I was so happy to have a new Gifts of the Spirit book to talk about. Then, I opened it and read it and something felt familiar. It’s “The Berenstain Bears Gifts of the Spirit ❤️ Helping” and… we’ve been here before. Right?
Tag: Big Bear City
Episode 289 – The Berenstain Bears in Big Bear City!
Wanna go to BIG BEAR CITY? Wanna see it from BEHIND FLAPS? Then let’s take a look at “The Berenstain Bears In Big Bear City!”
Episode 263 – The Berenstain Bear Scouts and the Ripoff Queen!
This week, we are back with the Bear Scouts; we are back with Raffish Ralph Ripoff; and we are back with a story that doesn’t make a heck of a lot of sense. It’s “The Berenstain Bear Scouts and the Ripoff Queen!” There’s no queens. There’s actually no ripoffs. There is a lot of crime, but it’s mostly committed by our heroes? This is a weird one. And to help me through it, we have a returning guest! Jamie Tyler, cutural critic for Cinapse! Welcome back Jamie!
Episode 223 – The Berenstain Bears Go Hollywood!
I’ve been alone so long! This week, I bring back two things that this show desperately needed: the Big Chapter Books and A GUEST! Yes, I am joined by author and screenwriter Mark Wheaton, the author of “Emily Eternal” and the Luis Chavez Mysteries. He’s here to help me pick apart a book about… filmmaking? The Hollywood machine? Cecil B. DeMille? It’s a mess; but a FUN mess!
Episode 178 – The Berenstain Bears and the Mad, Mad, Mad Toy Craze!
Do YOU have Beary Bubbies? Well, Brian Skinner, co-host of Predict-O-Cast, sure does. And he’s joined me to discuss Beanie Babies, Toy Crazes and anything else that passes through our old addled brains.
Episode 155 – The G-Rex Bones!
This week, I’m joined by Erin Ayers – one half of the Over the Table Top podcast – to discuss a tale of fraud and dinosaurs. It’s “The Berenstain Bears and the G-Rex Bones!” How far will Ralph go to secure a million dollars? Pretty far! Will he sell out his own personal values and ruin the reputation of a fine upstanding bear like Actual Factual? Sure! Will any of this plot make a lick of sense? Nope!
Episode 147 – Go Platinum!
This week, I’m joined by the delightful Drew Stewart to rock out to “The Berenstain Bears Go Platinum!” It’s the gripping tale of Stan and Jan Berenstain really wanting to stick it to the music of today!
Episode 145 – The Sinister Smoke Ring!
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This week, I am joined by Justin Harrison of Birth. Movies. Death. to talk about the incredibly long and detailed “The Berenstain Bear Scouts and the Sinister Smoke Ring!” This is a huge one, folks, and we talk about the influences of the story, how it came to be written, the interwoven plot threads, the mean attitudes of the denizens of Bear Country and many many other things in between. It’s DENSE and LONG and amazing.
Episode 143 – The Magic Crystal Caper
This week, we get mired in ATOMIC MAGIC. Seriously. There is ACTUAL MAGIC in this episode. Or, is it science? Doesn’t matter. What does matter is that I have Megan Sunday from In The Attic here to help me through it. And, man, once Grizzly Gramps starts yelling, things get a bit unhinged.
Episode 140 – The Berenstain Bears and Queenie’s Crazy Crush!
Helen LaStar, one of the hosts of Falling In Love Montage, joins me this week to peel back the layers of “The Berenstain Bears and Queenie’s Crazy Crush!” What happens when a young girl cub falls in love with a grown man and plots to trick him into coming over to her house when her parents are – you know what? I’m going to just leave that right where I found it. Just . . . just walk away from that one.
Episode 139 – The Berenstain Bears and the Haunted Hayride!
Gena Radcliffe – one half of the Kill By Kill Podcast duo – joins me to talk about the decidedly NON-SCARY “The Berenstain Bears and the Haunted Hayride!” There’s no haunting but there IS a hayride although it is very short and they don’t go into a lot of details about it. Still . . . there it is.
Also, you can find Gena’s writing on a ton of different subjects here and I strongly suggest that you do!
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Episode 138 – The Berenstain Bears and the Ghost of the Auto Graveyard!
This week, Meghan Griffin is BACK and this time we’re not talking dress codes or drama, we’re talking . . . classic cars. I mean, I guess Bear Country has cars. And, some of them are really old. So . . . classic cars.
You can find Meghan at any of her three podcasts: Judging Book Covers, Fabelulous Retellings and A Handbook for Handbook for Mortals.
Episode 137 – The Bermuda Triangle!
This week, I’m joined by Kacie Galyon to talk about one of the most surprisingly enjoyable books I’ve read so far in the Big Chapter Book series, ‘The Berenstain Bears and the Bermuda Triangle.” Kacie and I are taken somewhat aback by the mature handling of themes in this book, the twists in the plot and the revelation about Too-Tall’s age! Also, Bermuda . . . is that a good first name?
Episode 135 – The Sci-Fi Pizza!
Wendy Mays from “Pet Cinematary” joins me to talk about the illogical happenings that occur when someone puts a remote control into helium-inflated pizza dough? Or, something? It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, but Wendy is here to help me try to puzzle at least SOME of it out.
Episode 126 – Maniac Mansion!
This week, I’m joined by Sammi Campbell from Excessively Diverted to talk about this . . . weird . . . book. I mean, it’s great, but it’s weird. There’s ghosts but no ghosts! Bags under eyes and then no bags under eyes! Pajamas and no pajamas! What more do you want?!
Episode 119 – Media Madness!
Jon Biegen and Nick Wood slide on over from Stranger Still to talk about children successfully managing a television station. That’s . . . that’s really all that happens in this book, so – so, lesson learned, I guess.
Episode 116 – The Galloping Ghost!
I’m alone! I’m scared! I’m surrounded by ghosts! It’s a spooktacular book about TRAUMA. That’s right! The Berenstains wrote a secret book about dealing with trauma and I didn’t figure it out until near the end of the episode. Keep on surprising me, Big Chapter Books!
Episode 115 – The Berenstain Bears and the School Scandal Sheet!
Ollie, my teen and co-host of It’s Del Toro Time! – A Guillermo del Toro Podcast, joins me this week to talk “The Berenstain Bears and the School Scandal Sheet!” In which we discuss the terrible things the cubs accuse a teacher of and also divide the cubs into their Hogwarts Houses. IT’s kind of a discussion that goes all over the place. Also, we talk about the importance of owning up to your terrible terrible mistakes how if you’re a cub, you face no consequences for those terrible terrible mistakes.
Episode 113 – The Berenstain Bears and the Giddy Grandma!
Welcome to the world of degraded audio! Please bear with this terrible sounding episode, as I flop around trying to talk about “The Giddy Grandma.” Things didn’t work out according to plan, but I think I get my point across.
Also, I have a Patreon page!
Episode 111 – The Berenstain Bears and the Dress Code!
Meghan Griffin of Judging Book Covers and Fableulous Retellings joins me to talk dress codes, law enforcement and a Berenstain Bears book that gets way more political than we were anticipating!
Episode 106 – The Berenstain Bears and the Wheelchair Commando!
Today, I am joined by writer, musician, educator and Ninja Turtles Blogger Jamie Tyler to talk about wheelchairs, ableism and the way we approach people living with disabilities. Also, should you call a person in a wheelchair “Wheels?” Come on, people.