Episode 416 – The Berenstain Bears Welcome To Bear Country!

This week, we’re heading off to… Bear Country? Yeah, Cousin Tex is here so we’re giving him a… sorry, Mayor Honeypot(?) is giving his a tour of Bear Country! And, he hates it! It’s “The Berenstain Bears Welcome To Bear Country!” Whew!

Episode 373 – The Berenstain Bears Blessed Are The Peacemakers

“Did he say ‘Blessed are the chee-‘” you know what? I’ll let the episode do the joke. It’s “The Berenstain Bears Blessed Are The Peacemakers!”

Episode 264 – The Berenstain Bear Scouts and the Really Big Disaster!

Oh boy! Kacie Galyon is back, everyone and we’re discussing “The Berenstain Bear Scouts and the Really Big Disaster!” And, what is the disaster? Bigpaw? No. An earthquake? No. The town’s really patronizing intolerance of a vulnerable member of their community? Mmmmmmmmmmaybe?

Episode 263 – The Berenstain Bear Scouts and the Ripoff Queen!

Berenstain Bear Scouts And The Ripoff Queen by Stan Berenstain

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 253 – The Berenstain Bears’ Nature Rescue!

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Two and a half years ago, Mark Sweeney and I talked about “The Showdown at Chainsaw Gap!” Well, we’re back to talk about it again! Only now it’s call “Nature Rescue” and it’s missing, like, one line. Still a good talk tho!

Episode 251 – The Berenstain Bears The Runamuck Dog Show!

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Hot Diggity Dog! Look who’s back! It’s the hosts of Hot Diggity Dog, Brian and Josh, and they’re here talk about “The Runamuck Dog Show!” It’s a book about dogs and cats and poop and… poop, actually. There’s a lot of poop. Don’t know what else to tell you.

Episode 225 – The Berenstain Bears In the Wax Museum!

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When is a mystery *not* a mystery? When nothing mysterious happens! “The Berenstain Bears IN the Wax Museum” acts like a mystery, but it’s really a community drama about zoning ordinances. It makes a lot of promises it can’t keep and sets up plot points that melt like the wax in Madame Bearsaud’s statues, but I don’t care because KACIE GALYON is back to help me get through it! Welcome back to the show, Kacie!

Episode 223 – The Berenstain Bears Go Hollywood!

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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 158 – PATREON QUESTION: POLICE BLOTTER!

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This week, I answer a question from Patreon Subscriber Michael, who asks, “What do you think the Bear Country police blotter looks like on a typical day (let’s say big chapter books continuity since that’s where we are)?”

Episode 152 – The Perfect Crime (Almost)!

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This week, Jamie Tyler, author of the “Cowabloga” Ninja Turtles blog, is BACK to talk about the most convoluted, frustrating, fascinating and satisfyingly unsatisfying Big Chapter Book I’ve read in a while: “The Berenstain Bears and the Perfect Crime (Almost)!” Yes, get that parenthetical in there; it’s important. Jamie and I work ourselves up to a fever pitch as nothing makes sense, adds up or resolves in any way resembling logical or even dramatically resonant. It’s amazing. And I love it.

Episode 146 – The Big Date

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This week, I’m joined by Emily Bennett of Best Acquaintances to talk about the insidious nature of young jealousy! Like, seriously, it’s a pretty solid book that deals with a pretty serious topic for adolescent kids. I know!

Episode 144 – The Run-Amuck Robot!

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Oh boy oh boy oh jeez. This book, I swear . . .

I’m joined this week by Alexandra Bowser of Arthur, Mommy, Movie Time! to talk about the bizarre, sad, terrible, horrifying, rushed and ultimately satisfying “The Berenstain Bear Scouts and the Run-Amuck Robot!” What is Robow? Is he alive? Are any of us? Why was Ralph stripped naked and arrested? Why the lightning? Why is Gus? What is book?

Episode 142 – The Ice Monster!

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It’s ME! I’m all alone for this episode, so you know what that means: CONSPIRACY THEORIES! OLD RELIGION! FRACTURED REALITIES! ALTERNATE TIMELINES! OLD GODS! ANCIENT FAITHS! DOOMSDAY! THE END OF THE WORLD! RANTING! RAVING!

WELCOME.

Episode 141 – The Berenstain Bear Scouts Giant Bat Cave!

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Elana and Mitzi are back! Or, are here because they’ve never been on together!And we’re talking “Giant Bat Cave!” It’s a Berenstain Bear Scouts book and may, in fact be the *first Berenstain Bear Scouts book but, then again, maybe it’s not? Also, Elana gets really excited to talk about local politics and then has to settle for talking about bats.

Episode 137 – The Bermuda Triangle!

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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 126 – Maniac Mansion!

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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 121 – The Berenstain Bears’ Showdown at Birder’s Wood!

DIBC-EP121.jpgHey, there was an episode sort of based on “Showdown at Chainsaw Gap!” Only, they fixed the title and changed the plot. Kept the bird, though. So, Mark came back to talk about it! Here he is!

Episode 120 – The Berenstain Bears and the Showdown at Chainsaw Gap!

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Mr. Mark Sweeney RETURNS! And this time he’s got OPINIONS about BIRDS and CHAINSAWS!