2023 Kids Listen Summer Sampler

Lynn Hickernell (0:08)

Salutations, Podcast Listeners! I'm Lynn Hickernell, Podcast Producer and Board Member at Kids Listen, a nonprofit organization advocating for great children's podcasts. Because summer is a great time to try out new things, we thought you might enjoy trying out a selection of different Kids Listen member podcasts. This episode features small tastes of shows to peak your curiosity, stretch your imagination, tickle your funny bone, and help you find calm. Enjoy this 2023 Kids Listen Summer Sampler.

Rebecca Cunningham (0:48)

Hey, Taleblazers. I'm Rebecca Cunningham, and this is Girl Tales, a kids podcast of feminist stories for a new generation. Do you ever wonder what would happen if cinderella started her own rock band, or if Medusa realized just how cool her hair was? Girl Tales takes classic stories and puts a unique twist on them, giving girls the chance to save the day, use their intelligence and bravery, and show that they can be the heroes of their own stories. So if you're ready for an adventure, find Girl Tales wherever you get your podcasts. Here's a sample of one of our stories, Reimagining Robin Hood. Enjoy. I'd like to tell you about a friend of mine.

A traveling Renaissance Faire came to Freshwater, and I was so excited. There were acrobats and jugglers, fire-breather and knights riding horses, music and dancing in beautiful creative costumes, a royal parade, and my personal favorite, the wandering storyteller. A beautifully hand-painted sign hung on the outside of her caravan. It read, fireside Stories at Sundown, The Many Adventures of Young Robin Hood. The wandering storyteller waited until the sun had slipped away below the peaks of the tall pine trees to the west. She stood beside a crackling campfire, the flames dancing joyfully in the growing darkness, and greeted us.

SPEAKER_4 (2:36)

Come, my friends, join me, please. Who's feeling brave? A front row seat. The time has come to part the eaves and share a tale of daring deeds.

Rebecca Cunningham (2:49)

Once we had gathered in a crowd of buzz with excitement and curiosity, the wandering storyteller began to weave her tale.

SPEAKER_4 (2:59)

One of the joys of being a human is sharing our stories, which also illuminate values and morals that help us make choices. How do we choose to use the power of our voices?

We begin our tale with the greedy King John, who is new to the throne, hasn't sat on it long. His big bro, King Richard, left Johnny the Crown, rode off toward adventure. No one's seen him around. While King Richard was smart, good with people, and fair, King John thought that he deserved more than his share. Picture the new king up early at dawn. He speaks to Nottingham, his crooked sheriff, alone.

SPEAKER_5 (3:46)

More gold, more coins, more goods. My royal bank vault must be filled to the rafters by the next full moon.

SPEAKER_4 (3:56)

My king, I have a solution. Pass a new law, a royal tax. Calling it tax is a wise thing to do. When you make the laws, make them work best for you. Tax means we take part of each thing that they earn. They'll be left with mere scraps, but that's not our concern. The sheriff to the king did bow, and then let slip a wicked laugh. And every home throughout the land was forced to gather and forfeit half their money, clothing, toys and food.

If any one of you dares to disobey, I'll lock you up and throw the keys away. Feelings of fear spread like a sinking fog across the kingdom. The townsfolk whispered worries to one another.

Leela Shiffshanka Brickett (5:09)

Our children's toes will be freezing when winter comes again.

SPEAKER_4 (5:15)

However, piercing through the grim veil of fear and darkness, there was a shining ray of hope. Stories were spreading from fireplaces to farmer's fields that someone had bravely stood up to the sheriff and refused to pay the new royal tax. Someone had rallied a group of young, talented townsfolk and called them to a life of virtuous, ethical banditry in Sherwood Forest. The group had named itself the Happy Hoodlums and was determined to steal back everything the king and the sheriff had just taken.

SPEAKER_6 (5:59)

The Book Club for Kids.

Hank (6:01)

It's the Book Club for Kids.

SPEAKER_6 (6:03)

It's the Book Club for Kids Podcast.

Kitty Felde (6:06)

Hi, I'm Kitty felde. We all need a little humor in our life, and this week's book is just what the doctor ordered. It's Cody and the Mysteries of the Universe by Trisha Springstub. Cody is a bit of a busybody and our readers at Randall Elementary School in Washington DC think they know why.