Welcome to Friday Night Readers. Fueled by coffee, we break down the books referenced on Gilmore Girls. Our little literary corner of the world helps you understand what the characters are talking so fast about, and live in a world of books like Rory. Life’s short; read fast!

This month, as we read kids’ books from the Gilmore Girls book list for our Rory Gilmore reading challenge, I’m featuring one top pick: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl.

Listen to the podcast on: Substack | Apple | Spotify | Amazon | YouTube

Read the full post and subscribe to our book club community on Substack.

Timestamps:

01:17 Plot description

02:03 Why Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is relevant today

05:05 On whimsy in our reading lives

06:29 Tips for reading this book

07:47 Poll: book or movie?

Links Mentioned:

Podcast host Laura Yamin (What to Read Next)

Gilmore Girls 1.7 “Kiss and Tell” podcast episode

Full review of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Wonka candy

2003 film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

2023 film Wonka

Controversy about this book

BBC's deep dive into Roald Dahl’s dark side

Advertise: Do you have a book, product, or service you'd like to share with our engaged audience? Learn more and contact us: https://fridaynightreaders.com/contact/

Welcome to Friday Night Readers. Fueled by coffee, we break down the books referenced on Gilmore Girls. Our little literary corner of the world helps you understand what the characters are talking so fast about and live in a world of books like Rory. Life’s short; read fast!

Follow the show on your favorite podcast app: https://fridaynightreaders.com/podcast/

See pictures and video of the printable PDF Unofficial Guide to the Books on Gilmore Girls and Reading Journal mentioned in this episode: https://fridaynightreaders.substack.com/p/books-gilmore-girls-by-episode

Advertise: Do you have a book, product, or service you'd like to share with our engaged audience? Learn more and contact us: https://fridaynightreaders.com/contact/

Welcome to Friday Night Readers. Fueled by coffee, we break down the books referenced on Gilmore Girls. Our little literary corner of the world helps you understand what the characters are talking so fast about and live in a world of books like Rory. Life’s short; read fast!

Subscribe at https://fridaynightreaders.substack.com/ to get notified of new episodes and participate in our virtual book club community that feels like Stars Hollow.

Or, follow the show on your favorite podcast app: https://fridaynightreaders.com/podcast/

Advertise: Do you have a book, product, or service you'd like to share with our engaged audience? Learn more and contact us: https://fridaynightreaders.com/contact/

Today at Friday Night Readers, we’ll be breaking down January’s reading prompt to read a children’s book from Gilmore Girls: all the options, how I rate them, and reading tips.

Subscribe:

Subscribe to the Friday Night Readers' free virtual book club community on Substack. New email subscribers get a printable PDF of the 500+ books on Gilmore Girls. You'll also receive a discount when you upgrade to a paid annual subscription to enjoy our full book club community benefits.

Links Mentioned:

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links that earn me commissions at no extra cost to you.

Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge

Kids' Books on Gilmore Girls

Instagram

Little Women Christmas Guide

Gilmore Girls onesies

MinaLima editions of classics

SSR Podcast episode about Encyclopedia Brown

I'm reading The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

Our featured book will be Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl.

Time Stamps:

00:09 Changes to the podcast

01:42 About the Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge

08:24 Kids' books from Gilmore Girls

09:39 Kids' books I loved

15:23 Kids' books I liked

18:00 Kids' books I didn't like

19:00 Kids' books I didn't read yet

23:06 What I'm reading

24:04 Featured book of the month

Listen on:

Substack

Apple

Spotify

Amazon

YouTube

About the Show:

Friday Night Readers is a virtual book club inspired by Gilmore Girls and hosted by Julianne Buonocore, who has run a Rory Gilmore reading challenge since 2020 and wrote an essay in the book But I'm a Gilmore! Fueled by coffee, she breaks down the books on the show, so you actually understand what the characters are talking so fast about as you read and live like Rory with us. Subscribe to get notified of new episodes and participate in a community that feels like Stars Hollow.

Advertise:

Do you have a book, product, or service you'd like to share with our engaged audience? Learn more and contact us.

Welcome to Gilmore Girls Season 1, Episode 14, "That Damn Donna Reed": Pop Culture Rewatch ! In this podcast episode, I share the books and pop culture referenced when Lorelai convinces Luke to repaint the Diner with her help. Lorelai, Rory, and Dean watch The Donna Reed Show, which causes tension with Dean, who likes the traditional wife aesthetic that Lorelai and Rory mock. While watching Babette’s and Morey’s new kitten, Rory cosplays as Donna Reed and cooks for Dean, while they discuss the issue further. Meanwhile, Luke helps Lorelai find the escaped baby chick Rory is watching for school in their home.

Disclosure:

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links that earn me commissions at no extra cost to you.

Sponsors:

Subscribe to the Friday Night Readers' free email newsletter on Substack. New subscribers receive a discount when you upgrade to a paid annual subscription to enjoy our full book club community benefits.

Books, Pop Culture, and Other Mentions:

1. Lewis Carroll
2. A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams
3. Martha Stewart
4. Miguel de Cervantes
5. Everyone Is Lying to You by Jo Piazza
6. My interview with Jo Piazza
7. Books set in Martha's Vineyard
8. Marcel Marceau
9. Linda McCartney and Paul McCartney
10. Joan Rivers and Melissa Rivers
11. Michael Douglas
12. The Donna Reed Show
13. I Love...
    
    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fridaynightreaders.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to Gilmore Girls Season 1, Episode 13, "Concert Interruptus": Pop Culture Rewatch ! In this podcast episode, I share the books and pop culture referenced when Stars Hollow has a Rummage Sale, and Lorelai, Rory, Sookie, Paris, Madeline, and Louise go to The Bangles concert.

Disclosure:

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links that earn me commissions at no extra cost to you.

Sponsors:

Subscribe to the Friday Night Readers' free email newsletter on Substack. New subscribers receive a discount when you upgrade to a paid annual subscription to enjoy our full book club community benefits.

Books, Pop Culture, and Other Mentions:

1. How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
2. Little Red Riding Hood by the Brothers Grimm
3. Macbeth by William Shakespeare
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
5. Carrie by Stephen King
6. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
7. Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory
8. Maguire
9. Harvey Fierstein
10. Paul Bunyan
11. Annie Oakley
12. Catherine Zeta-Jones
13. Michelle Pfeiffer
14. Elle Macpherson
15. Star Trek
16. House of Horrors
17. 
    
    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fridaynightreaders.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to Announcing the 2026 (6th Annual) Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge! ! In this podcast episode, I share how our Gilmore Girls inspired book club works, and how you can read with us in 2026.

Disclosure:

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links that earn me commissions at no extra cost to you.

Sponsors:

Subscribe to the Friday Night Readers' free email newsletter on Substack. New subscribers receive a discount when you upgrade to a paid annual subscription to enjoy our full book club community benefits.

Links Mentioned:

• Substack
• Instagram

Full Show Notes For Announcing the 2026 (6th Annual) Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge! (including book recommendations)

Time Stamps:

• 02:43 How to Join
• 04:23 Reading prompts for the 2026 Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge
• 05:49 January - a kid's book
• 07:39 February - a book adaptation
• 11:33 March - book published in 2000 or later
• 14:52 April - a classic book
• 17:24 May - a book associated with Rory Gilmore
• 20:21 June - a female author
• 22:41 July - a short book
• 25:17 August - a book set in Europe
• 27:20 September - a book associated with Lorelai Gilmore
• 29:10 October - a book from season 2 of Gilmore Girls
• 30:44 November - nonfiction
• 32:38 December - a random book
• 34:09 Frequently asked questions

Follow:

Subscribe to Friday Night Readers on Substack to read and live like the Gilmore Girls in our virtual book club community. You'll instantly get a free printable checklist of 500+ books from the show.

Follow us on our most active social media channel, Instagram

Listen on your favorite platform:

Apple

YouTube

Spotify

Amazon

About Friday Night Readers: Pop Culture Rewatch of Gilmore Girls :

This is an unofficial pop culture rewatch of Gilmore Girls hosted by Friday Night Readers. We dive deep into each episode, featuring the Gilmores’ world of books, as well as their fast talk. Oy, with the pop culture already! Learn what the Gilmores are actually talking about, so you can read and live more like them as you rewatch. Life’s short; read fast!

Advertise:

Do you have a book, product, or service you'd like to share with our engaged audience? Learn more and contact us.