The Children's Literature Podcast
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The Children's Literature Podcast
Grown-up discussion of works written for children, with lesson ideas and activities to share with kids
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26 эпизодов
220 – Fireside Fairy Tale: Hänsel and Gretel
This was recorded a few days after Bonfire Night, when it’s common for massive fireworks to go off in England . . . even right next door! This made fo...
219 – A Christmas Stocking for You!
In this episode, you will find: On the nice list: A reading of the earliest Winnie-the-Pooh story, which turns 100 years old on Christmas Eve 2025 On...
218 – Who is Santa Claus, Anyway?
This episode is taken from my Livestream about the history of Santa Claus. I will be having more Livestreams in the future, so be sure to subscribe to...
217 – Krampusnacht!
This episode is excerpted from my first Livestream on YouTube, which was held on Friday, December 5. It was nice to chat with all those who came to pa...
216 – Vengeance and Honour by Ben Dixon
Friend of the show Ben Dixon is back to talk about his new novel Vengeance and Honour, a sword and sorcery adventure for older teens and up. Fans of D...
215 – Guillermo Del Toro’s Frankenstein
This was a big episode for me to put together, as in I had to limit myself to the amount of time it takes to drink a pot of tea or else I would have t...
214 – My Tween Has THOUGHTS About Banning Kpop Demon Hunters
Chloë does a lot for the show, mostly behind the scenes. But a school of literal actual Lilliputians has banned kids from singing songs from Kpop Demo...
213 – Book Drama: Insane Paddington Bear Is Canceled
There are two bits of book related silliness to cover this week. A tiny group of outspoken activists are trying to cancel J.K. Rowling — again. And th...
212 – Some Teachers Don’t Know When to Quit
I recently saw a teacher blow his stack in public, and I couldn’t help but feel that if he wasn’t just a bully, maybe it was time for him to get a dif...
211 – A Mouthy Yank Explains “Remember, Remember the Fifth of November”
All British kids know the poem “Remember, Remember the Fifth of November” but where did it come from? And how has Bonfire Night evolved from its viole...
210 – Fireside Poetry: “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe
Please enjoy this Fireside reading of “The Raven.” As always, I have two versions — one with my commentary (and a roasted pumpkin!) as well as the poe...
209 – Reading Rapunzel to Kids: Messy and Fun
First, we start off with some MORE tedious Harry Potter book drama. Then you get a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into a Fireside Fairy Tale. I a...
208 – Take Me to the Promised Land
We start off with some book drama about a hilarious, not-safe-for kids parody of Paddington Bear on the comedy show Spitting Image as well as an unnec...
207 – Fireside Fairy Tale: Rapunzel (1812)
In this Fireside Fairytale, I share the first published version of Rapunzel, which was recorded by the Brothers Grimm for their famous 1812 collection...
206 – Did Mahmoud V. Taylor Cause CHAOS?
In June, the United States Supreme Court ruled on the case of Mahmoud v. Taylor. A group of Maryland parents had sued their local school district, ask...
205 – Lady Voldemort? HBO, Say It Ain’t So!
There are rumors — unproven rumors — going around that HBO is auditioning women for the role of . . . Lord Voldemort? Nobody wants this, and this isn’...
204 – King of Kings is a Masterclass in Immersive Storytelling
Did I just watch a Bible movie and really, really . . . enjoy it? I guess so, and I’m quite happy about that. I am continuing my roundup of movies tha...
203 – A Tired Mom Review of Fantastic Four: First Steps
I’m starting my roundup of all the summer movies based on books for kids with Fantastic Four: First Steps. Find out how many Snapes I gave this one ba...
202 – Was Graham Linehan’s Arrest “Kafkaesque” and “Orwellian”?
I am very nervous about publishing this episode, because it could bring me unwanted attention. But things have changed to the point where I no longer...
201 – Fireside Fairy Tale: Tommelise
This story comes to you by the fire pit at a family member’s house back home in California. The evening is warm, the sea breeze is pleasant, and the b...
200 EPISODES!
This is the 200th audio episode of The Children’s Literature Podcast! All we can say is THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! Oh, and I suppose we can say a...
199 – The Original Three Bears Got Sweet Revenge
The first recorded version of The Three Bears was a poem written and illustrated by Eleanor Mure for her little nephew’s birthday in 1831. It was neve...
197 – Mists of Iga: Teen Ninjas, Cool Swords, and Abiding Friendships
My brother, Kyle Mortensen, published a wonderful indie book shortly before he died in an accident. He intended to publish three more books in this ex...
196 – The Rainbow Fish is Dystopian Horror
I am not a fan of The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister. It’s a book that portrays mooching, bullying, and gaslighting as good things, but lots of people...