Episodes

  • 142 – Where’s Wally Has Lore

    142 – Where’s Wally Has Lore
    Jul 5 2024
    This was supposed to be a short video about a good use of localization in children’s books and then I found out that Where’s Wally has far deeper lore than you would expect. And then my wacky imagination ran with it. Lots of localization is annoying, because it’s done by publishers who don’t have confidence … Continue reading "142 – Where’s Wally Has Lore"
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    6 mins
  • 141 – Hamlet Unplugged Review

    141 – Hamlet Unplugged Review
    Jun 24 2024
    I saw Hamlet performed by The Lord Chamberlain’s Men at Bradgate Park in Leicestershire on June 22, 2024. This theater company performs Shakespeare plays the way they were done back in the Bard’s day: no microphones, minimal sets, props, and costumes, and an all male cast. It was a fascinating experience to see Hamlet performed … Continue reading "141 – Hamlet Unplugged Review"
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    9 mins
  • 140 – Jane Austen: Sassy Teen Author

    140 – Jane Austen: Sassy Teen Author
    Jun 17 2024
    Jane Austen didn’t wait to become an adult to start writing. As a kid she was telling stories to her family, and in her early work you can see her wicked sense of humor and her ability to step inside the mind of another person — even if that person held views completely different from … Continue reading "140 – Jane Austen: Sassy Teen Author"
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    9 mins
  • 139 – Audiobook: The History of England by Jane Austen

    139 – Audiobook: The History of England by Jane Austen
    Jun 3 2024
    This is a recording of “The History of England, from the Reign of Henry the 4th to the Death of Charles the 1st” by Jane Austen, written when the author was only 16 years old. It was illustrated by Jane’s sister Cassandra and completed in 1791.
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    22 mins
  • 138 – Can Peter Jackson Recapture the Magic?

    138 – Can Peter Jackson Recapture the Magic?
    May 27 2024
    Peter Jackson is getting the band back together to make movies about . . . finding Gollum?? For real? Will these films be any good? Will this be another case of a filmmaker trying and failing to recapture the magic? Find out what I think about the prospects for these new films. Check out the … Continue reading "138 – Can Peter Jackson Recapture the Magic?"
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    6 mins
  • 137 – Peter Pan Goes Wrong made us LAUGH

    137 – Peter Pan Goes Wrong made us LAUGH
    May 20 2024
    Co-hosts T.Q. Townsend and Chloë Townsend recently went to the Curve Theatre in Leicester to see Peter Pan Goes Wrong, a hilarious comedy interpretation of J.M. Barrie’s classic children’s play and novel about Peter Pan, the Darling Children, the Lost Boys, and of course, Captain Hook. The play was put on by Mischief Theatre, a … Continue reading "137 – Peter Pan Goes Wrong made us LAUGH"
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    16 mins
  • 136 – Butterfly in the Sky

    136 – Butterfly in the Sky
    May 13 2024
    I’ve just seen the documentary Butterfly in the Sky, which is about the public TV show Reading Rainbow. This show, which was hosted by LeVar Burton, helped millions of kids, including me, to understand just how magical it was to take a look in a book. Watch me try not to get choked up as … Continue reading "136 – Butterfly in the Sky"
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    7 mins
  • 135 – Sold A Story Episode 10

    135 – Sold A Story Episode 10
    May 6 2024
    Emily Hanford is back with Episode 10 of Sold a Story. I wanted to take some time to listen to this one several times and think about it before responding, because it addresses some very serious challenges in the literacy wars. Some people who were confronted by the failings of Balanced Literacy — the highly … Continue reading "135 – Sold A Story Episode 10"
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    10 mins