Back to School, Back to Books: Comfort Reads for Kids (and their grown-ups)

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October 2, 2025 • 96 mins

It’s back-to-school season, which means new routines, new books, and maybe even a little extra stress for kids (and the adults who love them). To help ease the transition, we’re diving into comfort reads for Middle Grade and YA readers. In this episode, Joe is joined by the incredible Rex Ogle, author of heartfelt and vulnerable stories for young readers. Rex opens up about his writing process, how books can help kids navigate tough times, the importance of watching for signs of bullying, and what’s next for both him and his alter ego, Rey Terciero. Then, in segment two, Joe and Meara share their latest Middle Grade and YA favorites—full of witches, hauntings, and just the right amount of spooky fun. From meaningful conversations to magical book picks, this episode has something for everyone: whether you have kids in your life or you’re a kid at heart. Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel! Link to our full book list: https://www.libbylife.com/blog/back-to-school-back-to-books-comfort-reads-for-kids-and-their-grown-ups-book-lounge-by-libby-season-2-episode-2 Guest host recommendations: Meara: The Flicker – H.E. Edgmon Lovely Dark and Deep – Elisa A. Bonnin The Witch Boy – Molly Knox Ostertag Joe: Making Friends, Volume 1 – Kristen Gudsnuk The Supernatural Society – Rex Ogle The Okay Witch – Emma Steinkellner Follow the guests & guest hosts: Segment 1: Rex Ogle – Website Segment 2: Meara (mearaisreading) - Links Time stamps: 00:00:00 Title 00:00:22 Intro 00:02:25 Segment 1 – Back to School with Rex Ogle 00:52:54 Break – Check out our Book Lounge Merch! 00:54:38 Segment 2 Middle Grade & YA Recs with Meara 01:31:46 Outro Readers can sample and borrow the titles mentioned in today’s episode in Libby. Library friends can add these titles to their digital collections for free in OverDrive Marketplace and Kanopy. Check out our Cumulative List for the whole season, or this list for today’s episode! Looking for more bookish content? Check out the Libby Life Blog! We hope you enjoy this episode of Book Lounge by Libby. Be sure to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen! You can watch the video version of our show on the Libby App YouTube channel. Keep up with us on social media by following the Libby App on Instagram! Want to reach out? Send an email to bookloungebylibby@overdrive.com. Want some cool bookish swag? Check out our merch store at: http://plotthreadsshop.com/booklounge! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}Back to School, Back to Books: Comfort Reads for Kids (and their grown-ups)