, not a supplement.
Sal: Totally. And even adults use context clues. I do it all the time when I’m reading something with a word I don’t know. But I also know how to decode the word first.
Nicole: Exactly. Phonics builds that foundation, and comprehension grows from there. And hey, we all know someone who can read out loud beautifully… but has no clue what they just read.
So What Can Parents Do?
We’ve got good news: everything you need is at the library. Whether you’re team phonics, curious about the newer methods, or just want to support your child’s reading journey—we’ve got books, workbooks, audio resources, and yes, Bob Books.
And if the podcast piqued your interest, Emily Hanford also shares a list of recommended books and resources on her site—many of which we carry.
Nicole: I even found the original Hooked on Phonics videos on YouTube and play them with my son. It’s fun—and it works!
The Takeaway 🎯
- Phonics isn’t outdated—it’s foundational.
- Bob Books are evolving with the times.
- “Sold a Story” is a podcast every parent, educator, and curious human should listen to.
- Balance is key. Sounding out words and understanding them matter.
- You don’t have to choose one way—we’ve got all the options at the library.
