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In this episode, Sophie really wants a cat. She comes up with a cunning plan to convince Dad. But will she succeed?

Please note that we've made some big changes to our podcast. We've moved over to a dedicated podcast hosting solution (Buzzsprout), and so our old website is no longer around. The move means that we're now on way more podcast platforms. The only one we're no longer on is Google Play, because Google has announced that their podcasts should now be shared through Youtube. They will be phasing out Google Play Podcasts. 

If you'd like to stay up to date, please make sure you join our Facebook Group (search for "Sophie and Sebastian").

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It's spring time in Alberta, so let's celebrate with a poem about nature. Between the time when I wrote the episode and recorded it, all the snow melted! 

In this episode we share some marvelous facts about woodpeckers, as well as a poem.  We talk about the woodpecker's long tongue, its zygodactylic toes, and the fact that its brain doesn't shake around. But here's another neat thing: woodpeckers have three eye-lids! Not only do they have an upper and lower eyelid, but they also have a transparent eyelid that goes across the entire eye. It's called the Nicitating eyelid. I supposed it's handy when bark and woodchips go flying in all directions. 

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This is a story I've been meaning to write for a while. Many of the Sophie and Sebastian stories are about relationships and community. So I wanted the kids to do a kind deed. The challenge was to avoid being overly preachy and boring. You'll have to decide if the story succeeds in that.

Writing "A Gift With Words" was challenging because it made me reflect on my own shortcomings. Living far away from parents is not always easy. This story is a reflection on what most of us can do better. 

Note: a couple of times an airplane flew over as I recorded this. So you might hear a bit of background noise. 

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This story is a return to the style of some of the earliest Sophie and Sebastian stories. Over time, the stories have of course become more complex, but this one is all about innocence and curiosity. Enjoy! 

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Time for another Sophie and Sebastian story. This one is all about using your imagination and telling exciting stories, the kind that make you forget everything you were doing before. It's okay for kids to be a bit bored once in a while: it often leads to great creativity! 

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Who doesn't like to have a tea party. The difficulty is finding a good butler to serve you!

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Time for some more poetry! In this episode we feature two poems, including one about the famous pirate Tessa Messa de Delicatessa! Enjoy. 

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In this poetry episode, we celebrate the coming of spring and share a little poem about chickadees.

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 Time for our first poetry episode! We'll start with something fairly simple: the limerick. 

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Time for another Sophie and Sebastian story. Sophie recently broke her arm when she went sledding. Fortunately it was a minor buckle fracture, and she should be better soon. 

I also wanted to write about people's favourite words, and the way words can start to haunt us when we think about them a lot.

Some of the more difficult words in this story are the following:

• Enjambment: when there is no pause at the end of a line of poetry but the idea spills over to the next line.
• Flibbertigibbet: a gossipy, talkative person
• Epiphany: a sudden realization or insight. Also, the Christian feast of Epiphany (Jan. 6) celebrates the revelation of Christ's birth to the magi.
• Serendipity: when something unexpected happens and it turns out really well.

 So, what's your favourite word? 

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 Many of our stories celebrate the passing of the seasons. There's something beautiful about the way the world changes all around us. Even if we might not love every season--and winter is a little long in Canada, where we live--it's still wonderful to experience so much variety! 

This story, then, is about autumn, when the leaves are falling, the days get shorter, and there's a coolness in the air. It's a story about playing outside and enjoying the last warmth before winter comes around again. 

It's also a story about pretending to be medieval knights. Sophie wants to be King Arthur, but she can't be a king without knights to serve her. But can she convince Sebastian and her best friend Jasmine to be her faithful knights? Let's find out!

P.S. If you're new to the show we recommend you first listen to episode 1: The New Neighbours. Once you know the main characters, you can listen to pretty well any episode. 

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 It's a rainy day, but you can always have fun inside. In this story, Sophie decides that it's time to play a hiding game. As you'll find out, the rules are very simple, but figuring out the clues and finding the prize before the other team does--now that's quite a challenge. 

This story was inspired by a memory of a children's book I read when I was a kid. I can't remember the title, but it was a story of children in a village (somewhere in Scandinavia I believe). These kids spent all their time playing outdoors, building forts and inventing games. One of these games was to hide a treasured object and give the other team a difficult and perplexing clue about where to find it. I'm guessing it was probably something by Astrid Lindgren, but I can't for the life of me remember the name of the book. 

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In this episode, Sophie visits her best friend Jasmine, and together they do everything they can to get Jasmine's dad to play with them. He says he's too busy, but isn't that what every parent always says? 

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This story is dedicated to all those wonderful teachers out there who do their utmost to make a difference. 

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This story is all about making great art. But what is art anyway? And how do you become an artist? Sophie and Sebastian try to find out. 

We hope this story inspires you to do some drawing and painting. Have fun and be creative! 

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In this episode we have a bedtime story about … bedtime! Oh, and of course there’s a llama, a hot air balloon, and much more. So snuggle up and enjoy!

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In this story, Sophie and Sebastian have a mystery to solve. Someone does not seem to like the tiny library they made for all their neighbours. Who could it be? Listen carefully and see if you can guess the culprit. 

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 One wet and blustery day, Sophie's friend Jasmine comes over for a visit. But Sophie and Jasmine don't want Sebastian to play with them, so they do what girls do: they put up a sign saying "Girls Only." Will that be enough to keep the boys out? And what are these girls up to anyway? That of course is a secret, and you'll have to listen to find out ... 

P.S. This episode is inspired by something that happened to Sophie and Sebastian's mom when she was at a friend's house as a kid.

P.P.S. This episode contains some scatological humour. Consider yourself forewarned.

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One day, Bert decides to do something nice for Fran, but it doesn’t all go according to plan. Fortunately, Bert has some amazing friends who are more than happy to visit him at the hospital...

This episode contains a lot of allusions to Winnie the Pooh, so I thought it might be fun to point out where the story of “The Hospital Visit” reveals a debt to A. A. Milne’s famous children’s classic.

Obviously Bert’s grumpiness is reminiscent of Eeyore, just as Sophie’s innocent questions and responses reflect Pooh’s lack of awareness. Then there’s the notion of bringing balloons as a present to cheer someone up. But perhaps the most specific allusion is the play on the word “ambush.” Here are the two passages side by side:

 1. “Ambush?” said Sophie, “What does that mean?” “It means that someone surprises you and you fall into a bush.” Bert did not look very happy. “Oh,” said Sophie. “I didn’t know there was a word just for that. What if you happen to fall on a flower?"

2.  “My dear Pooh,” said Owl in his superior way, “don’t you know what an Ambush is?” ... “An Ambush,” said Owl, “is a sort of Surprise.” “So is a gorse-bush sometimes,” said Pooh.

I’ve taught Winnie the Pooh so often that it’s hard to write for children without adopting the same perspective, a perspective that is simultaneously nonsensical, ironic, and nostalgic. It’s a unique mixture that you won’t find in many other children’s books.

Here’s one more place where I had Winnie the Pooh in the back of my mind:

 1. “What happened?” Sophie said, “What did you do?” “Take a guess,” said Bert, “Do you think I’m taking a nap in a rose bush? Do you think I’m trying out a new form of acupuncture? Or could it be that I was trying to do something nice and happened to have a fall?”

2. “Eeyore, what are you doing there [floating in the river]?” said Rabbit. “I’ll give you three guesses, Rabbit. Digging holes in the ground? Wrong. Leaping from branch to branch of a young oak-tree? Wrong. Waiting for somebody to help me out of the river? Right. Give Rabbit time, and he’ll always get the answer.”

I love Eeyore’s sarcasm, and I think young kids get it too. It’s too bad many people no longer read the original Winnie the Pooh but are satisfied by those short spin-off Disney books that always end with a sappy moral. There is nothing quite like the original Winnie the Pooh. 

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 "One sunny day the sky was so perfectly blue that it looked like you could jump off the roof and dive into a lake..." So begins "The Lemonade Stand," a nostalgic story about that most magical of childhood memories -- having your own lemonade stand! 

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Sophie challenges Sebastian to a race, but since she's also the referee, she gets to make up the rules! 

This story is dedicated to my brother, who once challenged me to a similar race in opposite directions -- with similarly disastrous results ... No hard feelings though. ;) 

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Sophie makes a new friend and explores Lava Land!

Note: this story contains a few references to children dying from stepping in lava. If you think your child may find this traumatic, perhaps preview the story first. 

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When Sophie and Sebastian go to the zoo, Mrs. Wilson comes along and Sophie dresses up as a monkey! Find out what happens next … 

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Some nights, Sebastian does not want to eat his supper. But when there is dessert, Sophie may be able to help him out … 

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Time for a train story! Snuggle up and enjoy a cheeky parody of Thomas the Train and The Little Engine That Could. 

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In this special Christmas holiday episode, Sophie and Sebastian make snowmen and write letters to Santa. Will they catch a glimpse of Santa delivering presents? 

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Winter is in the air, and Sophie’s birthday is just around the corner. Find out what happens when Sophie invites the neighbours for a surprise party! 

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Sophie thinks that Mom wants her to have a haircut. She thinks she might know just the right man for the job … 

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When Sophie and her older brother Lukas try to play a prank on someone, the results are both funny and surprising. 

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It’s Halloween, and Sophie and Sebastian go trick or treating. But they are just a little bit scared of the Wild Wood Witch … 

Note: not everyone is comfortable with Halloween, so if you are concerned that this story may not be appropriate for your children, be sure to preview it first. Our story is not about the more macabre aspects of Halloween. It's about reclaiming the holiday so that it celebrates the importance of community. 

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Snuggle up and listen to a story of pirates and storms on the high seas. 

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In this episode, Sophie and Sebastian celebrate Opposite Day with their neighbours -- Bert and Fran, and Mrs. Wilson. 

Every kid of course likes to imagine what would happen if everything were opposite. What this story also explores is what happens to language and trust when no one knows if they can still take other people seriously. Can we still make our intentions known?

In many ways, these concerns are also at the heart of the most influential children's book of all time, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Alice does not just travel to a different world. Lewis Carroll is primarily exploring the wonderland of language. 

But you don't need to worry about these larger questions to enjoy the story. "Opposite Day" is just a funny look at how even adults sometimes get drawn into playing a nonsensical kids' game.

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Find out what happens when Sophie and Sebastian decide to play mailman!

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Sophie has a soccer game, but she would rather play with her doll. Find out what happens when Sophie refuses to play along. 

One of the funnest parts of writing these stories is trying to perfect the dialogue. Here are two of our favourite passages from the story. First, Dad offers some not so helpful advice if you want to be a princess:  "These days it’s even more important to play soccer.  Today’s princes spend almost all their time and money on soccer.  That and Arabian stallions.  You may be the most charming princess in the world, but if you don’t know important things, like how much it costs to buy a soccer player, you’ll never marry a prince.” 

Then there's Mrs. Dash, Sophie's coach, who does her best to inspire her young charges: “Now listen up, children.  I know we don’t always score a lot of goals, and we hardly ever win.  In fact, we never win.  But that’s not important.  We’re here just to have fun.  So let’s have fun, and make sure you pass the ball.  Are you listening, Sophie?  Okay, do we all remember our cheer?” Isn't this what a lot of coaches sound like?

Of course, parents may insist they know what's right, but kids always know better. 

Or do they? Hope you enjoy the story.

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In this story, Sophie starts a ladybug collection, but Sebastian causes trouble ...

As in all our stories, we try to appreciate something of the beauty of nature. Here's a lovely description of a dandelion gone to seed: "And finally she found the best kind, the kind that has lost its yellow petals and has gone to seed.  The head of the flower was a perfect globe, a furry white hedgehog, a tiny explosion of fireworks."

If you ever want to practice your own writing, why not find some delicate thing in God's creation and try describe it as best you can? You don't have to write a whole poem to capture this amazing world all around us. Even a beautifully crafted sentence is great.

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Welcome to our first episode. Sophie and Sebastian live in a new house, and are eager to get to know their new neighbours. As it turns out, they actually meet some old friends!  After you've listened to the first story you'll have met most of the main characters. After that you can easily listen to any other story in the series. 

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