Share
Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books™️
Gus Morais, TAYLOR SWIFT: Unofficial Search and Find Biographies
Season 25, Ep. 11
•
Zibby chats with award-winning Brazilian illustrator Gus Morais about TAYLOR SWIFT: Unofficial Search and Find Biographies, a visual exploration of the star’s groundbreaking music career, celebrating every album era and iconic outfit. Gus shares how he went from knowing little about Taylor Swift to immersing himself in her music, lyrics, and imagery to create a vibrant, detail-packed book that’s like Where’s Waldo for Swifties. He talks about the extensive research process, the hidden Easter eggs woven into each illustration, and why even non-Swifties can enjoy the book.
Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4nWLkjt
Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!
** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for listening guides and more. **
(Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact allie.gallo@acast.com.)
More episodes
View all episodes
39. Lili Anolik, DIDION & BABITZ
23:43||Season 25, Ep. 39Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!
38. Bianna Golodryga and Yonit Levi, DON'T FEED THE LION
28:42||Season 25, Ep. 38Zibby talks with Emmy Award–winning journalist Bianna Golodryga and Israeli news anchor Yonit Levi about their middle-grade novel DON’T FEED THE LION. The book follows three young teens as they confront antisemitism in their school and community, inspired by the authors’ own experiences as mothers navigating rising hate after October 7. Bianna and Yonit share how the story grew from personal conversations into a poignant resource for families, discuss the challenges of helping children understand prejudice, and reflect on balancing their high-profile journalism careers with motherhood and activism.Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!
37. Jen Butler, MOM, REDISCOVERED: My Midlife Breakup with Drinking and Diet Culture
25:46||Season 25, Ep. 37Zibby interviews author and speaker Jennifer Butler about her honest and moving memoir, MOM, REDISCOVERED: My Midlife Breakup with Drinking and Diet Culture. Jen opens up about her journey from “wine mom” to mid-life unraveling to self-acceptance and self-compassion, sharing how she broke free from gray-area drinking, diet culture, and the pressure to be the perfect mom. She and Zibby also reflect on their own friendship and the full-circle moment that brought them together, from a Totally Booked event to publication.Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!
36. Heather Aimee O'Neill, THE IRISH GOODBYE: A Novel
24:17||Season 25, Ep. 36In this special episode of the podcast (recorded live at Zibby’s Petite Retreat in Greenwich), Zibby interviews bestselling debut author Heather Aimee O’Neill about her achingly poignant and gripping novel, THE IRISH GOODBYE (which was a Read With Jenna book club pick!). Zibby and Heather discuss the novel’s exploration of sisterhood, grief, and forgiveness as three women return home to confront their brother’s death and the secrets that have haunted them for years. Heather opens up about her family’s connection to 9/11, how that experience shaped her understanding of loss, and the power of compassion and humor in healing.Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!
35. Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström, BITTER HONEY
18:51||Season 25, Ep. 35Nigerian-American travel writer, speaker, photographer, and bestselling author Lọlá Ákínmádé Åkerström joins Zibby to discuss BITTER HONEY, a radiant, deliciously addictive family drama about a mother and daughter divided by long-buried secrets, struggling to understand each other as they forge their own paths. Lola reveals how navigating her own divorce informed the emotional depth of the book, and then delves into the story’s themes of generational trauma, fame, secrets, and addiction.Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!
34. Angela Buchdahl, HEART OF A STRANGER: An Unlikely Rabbi's Story of Faith, Identity, and Belonging
23:43||Season 25, Ep. 34Totally Booked: LIVE! In this special episode of the podcast (in-person at the Whitby Hotel with a live audience!), Zibby interviews Rabbi Angela Buchdahl (Senior Rabbi of Central Synagogue and the first Asian American rabbi) about her astonishingly beautiful, searing new memoir (and an instant New York Times bestseller), HEART OF A STRANGER: An Unlikely Rabbi’s Story of Faith, Identity, and Belonging. Rabbi Buchdahl shares her extraordinary journey, from Seoul to New York City, weaving together personal stories, Jewish wisdom, and lessons on belonging, grief, empathy, and resilience. She even sings for the audience, which you don’t want to miss!Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!
33. Nia Sioux, BOTTOM OF THE PYRAMID: A Memoir of Persevering, Dancing for Myself, and Starring in My Own Life
18:36||Season 25, Ep. 33Zibby welcomes former Dance Moms star Nia Sioux to the podcast to discuss her powerful new memoir, BOTTOM OF THE PYRAMID: A Memoir of Persevering, Dancing for Myself, and Starring in My Own Life. Joined by a few young fans (Zibby’s kids!), Nia answers heartfelt questions about growing up on reality TV, dealing with pressure and criticism, and learning to stay true to herself. She also opens up about stage fright, friendship, sibling dynamics, and managing her chronic pain disorder.Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!
32. Lihi Lapid, I WANTED TO BE WONDERFUL: A Novel
28:12||Season 25, Ep. 32Zibby Publishing alert! Bestselling Israeli author Lihi Lapid chats with Zibby about I WANTED TO BE WONDERFUL, her gut-wrenching, lyrical, and sharply observed novel about marriage, motherhood, sacrifice, and self-discovery. Originally published in Israel as Woman of Valor, the novel intertwines fiction and memoir, portraying both a woman’s inner life and the complexities of family, love, and identity. Lihi shares the real-life inspiration behind the book, including her journey as a mother to a daughter with autism, her experience as the wife of a public figure, and the struggle to reclaim her own creative voice.Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!
31. Shawn Johnson, KISS THE FIRE: 7 Ways to Get Back Up When You Want to Give Up
25:20||Season 25, Ep. 31Pastor Shawn Johnson joins Zibby to discuss his powerful new book, KISS THE FIRE: 7 Ways to get Back Up When You Want to Give Up. Shawn opens up about his diagnosis with an incurable brain disease, his lifelong struggles with anxiety and depression, and how faith and vulnerability helped him find purpose in pain. He and Zibby also discuss how vulnerability creates connection, why sharing our struggles can be freeing, and how even in life’s darkest moments, hope and purpose can emerge.Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!