Kids Read To Us: Recent Episodes
Anya Karthik
My name is Anya and I am 8 years old. I love reading poems and stories. I started this podcast with the help of my parents to share my love for reading. This podcast contains kids reading all kinds of fun poems and stories. These short episodes will hopefully help everyone connect with poetry and prose.
This podcast is for educational purposes only. Contact us at kidsreadtous@gmail.com for feedback or requests. There are always new poems coming out!
Check out kidsreadtous.com for more info.
In this episode you will learn all about the moon's phases.
You have probably seen that the moon changes shape. These "changing shapes" are also known as the phases of the moon. The phases happen because the moon is constantly moving around the Earth. The part of the moon lit up by sunlight changes as the moon moves around the Earth each day or night. I hope you enjoy listening to why you can see the moon as it is and when you look at it next time you'll know something new.
This is part 6 of the new series on Space based on the book "The Mysteries of the Universe" that I will be reading for this summer. This episode is about the Constellations.
THE MOON
Gaze up at the moon on a clear night and you'll be looking at an object that has billions of years of history etched into it's surface. It's craterd landscape tells the story of countless astroid and comet impacts long ago in the lifetime of the solar system. but how did this ball of rock end up orbiting earth? that is something all scientists are confused about even today. there is a theorie that there was a second planet and that planet blew up or whatever I said in the audio, and when that planet blew up, some parts went flying into space and some parts stayed. those parts that stayed fused together and became the moon.
When the moon is farthest away from earth, you could fit seven different planets in the space between.
My question is "How did all these planets fuse up to be a sphere?"
There are a few new words in this poem that I looked up.
Halcyon sea - It means peaceful sea.
Vair - This is a type of squirrel fur.
Dias - A raised platform in a large room that people stand on to speak in front of an audience.
A BirthdayBY CHRISTINA ROSSETTI
My heart is like a singing bird
Whose nest is in a water'd shoot;
My heart is like an apple-tree
Whose boughs are bent with thickset fruit;
My heart is like a rainbow shell
That paddles in a halcyon sea;
My heart is gladder than all these
Because my love is come to me.
Raise me a dais of silk and down;
Hang it with vair and purple dyes;
Carve it in doves and pomegranates,
And peacocks with a hundred eyes;
Work it in gold and silver grapes,
In leaves and silver fleurs-de-lys;
Because the birthday of my life
Is come, my love is come to me.
I Ate a Chili PepperI ate a chili pepper
One a lunch-time dare;
Sandy said I’d burn my mouth,
But I didn’t care.
I ate that chili pepper—
Left not a seed to waste—
And won that truly silly bet,
But lost my sense of taste.
Five little chickens want breakfast and they are asking their mother for seeds, worms, slugs and rocks.
I've read it and I've said it and now I'll share it with you.
You can say cluck but don't say MOO!
Happy Spooky Halloween! This is a poem about Halloween by Jacey Vantimmeren, and it is also Halloween today. Happy trick or treating.
This is a short poem about a girl/boy looking out of his window and telling us what he sees. He tells us about the boats, lights and other things he sees.
Escape at Bedtime Robert Louis Stevenson
The lights from the parlour and kitchen shone out
Through the blinds and the windows and bars;And high overhead and all moving about,
There were thousands of millions of stars.
There ne’er were such thousands of leaves on a tree,
Nor of people in church or the Park,
As the crowds of the stars that looked down upon me,
And that glittered and winked in the dark.
The Dog, and the Plough, and the Hunter, and all,
And the star of the sailor, and Mars,
These shone in the sky, and the pail by the wall
Would be half full of water and stars.
They saw me at last, and they chased me with cries,
And they soon had me packed into bed;
But the glory kept shining and bright in my eyes,
And the stars going round in my head.
This reading has four poems in it. I got the idea from the book of poetry whisper and shout. these poems are from different poem writers. hope you like the poems!
This poem is dedicated to our friends Vinod (Yoda) and Adi on the day of their wedding reception. We love you and we wish you the best on your marriage.
This poem is about a centipede telling James (in the book James and the Giant Peach) how the centipede eats. I wish I could eat everything the centipede eats but I'm sure my stomach will hurt. Maybe I'll stick to the peach!
‘I’ve eaten many strange and scrumptious dishes in my time,
Like jellied gnats and dandyprats and earwigs cooked in slime,
And mice with rice – they’re really nice
When roasted in their prime.
(But don’t forget to sprinkle them with just a pinch of grime.)
‘I’ve eaten fresh mudburgers by the greatest cooks there are,
And scrambled dregs and stinkbugs’ eggs and hornets stewed in tar,
And pails of snails and lizards’ tails,
And beetles by the jar.
(A beetle is improved by just a splash of vinegar.)
‘I often eat boiled slobbages. They’re grand when served beside
Minced doodlebugs and curried slugs. And have you ever tried
Mosquitoes’ toes and wampfish roes
Most delicately fried?
(The only trouble is they disagree with my inside.)
‘I’m mad for crispy wasp-stings on a piece of buttered toast,
And pickled spines of porcupines. And then a gorgeous roast
Of dragon’s flesh, well hung, not fresh –
It costs a pound at most,
(And comes to you in barrels if you order it by post.)
‘I crave the tasty tentacles of octopi for tea
I like hot-dogs, I LOVE hot-frogs, and surely you’ll agree
A plate of soil with engine oil’s
A super recipe.
(I hardly need to mention that it’s practically free.)
‘For dinner on my birthday shall I tell you what I chose:
Hot noodles made from poodles on a slice of garden hose –
And a rather smelly jelly
Made of armadillo’s toes.
(The jelly is delicious, but you have to hold your nose.)
‘Now comes,’the Centipede declared,’the burden of my speech:
These foods are rare beyond compare – some are right out of reach;
But there’s no doubt I’d go without
A million plates of each
For one small mite,
One tiny bite
Of this FANTASTIC PEACH!’
This is a very interesting and intense poem. It is interesting because there are lots of words that aren't really words at all and that I don't understand. It's intense because it's about killing a creature and it's dark, maybe at night. It is scary and fun to read.
Jabberwocky BY LEWIS CARROLL
’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!”
He took his vorpal sword in hand;
Long time the manxome foe he sought—
So rested he by the Tumtum tree
And stood awhile in thought.
And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!
One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.
“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”
He chortled in his joy.
’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
This is a long poem. It is a poem about Mike Teavee. Mike Teavee is a character from Charlie and the chocolate factory who always watches TV. It is my favorite poem because it is long and funny. It tells us about what happens to you when you watch too much TV. I had fun singing it, too. I hope you have fun listening to it. Roald Dahl is my favorite writer. I also read all the time.
The most important thing we’ve learned,
So far as children are concerned,
Is never, NEVER, NEVER let
Them near your television set —
Or better still, just don’t install
The idiotic thing at all.
In almost every house we’ve been,
We’ve watched them gaping at the screen.
They loll and slop and lounge about,
And stare until their eyes pop out.
(Last week in someone’s place we saw
A dozen eyeballs on the floor.)
They sit and stare and stare and sit
Until they’re hypnotised by it,
Until they’re absolutely drunk
With all that shocking ghastly junk.Oh yes, we know it keeps them still,
They don’t climb out the window sill,
They never fight or kick or punch,
They leave you free to cook the lunch
And wash the dishes in the sink –
But did you ever stop to think,
To wonder just exactly what
This does to your beloved tot?
IT ROTS THE SENSE IN THE HEAD!
IT KILLS IMAGINATION DEAD!
IT CLOGS AND CLUTTERS UP THE MIND!
IT MAKES A CHILD SO DULL AND BLIND
HE CAN NO LONGER UNDERSTAND
A FANTASY, A FAIRYLAND!
HIS BRAIN BECOMES AS SOFT AS CHEESE!
HIS POWERS OF THINKING RUST AND FREEZE!
HE CANNOT THINK — HE ONLY SEES!‘
All right!’ you’ll cry. ‘All right!’ you’ll say,
‘But if we take the set away,
What shall we do to entertain
Our darling children? Please explain!’
We’ll answer this by asking you,
‘What used the darling ones to do?
‘How used they keep themselves contented
Before this monster was invented?’
Have you forgotten? Don’t you know?
We’ll say it very loud and slow:
THEY … USED … TO … READ! They’d READ and READ,
AND READ and READ, and then proceed
To READ some more.
I hope you have fun listening to this very funny poem. If you like you can write your own poem about your name. What are your favorite things? What silly ideas for a name do you have? Write to me and let me know your ideas!
My name is... - Pauline Clarke
My name is Sluggery-wuggery
My name is Worms-for-tea
My name is Swallow-the-table-leg
My name is Drink-the-sea
My name is I-eat-saucepans
My name is I-like-snails
My name is Grand-piano-George
My name is I-ride-whales
My name is Jump-the-chimney
MY name is Bite-my-knee
My name is Jiggery-pokery
And Riddle-me-ree,
and ME.
"O Captain! My Captain!" is a poem written by Walt Whitman in 1865 about the death of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln. Walt Whitman lived from May 31, 1819 – March 26, 1892 and was an American poet, essayist, and journalist.
O Captain! My Captain! BY WALT WHITMAN
O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done,
The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won,
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;
But O heart! heart! heart!
O the bleeding drops of red,
Where on the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.
O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;
Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills,
For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths—for you the shores a-crowding,
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;
Here Captain! dear father!
This arm beneath your head!
It is some dream that on the deck,
You’ve fallen cold and dead.
My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still,
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will,
The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done,
From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won;
Exult O shores, and ring O bells!
But I with mournful tread,
Walk the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.
Thank you for listening to my podcast over the last year. I was feeling super shy when I started the podcast because I didn't want to share my voice. I didn't want to talk to anyone but my family. I read something on a tab my mom had opened on her computer that told me it's okay to use your voice. I started telling myself that I need to use my voice more often. Through this podcast I have been able to practice this and I thank you for listening and encouraging me to do more podcasts.
This year I'm sure everyone will have a lot of fun with me as I bring you new poems and stories and I plan to publish episodes more often. Also, I want to thank you all for your comments and emails as I continue to develop this podcast. Have a very happy new year!
New Years Poem - Author Unknown
At the sound of the tolling midnight bell a brand new year will begin.
Let's raise our hopes in a confident toast, to the promise it ushers in.
May your battles be few, your pleasures many, your wishes and dreams fulfilled.
May your confidence stand in the face of loss and give you the strength to rebuild.
May peace of heart fill all your days and may serenity grace your soul.
May tranquil moments bless your life and keep your spirit whole.
This is my wish for you - Ralph Waldo Emerson
This is my wish for you: Comfort on difficult days, smiles when sadness intrudes, rainbows to follow the clouds, laughter to kiss your lips, sunsets to warm your heart, hugs when spirits sag, beauty for your eyes to see, friendships to brighten your being, faith so that you can believe, confidence for when you doubt, courage to know yourself, patience to accept the truth, Love to complete your life.
This is a short poem about a little girl/boy sitting on her/his favorite step on the stairs. It is a fun poem and I like it. It reminds me of my grandmas staircase.
This poem is about the awesomeness of the letter 'A'. Like my name won't exist without the letter 'A', or my dad's or my mom's name. Can you think of other things that has the letter A?
I choose this poem because when I read it, I knew that it would be fun to read and easy to record. It took me a few tries to get it right. I hope you enjoy it.
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening BY ROBERT FROST
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
This is one of my mom's favorite poems. She likes Robert Frost. I think you will like listening to this because it is a rhyming poem, short and fun to listen to.
THE ROAD NOT TAKEN
BY ROBERT FROST
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
This poem is a short poem and it is about wind. Who has seen the wind? Neither you nor I. When the leaves hang trembling, the wind is passing through. You have to listen and see what is next!
Who Has Seen the Wind? BY CHRISTINA ROSSETTI
Who has seen the wind?
Neither I nor you:
But when the leaves hang trembling,
The wind is passing through.
Who has seen the wind?
Neither you nor I:
But when the trees bow down their heads,
The wind is passing by.
This is a poem about color. I hope that you enjoy listening to this funny poem.
Color BY CHRISTINA ROSSETTI
What is pink? a rose is pink
By a fountain's brink.
What is red? a poppy's red
In its barley bed.
What is blue? the sky is blue
Where the clouds float thro'.
What is white? a swan is white
Sailing in the light.
What is yellow? pears are yellow,
Rich and ripe and mellow.
What is green? the grass is green,
With small flowers between.
What is violet? clouds are violet
In the summer twilight.
What is orange? Why, an orange,
Just an orange!
This is a short poem about a grandmother kissing a lot of little things. She kissed a pumpkin, a crayon, a balloon, a chipmunk. You will have to listen to hear the rest of the poem. I hope you have fun listening to my poem.
Special thanks to Darren Sardelli for giving me permission to read his poem. His poems make me happy. They are funny and sweet poems. You can learn more about Darren Sardelli at laughalotpoetry.com. Hope you enjoy listening to this reading!
This poem is about gathering leaves in the fall and the work that needs to be done each year without stop.
Gathering Leaves BY ROBERT FROST
Spades take up leaves
No better than spoons,
And bags full of leaves
Are light as balloons.
I make a great noise
Of rustling all day
Like rabbit and deer
Running away.
But the mountains I raise
Elude my embrace,
Flowing over my arms
And into my face.
I may load and unload
Again and again
Till I fill the whole shed,
And what have I then?
Next to nothing for weight,
And since they grew duller
From contact with earth,
Next to nothing for color.
Next to nothing for use,
But a crop is a crop,
And who’s to say where
The harvest shall stop?
This is a poem about Recess. Lots of kids are on the playground and they are talking about how Recess makes them happy. Maybe Recess makes you happy, too? I hope you enjoy listening to this poem. Special thanks to Darren Sardelli for giving me permission to read his poem. This poem is from his book, Galaxy Pizza And Meteor Pie. Darren Sardelli is one of my favorite poets. His poems make me happy. They are funny and sweet poems. You can learn more about Darren Sardelli at laughalotpoetry.com. Hope you enjoy listening to this reading!
This is about Daffodils dancing in the breeze. It is one of England's most famous poems. Wordsworth wrote it in 1804, remembering a walk with his sister two years earlier. It was first published in 1807.
Launch Audio in a New WindowI Wandered Lonely as a Cloud
BY WILLIAM WORDSWORTH
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
In this story Frog buys toad a hat for his birthday. When the hat is too big for Toad, he trips and bumps into a tree and falls into a hole. That night Toad thinks big thoughts. You'll have to listen to find out what happens next! and just keep listening!
This poem is about Pooh telling us what he wants to do in the morning. He talks about seeing Roo and Piglet and all his other friends. It is a cute and funny poem.
This poem is about a small child playing in his garden and looking through the words in a book at another child. But like with characters in a book we have a limited interaction with them and can only enjoy them as they are written on a page. You cannot take any one out of ANY book.
This is what you might expect to find from the Past, Present and Future. My mom is a guest on this episode. It was fun making this episode with my mom.
This poem is one of my moms favorites. I like it too because it is short and rhymes. It is about how beautiful things stay only for a short time.
This poem is about a child sitting on a swing and looking at all the things that s/he can see. It reminds me of my swing and how much fun I have flying in the air especially when my dad pushes me high.
Episode 2 of Kids Read To Us podcast. We hope you are enjoying my selection of poems and will continue to listen as I have more in store for you in upcoming episodes.
The first episode of Kids Read To Us podcast. The classic poem by AA Milne is read by Anya K. (age 7). If you would like me to read a poem that you've written or have requests for me, please email: Kidsreadtous@gmail.com.