Shows
WTH Story Corner17 Things I'm Not Allowed To Do Anymore (Jenny Offill)If you think you just might be raising the next Elizabeth Holmes, this book could be for you. A modern-day Ramona Quimby takes things to the next level of chaos only to be consistently shut down by the adults. And the moral of the story? Wellll, let's just say it's questionable.Find the book at your local library, indie bookstore, or on Amazon.2025-06-1116 minWTH Story CornerMy Cat Looks Like My Dad (Thao Lan)Pets as children, Dads in 80s gym gear, and Moms who pass for teenagers take center stage in this cerebral journey to found families. Yeah, most adults wouldn't even pick up on the subtle message of this one. Lea-Anne was so excited she forgot to put on pants.2025-04-0214 minWTH Story CornerMr. Wuffles (David Wiesner)How does a book about a cat playing with aliens who crash landed in his house get nominated for a Caldecott? Yeah, we were kinda stumped too. Oh, did we mention there are no words? Lea-Anne is mostly mystified while Anna is just annoyed. If the choices of the publishing industry leave you scratching your head, this one's for you. Oh, and that video about the history of the world I mentioned? You can find it here.2025-03-1113 minWTH Story CornerThe Dead Bird (Margaret Wise Brown/Christian Robinson)Got a family funeral coming up? It's Greatest Generation authors to the rescue! Why write about the meaning of life or ways to process grief when you can publish a how-to guide for death complete with the stages of rigor mortis? The Dead Bird proves you can be known for children's literary classics and still get your most disturbing ideas published!2025-02-1416 minWTH Story CornerBerenstain Bears Get the Gimmies (Stan & Jan Berenstain)Parenting styles, hypocrite bears, and gift shop induced PTSD are explored in detail in this week's episode. We both agree Mama Bear was right. What do you think?2025-02-0720 minWTH Story CornerThe Wretched Stone (Chris Van Allsburg)Another master class in breathtaking artwork framing a truly bizarre story (if we can even call it that). Is it an allegory for television? Is it just entertainment for adults who took gummies before reading a bedtime story? We'll find out in this episode!2025-01-2416 minWTH Story CornerWhoosh (Barton/Tate) and Mr. Ferris and his Wheel (Gibbs Davis/Ford)Terrible recommendation technology, the necessity of failed inventions, and turn-of-the-century male preoccupation with size take center stage in Anna and Lea-Anne's exploration of children's biography! 2025-01-1021 minWTH Story CornerJust Because (Matthew McConaughey/Renée Kurilla)-the real oneOoohkay. After uploading the B-roll, here's the edit. Sorry about that!!!
Celebrity vanity project or existentialist musings of a child whisperer? (Hint: it's the first one) Anna and Lea-Anne have fun picking apart this plotless series of musings about the contradictions in life. They don't apologize for the critique, but they do apologize for the fact that Anna should be recording in her office instead of a room where the sound echoes off the walls)2024-12-1215 minWTH Story CornerJust Because (Matthew McConaughay/Renée Kurilla)Celebrity vanity project or existentialist musings of a child whisperer? (Hint: it's the first one) Anna and Lea-Anne have fun picking apart this plotless series of musings about the contradictions in life. They don't apologize for the critique, but they do apologize for the fact that Anna should be recording in her office instead of a room where the sound echoes off the walls)2024-12-1116 minWTH Story CornerProbuditi (Chris Van Allsburg)Manipulative siblings, creepy ass cover art, and mic drop endings reign supreme in this hard to pronounce tale from the writer of Jumanji and Polar Express.2024-11-1613 minWTH Story CornerCarl and the Meaning of Life (Deborah Freedman)Another book with an existentialist crisis? We're in! Anna and Lea-Anne investigate work ethic, consumer culture, synonyms for worm poop in this gem.2024-10-2413 minWTH Story CornerThe Duck Never Blinks (Alex Latimer)Wildlife harassment, psilocybin, and underfunded sociopath librarians take center stage this week in a truly odd selection with literally no plot (which drives Anna to the brink of her sanity)2024-07-0113 minWTH Story CornerAmos & Boris (Steig)What should be on the packing list for an existentialist journey through a Russian tragedy? That's the question for this book allegedly suitable for kindergartners. Lea-Anne reflects on the merits of flowery language while Anna gets a bug up her ass about Chekhov's gun.
Buy here2024-04-1215 minWTH Story CornerThe Grudge Keeper (Rockliff/Wheeler)Lea-Anne and Anna unpack a few mixed messages in this beautifully told and illustrated tale about friendship and forgiveness. The balancing act required to raise kids with self esteem who are also empathetic is explored among a few other topics.
Find it here or check your local bookstore! 2024-03-0818 minWTH Story CornerQueen Victoria's Bathing Machine (Gloria Whelan/Nancy Carpenter)Lea-Anne and Anna have a little fun at the Brits' expense this week with this odd but delightful tale of Victorian modesty gone amuck.
Check your local library or independent bookstore. You can also order online here.2024-02-2713 minWTH Story CornerThe Giving Tree/Tree Who Set Healthy Boundaries (Silverstein/Payne)Yes, it's a two-fer! Shel Silverstein's beloved classic gets the Topher Payne treatment. Proving once and for all that you don't have to ban books to discuss your values with your kids!2024-02-0812 minWTH Story CornerWhere the Sidewalk Ends (Shel Silverstein)Ok, we got a little carried away here. Anna and Lea-Anne read excerpts from their favorite poems in this timeless classic. Think your kids could use a jolt of Gen X impertinence? This is the book for you!2024-01-1318 minWTH Story CornerThe Missing Piece (Shel Silverstein)Feminist geometry, the playboy mansion, and Kindergartners first lesson in opportunity cost come together in what may be the strangest book in the Shel Silverstein collection. Buckle up. We'll be hitting much of his catalogue and even rebuttal works by others authors in this series!
Buy the book here
A Boy Named Sue (Johnny Cash song) here2023-11-1814 minWTH Story CornerChez Bob (Bob Shea)Lea-Anne has found her spirit animal! Innovation and Entrepreneurship are among the unlikely themes from this gem about a lazy alligator who wants his food to come to him. As do we all.2023-11-0113 minWTH Story CornerMiss Rumphius (Barbara Cooney)A truly odd and yet inspiring story of a woman balancing her personal desires with the need to make the world more beautiful. Mix in a little commentary on the wealth of white Victorian America and colonialism and you've got a sultry hit! (this is why Anna and Lea-Anne should never record in the same room(2023-10-2015 minWTH Story CornerThe Day the Crayons Quit (Drew Daywalt)We know what you're thinking. There just aren't enough children's books explaining modern human resource principles for your little would-be middle manager. Well, you're in luck! In the second part of a series looking at labor and the workplace, Anna and Lea-Anne pulled out this gem. And if you've ever worked in an office, you can spot each and every color among your co-workers!2023-09-2717 minWTH Story CornerClick Clack Moo: Cows that Type (Doreen Cronin)Who knew the nuances of organized labor could be best explained through a children's book? Anna and Lea-Anne dish on the Hollywood strikes, the value of EVERYONE learning from kiddie lit, and freeloading ducks in this week's episode honoring Labor Day in the U.S.
Buy it here!2023-09-0614 minWTH Story CornerJune 29, 1999 (David Wiesner)Artichokes as big as skyscrapers, an economy built on avocados, and slack ass Alien interns make up the bulk of one of the stranger stories we've explored on this podcast. Gorgeous art supporting a truly bizarre tale? We may be seeing a pattern here!2023-07-2511 minWTH Story CornerPride by Rob SandersDo you have a Pride flag? We do too! Any idea how it came about? Yeah, neither did we. This delightful book shows kids the history behind it and tells the story of the courageous Harvey Milk.
See more of Rob Sanders' work here
2023-06-2613 minWTH Story CornerIt Feels Good to Be Yourself (Theresa Thorn)Binary, Transgender, Cisgender...there's a lot of new vocab regarding gender identity for many of us these days! If you're looking for a fun and simple book to introduce these concepts to your kids or just get a quick lesson yourself, we have the perfect book!2023-06-1911 minWTH Story CornerJulian is a Mermaid (Jessica Love)Kicking off our exploration of kiddie lit for Pride month, we find a beautiful gem that isn't even mildly offensive and yet somehow still controversial. This is the story of a little boy who sees himself as something different...and magical.2023-06-1411 minWTH Story CornerPride Month (Series Introduction)It's Pride Month! Anna and Lea-Anne are celebrating by highlighting three amazing children's stories designed to foster communication and understanding around LGBTQI+ issues in our culture today. This brief introduction explains why Lea chose the books she did and how each might benefit you personally.2023-06-0811 minWTH Story CornerStrange Planet (Nathan W. Pyle)In this tribute episode to Lea-Anne's Dad, we explore the joys of simplistic language and the oddities of modern English through Nathan W. Pyle's tale of aliens trying to figure out cats.2023-01-1013 minWTH Story CornerLlama Destroys the World (Jonathan Stutzman)Do we really want to be teaching our girls that if they eat too much cake, the world will come to an end? This and other ethical conundrums are explored through this funny but odd tale of an apparently teenage girl Llama (at least according to Lea-Anne).2022-12-1213 minWTH Story CornerBurnt Toast on Davenport Street (Tim Egan)A story with no plot drive or a meandering tale filled with whimsy? Lea Anne and Anna debate this interesting find.2022-09-0213 minWTH Story CornerThe Red Lemon (Bob Staake)Have your kids ever tried growing a pineapple in the backyard? Ever wondered what squirrel fight club might look like? See how we got on these tangents from the peculiar yet very insightful book, The Red Lemon.2022-08-0311 minWTH Story CornerThe Book with No Pictures (BJ Novak)Anna and Lea-Anne debate celebrity children's authors and the value of interactive storytelling through this well-received book. Who knew the 'juice box' of The Office was good at kiddie lit?2022-07-0809 min
WTH Story CornerWHY the hell are you doing this?Before we get into some of our most interesting book selections, Lea-Anne and Anna chat about why they're doing this in the first place.2022-07-0611 min