Sticks and Stones and Stories: Recent Episodes
Rachel Dunstan Muller
What could be more exciting than battling pirate weasels, or sailing with the moon, or hosting a tea party for zoo animals? Add a little wonder to bedtime, car-time, or anytime with these fun original stories, written and narrated by children's author Rachel Dunstan Muller. https://sticksandstonesandstories.com/
“Why can’t I put cookies in this cookie jar?” Keesha’s mother asked. “Because of the goblin,” said the storekeeper. “He’s asleep now, but if you put cookies in his cookie jar, you’ll wake him – and then you’ll never get another moment’s peace.”
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When it comes to pets, a goldfish isn’t much better than a houseplant. At least that’s what Gryphon thought at first – until he put his new goldfish on his bedside table and tried to go to sleep!
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Ursula is knitting the biggest blanket her friends have ever seen - but who could it possibly be for?
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One little field mouse doesn't take up much space - until it invites all its friends and relations!
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Tristan's sister and brother are bigger, stronger and faster than he is. But sometimes it's good to be small - even for a giant!
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Poor Mrs. Huddle. None of her new neighbours welcomed her to Tangletree Forest; none of them would even talk to her! But Mrs. Huddle was a determined troll. She rolled up her sleeves and got to work turning the badgers' abandoned den into an inn.
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Long ago, on one of the coldest nights of the year, a little fieldmouse noticed a bright star she’d never seen before. Just looking at it filled her with wonder. Where had the star come from? And why did it make her feel all fluttery inside?
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Nothing can wake Grandad McAlister from his long winter nap - not a rooster, not a bouncing toddler, not even a mariachi band!
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Jeremiah found the most amazing feather lying on his pillow when he woke up one Sunday morning. It wasn’t just one colour; it was red, and orange, and yellow, green, and blue, and purple. And it was sparkly too, and it shimmered when he touched it!
Of all the girls in the kingdom of Once-Upon-a-Time, Rivka is the bravest. But what will happen when she meets the King of the Trolls?
Someone has stolen the King's plum pudding!
The King and his companions followed the trail of crumbs, out of the castle and across the countryside. As they went, more people joined the crowd. Mile after mile they marched – until they spied a mountain in the distance . . .
One morning as an old woman was going to fetch her water, she noticed a little tree growing by the side of the path. That poor little tree! It was more like a twig standing upright in the ground, with a few skinny branches and a handful of withered leaves.
Great Aunt Ruby had a very unusual suitcase. Quinn put her hands on one latch, and Sam put his hand on the other . . . and then – with a snap and a squeal, with a squeak and a spring, with a shiver and a shimmy and a shake – that suitcase began to unfold itself!
At first Little Bear was excited when the apple tree’s leaves began to change colour. But as the weather got colder, she grew worried. Not only were the leaves changing from green to gold, they were falling to the ground. How would the little apple tree survive without its leaves?
It's hard work scrubbing the sky – washing away all the dust, and the grime, and the soot, and the smoke. But Jeremiah and his three uncles weren’t afraid of hard work! They started in the east and worked their way west, singing as they went: “Rub a dub-dub, it’s time for a scrub.”
“Trees can't walk,” the big trees told the little maple. “It's impossible!”
But the little maple was absolutely determined to see the world beyond the forest. And if that meant pulling its roots from the ground and becoming the very first tree to walk – well, so be it.
Thorin Thistlebottom had everything an elf could want: a little house in the roots of an oak tree, a soft little bed, even a set of dishes made from acorn caps. But more than anything, Thorin loved his fancy waistcoat, with buttons in every colour of the rainbow!
(Whistling sound effect courtesy of dersuperanton from freesound.org)
Little Beetle has an important message to deliver to the far side of the mountain. But Little Beetle is VERY little, and the mountain is VERY big. Can his friends help him get to the top before it's too late?
There were once four sisters who got along very well - until Winter decided she wasn't going to let Spring have her turn on the Earth.
Poor Spring! She tried to wake the sleeping bears, but when they peeked out and felt the icy wind – when they saw how much snow still covered the ground – they just shivered, and went back to sleep.
Teeny, tiny Timbo was so tiny, that he spent the first year of his life in an empty goldfish bowl. It wasn’t so bad. He had a teeny, tiny crib from his sister’s dollhouse, and a teeny, tiny rug to go on the floor, and he even had his own teeny, tiny teddy bear.
Every summer, teams of brave marmoteers go up into the mountains to help the endangered marmots of Vancouver Island: watching them, counting them, rescuing them, releasing captive-bred marmots, even bringing them extra food when they need it.
Special thanks go to Kevin Gourlay and the Marmot Recovery Foundation for their contributions to this episode. To learn more about Canada's most endangered mammal or to join the Adopt-A- Marmot Club, visit https://marmots.org/
Conor held on tight as the ship with the silver lantern rose through the night sky, higher than the tallest trees, higher than the highest mountains. The Earth got smaller and smaller beneath them, until it was no bigger than a blue-green marble. Past the moon they went, past Mars, and Jupiter, and Saturn, too, with the solar wind in their sails.
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Poor little bird. Everyone else in the forest had a much prettier song – the other birds, the wind, the stream. And so as the sun was rising, she stayed silent. She stayed in her nest all that morning and all that afternoon, with her head tucked under her wing.
Sticks and Stones and Stories has a new website - with audio and the full text of each story. There's lots to see and read and hear! https://sticksandstonesandstories.com/
One by one, the children of Juniper Lane found their way into the secret garden. They had picnics on the grass, and played games, and made flower crowns for the stone lion’s head. And though the stone lion’s expression never changed, somehow it seemed pleased to have the children’s company.
Every night when Theo went to bed, he opened his window just a crack, and fell asleep listening to seagulls calling overhead, and waves lapping against the shore; even the occasional foghorn.
And this was all very strange, because Theo didn’t live anywhere near the sea!
Aislinn and Keegan felt themselves being transformed. Instead of clothes, they had blubber and fur. Instead of hands and feet, they had flippers. Their ears got smaller, their eyes got bigger, and whiskers sprouted on either side of their new, flat noses.
Anika can't have a real pony - so she makes one out of snow. But when she wakes up the next morning, the pony isn't there. Where did Tundra go?
Ari's older siblings each have a special gift to offer the newborn king. But what will Ari bring?
Every Christmas Eve, Amada helps her grandmother make gingerbread men for everyone in the village. And every year, Amada chooses her own special cookie. But what happens when there aren't enough to go around?
If you saw a piece of red yarn leading across the snow and into the forest, would you follow it? Bailey did!
Sound effects for this episode from zapsplat.com.
Keiko's new kite is so big, and the wind is so strong, that soon Keiko and his grandfather are flying through the air!
The little house in the hollow was a lovely little house - snug, and warm, and dry. But it was also a lonely little house, for no one had lived under its roof for many years. No one even knew the house was there - except the wind, and the birds and the mice.
Every fall, my children and I like to watch the salmon spawning in the rivers near our home on Vancouver Island. And we always keep an eye out for bears!
When Oliver finds an abandoned garden, he makes it his own. But everything changes when someone else finds it too.
This is the LAST story of Season 1. But don't worry! I'll be back on September 3 to start a whole new season.
Felipe's sisters and brothers went looking for a lost lamb - and haven't returned. Can Felipe and his Abuela find them?
Every night before bed, Laila stands at her window and listens for the cheerful, tinkling music of the Night Carousel.
Friendly animals do their best to comfort a small boy crying in the forest, and then build him a boat to carry him safely home.
A story about sadness and compassion.
Unicorns aren't real! Or are they? Deep in her heart, Isabelle wants to believe that somehow, somewhere a real unicorn is waiting just for her.
If the moon invited you on a sailing adventure, would you go? Skye Taylor did, all the way up to the Milky Way!
There's a shy little brownie living at the bottom of Nathaniel's grandfather's garden! Will they become friends?
Nia is NOT thinking about elephants as she walks home from school, but a visit to an unusual pet store may lead to some surprises!
Zita and Greta have never seen such a beautiful bird - with silver feathers that shine like starlight. And when the two sisters set it free, it repays their kindness many times over.
An original fairy tale, by Rachel Dunstan Muller.
Liam's Oma has a very special soup pot. It makes just enough; never too little, never too much. But when all the neighbors start arriving, Liam isn't so sure about that!
Freya could hardly believe her eyes! There was a little house carved right into the stony hillside, with a little door, and a little window, and a little chimney. And the most delicious smell was coming from that chimney - the smell of fresh-baked bread.
Tegan has a special gift - when she listens carefully, she can hear things no one else can hear. But will her gift help her console a lonely prince?
Dahlia has invited all her favorite zoo animals to a tea party under her willow tree. But will they come?
The wind wants to steal Rhea's new umbrella, but Rhea has another plan - one that involves an exciting ride and a bird's-eye view.
When a proud Queen sends a hungry traveler away without even a crust of bread or a cup of water, the entire kingdom pays the price. Will the Queen's young scullery maid be able to save the day?
A sleepy-time story from the Indigo Forest. Join the rabbits in their den as they have tea and get tucked into cozy beds.
Alexander never gets to go on adventures like his big brother or sister - until he hears a tiny voice calling from a tiny castle. But will he be able to save his new friends from pirate weasels?