It’s the Dads’ first annual “Hey, let’s do a Juneteenth book” book. Or, as Mike put it, “If the world has a day, then we should read a book about it” book. That’s a whole lot of books.

We talk about A Juneteenth Jamboree—a super fun “experience book” (we made that up) about celebrating Juneteenth. Spoiler alert: David’s favorite art form: watercolor and ink. Spoiler alert again: the art is beautiful and David talks about it. Splotches! Splashes! Spots! And precision.

A multi-sensory experience. You see the kitchen and smell the food. You see it, and you want to taste it. Nerm. Nerm. See and hear the music and sounds—so much good stuff.

Even though we know where it’s going—a Juneteenth jamboree, it’s still fun getting there. And we’re calling this a Gateway or Launch book: while you won’t learn a lot about Juneteenth, it’s a great starting point to read to or with your kids about a family celebrating Juneteenth that can lead to further exploration and learning about the history and the holiday. And since David is from Texas, and studied African-American history in college, he approooooves this message.

Like this episode? You’ll love this one. A touching episode about a Civil Rights hero: Ruby Bridges. And some of our favorite watercolor art and more history: George Washington’s Teeth. And a soon to be dropped episode: Book of Greek Myths. Stay tooned.

And now a word from our sponsors. Well, not really sponsors, just places we like to get books and hope that you'll go to if you need one:

Books in Stock in Wooster, OH

A House with Books in Keller, TX
Talking Animals Books in Grapevine, TX
River Forest Public Library in River Forest, IL
Grapevine Public Library in Grapevine, TX
Keller Public Library in Keller, TX

Questions? Comments? Concerns?

Please, please tell us about your favorite library or independent book store.

Email us at dadsonbooks@gmail.com

And if you have a favorite local bookstore or library, let us know and we can mention it too. PM

It's time for another "We picked a book because Mike said so" episode. In Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears by Verna Aardema with pictures by Leo and Diane Dillon, the Dads banter on M&Ms, Mars and Snickers and Mars Bars and—boy do they need to sponsor us!! When they get to the book, David declares, "You can judge a book by its cover." "Sort of." You might think we'll find out why mosquitoes buzz in people's ears—'Cause they're annoying?—well, yes, but there is so, so, so much more as the David suspects.

In this standard itsy-bitsy spider/if you give a mouse a cookie/if this then that and then that story we learn a lot of sounds from animals in Africa like, "mek mek mek," "waswusu," and everyone's all time favorite, "taa."! Wanna find out what animal makes what sound? Listen and play, "Whaaaat's...thaaat...Souuuuuuund?!?". Or read the book. Ok. Both. There's some great animal personification like Old Man Iguana and the ending—the. Ending. Read. Then listen. Lather, rinse, repeat.

It's a quick, sun read ideal for reading to your very little ones. WARNING: you will be required to make lots of animal sounds!! Krik Krik Krik and Badamin Badamin, e.g. And Leo and Diane Dillons' illustrations (The description of the art for this book alone is worth reading: there were many, many words, some of which Mike and David knew!) are beautiful and filled with fun details to talk about and point out and laugh about and figure out.....check it out

We give this one 4 Thumbs Up!

If you liked this episode, you’ll like these:

Dan "I am a Story" Yaccarino parte uno and parte due

And now a word from our sponsors. Well, not really sponsors, just places we like to get books and hope that you'll go to if you need one:

Books in Stock in Wooster, OH

A House with Books in Keller, TX
Talking Animals Books in Grapevine, TX
River Forest Public Library in River Forest, IL
Grapevine Public Library in Grapevine, TX
Keller Public Library in Keller, TX

Questions? Comments? Concerns?

Please, please tell us about your favorite library or independent book store.

Email us at dadsonbooks@gmail.com

And if you have a favorite local bookstore or library, let us know and we can mention it too. PM

Mike and David read Matilda by Rao—Raold—Roaold—Mr. Dahl. And illustrated illustriously by Quentin Blake. Mike suggested Dahl, and David saw the musical, and the rest is history. Or literature.

And despite the book’s youth, it’s a classic. A fantastic story that has spawned two movies and countless productions of the musical. In fact, it inspired the Dads to come up with a new DoB feature: B v. M or Book versus Movie (or Musical). Who won the first one? Both.

But one thing the Dads couldn’t figure out? How to say Rauold, Raoold, Ruaoulde—Mr. Dahl’s name. Never could figure it out. Auoalt? Aoooout? You get the picture. In any event, the Dads have three words for you: Check it out!

And now a word from our sponsors. (Well, not really sponsors, just places we get books and hope that you'll go to if you need one).

Books in Stock in Wooster, OH

A House with Books in Keller, TX
Talking Animals Books in Grapevine, TX
River Forest Public Library in River Forest, IL
Grapevine Public Library
Keller Public Library

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Have a great library or independent book store you love?

Email us at dadsonbooks@gmail.com

After some forays into classics, very classic classics, historical novels, and other serious books, the Dads return to nutty silliness and qwacky whackiness to lighten it up a little with How Martha Saved Her Parents from Green Beans, a fun and funny book by David LaRochelle, illustrated by Mark Fearing.

What did we like about this book? Besides green beans? Oh, let’s see, how about green beans singing off key? Or when the really realistic tomatoes splat against the wall and green beans get catapulted by mysterious vines? And happy lettuce and ominous carrots. Talk about tossed salad! Or as Mike pointed out “There’s nothing bad about a nice, leafy salad.” But you can’t trust radishes. And Mike's made up a whole new word—tomato-pult—don’t you dare close your eyes.

There’s fabric illustration, foreshadowing, and more fore shadowing (AND there are four shadows to boot). It's a fun talk about a fun book. Check it out.

If you liked this episode, you’ll like these:

Dan Yaccarino parte uno and parte due
Pinkalicious!!! by Victoria Kann

Places we love to buy books:
Books in Stock in Wooster, OH

A House with Books in Keller, TX
Talking Animals Books in Grapevine, TX
River Forest Public Library in River Forest, IL
Grapevine Public Library
Keller Public Library

Questions? Comments? Concerns?

Please, please tell us now about a great library or independent book store you love? Let us know!

Email us at dadsonbooks@gmail.com

Alternate episode titles: Marth Vader and the Beans of Destiny

Mike and David turn to a classic, Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse, an historical novel set in the Oklahoma panhandle during the Dust Bowl during the Great Depression.

David and Mike—well Mike—tells the origin story of how the Dads picked the book, but this is the origin story of all origin stories. It is the origin of the entire original podcast idea.

We also continue our feature “Things We Forgot to Say on our Last Episode.” Or, in this case, “Things that David Forgot that he didn’t Forget and Says Them Thinking it’s the First Time He’s Saying Them To Mike and it’s Not.” (Working title- may need to be lengthened)

David rediscovers it’s the OK Panhandle not the Texas Panhandle. Not the Good Panhandle, not the Bad Panhandle, just the OK Panhandle, because as it says on the license plate, "Oklahoma is OK." Which is good because the Texas panhandle would spill the dust.

Speaking of which, in our new feature, “Do They Say the Title in the Book?” Let’s just say pp. 149, 181, 197, 198, 203, 209, 222. To name a few.

It’s a beautifully written story, and we both very highly recommend it, and staying out of the dust. Especially if you have allergies.

If you liked this episode, you’ll like these:
Other stories about American history:

The Ruby Bridges Story: a story of a the Anerican Civil Rights movement
George Washington’s Teeth: a funny and gripping (and sometimes not so gripping) true tale of, well, our first president’s dental health.

Places we love to buy books:
Books in Stock in Wooster, OH

A House with Books in Keller, TX
Talking Animals Books in Grapevine, TX
River Forest Public Library in River Forest, IL
Grapevine Public Library
Keller Public Library

Questions? Comments? Concerns?

Please, please tell us now about a great library or independent book store you love? Let us know!

Email us at dadsonbooks@gmail.com

Our very first episode of our very second season!!!

There's so much in this episode, that we don't know where to begin. The beginning? Why not? David discovers that the tale of Rip Van Winkle is about the tale Rip Van Winkle. We know. He’s a late bloomer. Mike shows us his xylophone thing. He, too, blooms late. And Clean Slate David discovers—SPOILER ALERT— “This IS the guy who falls asleep!!”!!! And there are words that we have never seen, heard, read before. And since.

A true American classic—one of the first!—with some archetypal characters: there’s Kate from The Taming of the Shrew--or was it Kate and Allie?--aka Dame Van Winkle and her dame punishments! Mentions of the Georges: Washington and the III, and so amny more!

The Dads have been on books, classics, and now, they dig deep and delve into, dare we say, literature? Indeed we dare. You should delve, too.

If you liked this episode, you’ll love these classics:
The Giving Tree: Our first classic, our first book, our first episode!
Some of our favorite classic (I'm not) board books: Guess How Much I love You, Each Peach Pear Plum, Goodnight Moon, and so many more!!

AND Check out all of our author episodes:
Dan Gutman. Part One and Part Two
Dan Yaccarino: Part Uno, Part Due
Chris Grabenstein: Stinky Stories #6: Stinking Beauty
Part One, Part Two.
Alan Katz: Part One, Part Two
Linda Harkey: The Case of the Missing Pink Piggy

With a special guest appearance:
The Twig Bookshop San Antonio,TX
Books in Stock in Wooster, OH

A House with Books in Keller, TX
Talking Animals Books in Grapevine, TX
River Forest Public Library in River Forest, IL
Grapevine Public Library
Keller Public Library

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Have a great library or independent book store you love? Let us know!

Email us at dadsonbooks@gmail.com

How do we start the last episode of our first season? With our first RL Stein book: Goosebumps: Monster Blood!

Is it the first or the third or the 30th of the Goosebumps series? Mike tells us, David doesn’t listen and tries to figure it out, and then David figures it out!

Speaking of first or third, in this last episode of season one, there are many firsts! First R. L. "Jovial Bob" Stine Book. First podcast episode recorded entirely in Texas, but without the Dads being together. First time David records away from home—shout out to the Grapevine (Texas) Public Library. Do Mike and David like the book? Here’s a hint: they can’t wait to meet RL “Bob“ Stine to tell him how much they—

Aaaaaaaand back to the book. The Dads had really, really—while we're on adverbs, Stine skillfully and deftly uses awesomely, cooly placed adverbs like "thoughtfully" and "uncertainly". OK, the book. We really, really liked the names, yes great names like Evan, Aunt Kathryn, and Aaaaaaaaandreaaaaaa or is it AnDREaaaaaaaaaaa or ANDReeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaa? Listen—and read—to find out. So did we like it? Like we typed, listen, watch, learn.

If you liked this episode, you’ll love this one:
Stink and the Attack of the Slime Mold you had us at Slime!

AND Check out all of our author episodes:
Dan Gutman. Part One and Part Two
Dan Yaccarino: Part Uno, Part Due
Chris Grabenstein: Stinky Stories #6: Stinking Beauty
Part One, Part Two.
Alan Katz: Part One, Part Two
Linda Harkey: The Case of the Missing Pink Piggy

And now a word from our sponsors. (Well, not really sponsors, just places we love get books from and hope that you'll go to if you need one).

Books in Stock in Wooster, OH

A House with Books in Keller, TX
Talking Animals Books in Grapevine, TX
River Forest Public Library in River Forest, IL
Grapevine Public Library
Keller Public Library

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Have a great library or independent book store you love? Let us know!

Email us at dadsonbooks@gmail.com

You might wanna check this out while watching the episode. Listeners beware: it's a visual thing. You wouldn't understand.
When you need it while watching.

Mike and David have a wonderful conversation with author Linda Harkey award winning writer of many wonderful books from Story Monsters.

The Dads talk about her latest book, The Case of the Missing Pink Piggy, a wonderful mystery that might get you a little misty-eyed. Just a little. Like pack rat size. No, smaller. It’s a fun tale of VFDs—What’s a VFD you may ask? You’ll have to listen to find. A hint: it’s a good thing. A V good thing—and their Squeeze Toy.

Linda told us, “To me, everything’s a story.” We couldn’t agree more. The only thing Linda loves more than animals is writing about animals. OK, maybe it’s a tie, a toss up if you will, a draw? The point is, we had a fun conversation with Linda, AND, you should listen to it.

If you liked this episode, you’ll love these:

Check out all of our author episodes:

Dan Gutman. Part One and Part Two
Dan Yaccarino: Part Uno, Part Due
Chris Grabenstein: Stinky Stories #6: Stinking Beauty
Part One, Part Two.
Alan Katz: Part One, Part Two

And now a word from our sponsors. (Well, not really sponsors, just places we love get books from and hope that you'll go to if you need one).

Books in Stock in Wooster, OH

A House with Books in Keller, TX
Talking Animals Books in Grapevine, TX
River Forest Public Library in River Forest, IL
Grapevine Public Library
Keller Public Library

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Have a great library or independent book store you love? Let us know!

Email us at dadsonbooks@gmail.com