Child Geography

It's almost Lunar New Year! Xiao Mi, Hang, Kwan, Malai, and Charu all celebrate the New Year in their own special way. Experience how each one of the Chinese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese and Indian children and their families honor Lunar New Year, from dragon dances in China to firecrackers in India!

Is that a lion? Is it an eagle? NO, it's a griffin, the winged king of beasts! Glossy feathers, powerful wings, and the heart and body of a lion make up this fantastical creature. Ever wondered what a griffin eats? How does it fight against evil? Where does it live? Wonder no more! Embark on a noble journey to learn all about griffins.

Mike and Kate arrive in Colorado to a ballpark covered in snow! Luckily, the stadium has a heater that can melt the fluffy flakes in time for next day's game. But when the ballpark engineers get a mysterious note saying that someone may tamper with the scoreboard, the snow becomes the least of the cousins' problems. It's time for Mike and Kate to switch into sleuth mode and solve a mystery that will take them underground, a mile above sea level, and even face to face with a dinosaur!

No one thought Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass would ever become friends. The former slave and the outspoken woman came from two different worlds. But they shared deep-seated beliefs in equality and the need to fight for it. Despite naysayers, hecklers, and even arsonists, Susan and Frederick became fast friends and worked together to change America.

Celebrated for her nonfiction books aimed at young readers and listeners, award-winning author Suzanne Tripp Jurmain illuminates historical figures in fun and engaging ways. Worst of Friends draws listeners into the earliest days of America's history to profile the friendship and rivalry that grew between Founding Fathers Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, both of whom would go on to become president of the United States.

Suzanna and her father, Peter, head to Andros Island, a diving paradise in the Caribbean. There, she learns the basics of scuba diving and eventually swims with fifteen reef sharks in this lively true underwater adventure.

For thousands of years, the notion of dragons has struck fear in the hearts of men and women all over the world. The ancient Egyptians believed there was a dragon of darkness that attacked the sun god each day, and in Norway people thought that a dragon gnawed at the roots of the tree that sustained all life on Earth. Around the globe, dragons have been depicted as everything from massive, winged, fire-breathing creatures to beasts sporting a camel’s head, deer’s horns, rabbit’s eyes, and eagle’s claws! Dragons might hoard treasure in caves, or they might be responsible for floods and the death of livestock.

In this story, a poor boy's dream of having a drum takes him on an unlikely path. He meets several people who guide him along the way. In time, he learns to make his own magic in this world. Illustrated by Tom Wrenn.

A stray kitty gets a job in a sumo stable, chasing mice in exchange for food. But when eating like a sumo wrestler slows our feline hero down, he realizes he must train like a wrestler, too. Through hard work and perseverance - and with a little help from a big buddy - SumoKitty is born! A funny and heartwarming story inspired by the Japanese saying, "Fall down seven times, stand up eight."

The fishermen on Lesvos call her Kanella because of her cinnamon color. She's a scrawny, nervous stray - intimidated by the harbor cats and the other dogs that compete for handouts on the pier. One spring day, a dinghy filled with weary, desperate strangers comes to shore. Other boats follow, crowded with refugees who are homeless and hungry. Kanella knows what that is like, and she follows them as they are taken to a temporary refugee camp set up in the parking lot of an abandoned nightclub. There she comes to trust a bearded man - an aid worker.

Since the passing of their father, Oscar has tried—and in his little brother Sufyan’s eyes, failed—to be the man of his family of Syrian refugees. As Oscar waits in line for rations, longing for the books he left behind when his family fled their home, Sufyan explores more nontraditional methods to provide for his family. Ignoring his brother’s warnings, Sufyan gets more and more involved with a group that provides him with big rewards for doing seemingly inconsequential tasks.

So you want to be a U.S. senator? Find out the requirements, the roles and responsibilities, and how you can put yourself on the path to becoming a member of Congress.

In the 1930s, Louis Zamperini was a promising Olympic track athlete. But when World War II broke out, he enlisted and served as a bombardier with the U.S. Army Air Corps. In 1943, Zamperini miraculously survived when his bomber crashed in the Pacific Ocean. But that was just the beginning of his ordeal. After surviving for more than six weeks on a raft at sea, he was captured by Japanese forces and sent to a POW camp.

The haunting of the Bell family at their home in Tennessee started out harmless enough with knocking and scratching noises. But soon, members of the family were scratched, kicked, and slapped by a spirit who identifies herself as a witch named Kate Batts. Centuries later, this legendary ghost story continues to haunt all who hear it.

The 1930s were a tough time. The Great Depression left many people jobless and penniless. Dust storms and drought led to failed crops. Livestock died. People thought things couldn’t get much worse. Then, on April 14, 1935, the sky turned black. For hours, an enormous dust blizzard blanketed the country in darkness.

By 1860, Americans had settled from coast to coast. How could mail get from east to west? The Pony Express! Brave Pony Express riders did whatever it took to get the mail delivered quickly. They faced many difficult choices along the way. Now the choices are yours. Would you rather encounter a grizzly bear or a mountain lion? Would you rather ride through driving snow or pouring rain? It's your turn to pick this or that!

In the early 1800s, thousands of pioneers made a long, perilous westward journey from Missouri to New Mexico. They paved the way for more settlers looking to start a new life in the West. They endured many hardships and made many tough choices. Now the choices are yours. Would you rather get bitten by a poisonous snake or suffer from cholera? Would you take the longer route across mountains with more available water? Or would you take the shorter route across the desert with less water? It's your turn to pick this or that!

After gold was discovered in California in 1848, thousands of people rushed there to strike it rich. They faced tough choices at every turn. Now the choices are yours. Would you rather use the slower method of panning for gold or use a more dangerous method of hydraulic mining? Would you rather run a store or a hotel in a California boomtown? It's your turn to pick this or that!

In November 1909, thousands of factory workers walked off the job to protest the terrible working conditions in New York City factories. Joining the picket lines was dangerous, with thugs and police officers harassing picketers, but the protests stirred action. Many factory owners finally agreed to some of the workers’ demands and improved conditions. But nothing changed for workers at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, and those workers would pay a high price for the company's dangerous conditions.

Tombstone, Arizona, is known for its Wild West roots. Did the gun fights, showdowns, and foul play that happened there lead to today's haunted stories? Learn about the O.K. Corral and other paranormal hotspots in this spooky historic town. Listeners will find just the right amount of scariness for a cold, dark night.