Podcast Review: Short & Curly

Short and Curly logo

In the still-small field of kids podcasting, it doesn't take much to stand out.  Short & Curly stands out in not one but two ways: it's 1) Australian, and 2) about ethics.

Item #1 -- its Down Under nature -- I mention in part because the hosts' accents are a novelty to North American ears, but there's a more significant component as well because the program is produced by ABC.  The Australian Broadcasting Company, that is, and the fact that their national broadcaster has devoted its resources toward producing this podcast for kids serves to highlight, in a small way, how the American and Canadian broadcast systems haven't produced such a program on a national level.

Accents and national differences in the production of radio aside, what makes Short & Curly more interesting is its subject: ethics.  And not just simple questions with obvious answers like, "is stealing bad?," but more complex ones like "Is it ever okay to lie?," "Should chimps have the same rights as kids?," and "Is Dumbledore as great as he seems?"  These are not easy questions to answer, and exactly the sort of thing that ethics is supposed to tackle (well, Aristotle didn't address the last one, but you get my point).

The program is hosted by actress/writer Molly Daniels and reporter Carl Smith -- the two of them have a jokey interaction, often role-playing the ethical question at hand.  Dr. Matt Beard from The Ethics Centre appears in every episode to provide some context and ways to think about the question.  And, of course, there are kids' voices as well, though one of the nifty things about an ethics podcast -- where there aren't necessarily right answers in the way a science podcast might have -- is that rather than the kids asking the questions, they're the ones answering the question, or at least giving their ethical perspective.  And while most of the episodes have thus far followed a fairly uniform structure (question, possible answers, experts), the just-released Season 2 had a little more variety -- the aforementioned Dumbledore-themed episode was structured as a trial.  It's also designed to be interactive, as at least a couple times per show the hosts ask listeners a question and suggest that they pause the podcast to discuss.

The podcast is most appropriate for kids ages 6 through 12.  The iTunes link for the show is here, Soundcloud here.  Episodes are generally about 20 minutes in length and are completely ad-free.  There are a couple "seasons," both released this year, so the 10 episodes (plus trailer) are easily digested.

I really like Short & Curly because it encourages discussion, treats serious issues lightly enough for kids to not be turned off, and is breezily entertaining.  The accents are just a nice little bonus.

Podcast Review: The Imaginary Accomplishments Podcast

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Amidst the many (fine) science podcasts, Todd McHatton's latest venture, The Imaginary Accomplishments Podcast, stands out.  The iTunes description -- "An imaginary NPR style rock and roll space comedy broadcast twice monthly from a red and white rocket hurtling through the Galaxy featuring friendly monsters, imaginary sports, interviews, and more" -- both captures and fails to capture its essence.

That failure to capture is contained mostly in the dry text of the words.  A couple months ago, before the podcast actually launched, McHatton described the show to me as an "all ages, family friendly mix of The Muppets, Cheech & Chong, Monty Python, and 70s rock and roll cartoon shows," and I think there's way more truth than hype in that description.  Is it as roll-on-the-floor funny as Monty Python? No, but its absurdity will definitely remind the older listeners of that show.  Every show features McHatton's friendly monster creations Larry, Marvy, and Finch, and they travel through the galaxy reporting on absurd sporting events (the "Regional Galactic Semi-Final Doughnut Races," for example).  There are made-up ads, other recurring characters (Captain Stuffy-pants, who tends not to say much more than "I say" in a gruff upper-crust British accent), and as one would hope with the talented musician McHatton at the helm, songs.  (A couple of the monsters do record reviews, where they promise to give albums the finger... a big foam finger... if they like it.  They've liked 'em all so far.)  I'd describe the humor more as silly rather than laugh-out-loud funny, but it's genial good nature carries it a long way.

The podcast is most appropriate for kids ages 4 through 8.  The iTunes link for the show is here, although you may be able to find it elsewhere (here's the SoundCloud page).  Episodes are generally 17-18 minutes in length, released a couple times per month.  The show is ad-free (well, except for those fake ads that get woven into the storyline).

The Imaginary Accomplishments Podcast is a variety show of sort that's pretty rare in kids podcasting.  (Only Ear Snacks remotely approaches it.)  McHatton's released five of the at least six episodes he's produced thus far.  We shall see whether it catches on with listeners and families, but with its silly sketches and crunchy power pop, I'd like to think there's some audience out there for McHatton's goofy goodness.

Podcast Review: Story Pirates Podcast

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Arrrrrrrrr, this review be easy to write.

OK, that's the one and only pirate joke I'll make in this review, else I'd be afeared that you, dear audience, would make me walk...

There is, truth be told, nothing outwardly piratical about the Story Pirates.  There is, however, something slightly subversive about the group, which turns stories written by kids into sketch comedies (often with a musical number thrown in).  They do this live and in schools (more commonly in the New York City and Los Angeles areas, but also nationally).  They also perform a weekly radio on SiriusXM's Kids Place Live, and that's where this podcast is drawn from.

The format is fairly simple -- the host reads the story as sent in by the child, the troupe performs the story, and then the host talks to the author.  The stories are what you'd expect from kids -- the ones from 5- and 6-year-olds are less fully-fleshed out than the ones from the 10- and 11-year-olds, but they all have an imaginative spark that let the comedian/actors go off in crazy directions.  The subversive nature of the show -- that kids' ideas are worth exploring and celebrating -- is carried through the entire performance.  I don't think the Pirates are changing a single word of the story sent in -- the dialogue is performed as written, even if it's not grammatically perfect.  It's the performances, though, that keep the show entertaining for the parents and kids who are listening.  The show could be very boring if it merely consisted of dry readings of brief, unedited stories from first graders, but there's a verve and zippiness to the affair.

The podcast is most appropriate for kids ages 4 through 10.  The iTunes link for the show is here, although you can of course find it elsewhere (here's their hosted podcast page).  Episodes are generally 10-20 minutes in length, released a couple times per month.  Aside from asking for donations for their organization at the start and end of the show, the show is ad-free.

Story Pirates would be valuable just for its idea of treating the ideas and creative output of kids as worth exploring, but there's lots of valuable stuff that as exciting as a day-old loaf of bread.  This is way better than a day-old loaf of bread, with laughter and heart to spare.

Podcast Review: Ear Snacks

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Well, with this the plural in "Podcast Reviews Are Now a Thing Here" is in fact true.

The Los Angeles-based kindie duo Andrew and Polly first became known to the kids music world for their melodic and occasionally quirky music, but it's their podcast Ear Snacks that is, I think, their most forward-thinking creative effort for audiences of kids.

They call it a "radical new podcast for kids," and while I tend not to believe most descriptions that try to hype the individuality of the product, in this case I think the phrase fits.  Each episode is loosely structured around a single theme -- the most recent one, Episode 9, is "Rain," but they've also covered beeps, pairs, disguises, balls, and more.  The duo (married, with a kid of their own) tackle the topic by talking with one another, playing audio clips of kids talking about it, talking with adult experts, and playing music.  The adults they talk with are sometimes scientists, but sometimes they're just people with a hobbyist's interest (like Polly's father or a friend who just really digs seahorses).  The music, well, as you'd expect, it's really good.  (The song at the end of the "Rain" podcast is one of the best kids' songs you'll hear this year.)  And all of this is wrapped into a single, well-edited whole.

The podcast is most appropriate for kids ages 3 through 7.  The iTunes link for the show is here (you can find it elsewhere, of course, including at the podcast's main page above).  Episodes are roughly 15-20 minutes in length, and are released roughly monthly.  (Sometimes there are much shorter bonus episodes released in between the main releases.)  Aside from a suggestion of supporting the show, perhaps by buying a t-shirt, the show is ad-free.

I recently called Ear Snacks a half-absurdist podcast for kids, and I stand by that assessment.  Yes, it features kids, and curious ones at that, and that's nothing new, but its blend of music and its deemphasis on straight-forward storytelling is certainly unique for the emerging genre.  It's a hoot.

Podcast Review: "Shabam!"

Shabam logo

There are lots of really good science-based podcasts for kids, and I'll get to them in the not-too-distant future as I start to review podcasts for kids, but I'll start off with Shabam! because who knows how long before the zombie outbreak takes over?

I should probably explain that Shabam!, produced by a collective known as Foolyboo, differs from a lot of science-themed podcasts in that it folds its non-fiction topics -- pathogens, epidemics, cognitive biases -- in a fictional wrapper, that of a zombie outbreak.  I think the mix serves the podcast well -- the fiction does provide sufficient context for the non-fiction components, while the non-fiction parts ground the fiction (which I'll remind you is about a zombie outbreak, so take the phrase "ground the fiction" with a grain of salt).  It's possible to tell interesting stories about, say, epidemiology, in a non-fiction setting, of course -- yay, John Snow! -- but this fictional story works well for that subject, too.

I'm going to peg the age-appropriateness of the show at best for kids 8-13.  That's based on the science and zombie-ishness thus far, which isn't for younger kids, but definitely lacks Walking Dead-like grossness.   The iTunes link for the show is here.  Episodes are roughly 25-30 minutes in length, and it's as yet unclear how frequently they'll be released -- I'm guessing monthly from here on out.  Aside from a brief statement near the beginning and the end of the show that it's partially sponsored by Google, there are no ads during the show.  (Also of note: they do a really good job of editing the closing credits, telling the story in between all the various credits, giving the listener a reason to not hit the fast-forward button.)

The other reason I wanted to lead off my podcast reviews with Shabam! is that in its narrative structure, it's going to be best if you listen from the beginning.  Since they're only 3 episodes in, now is a good time to jump in and listen with your kids.  You know, before the zombie outbreak hits your town.