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Glucksey reviews (and updates) Wheels On The Bus by Raffi.

A dead car, a long bus ride, and no coffee set the stage for a delightfully unhinged dive into one of the most familiar children’s songs on earth. We take Wheels on the Bus from singalong comfort to cultural artifact, tracing how folk melodies migrate, mutate, and land inside picture books that feel brand new and oddly timeless. Along the way, we compare conflicting attributions, unpack why Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush often supplies the tune, and ask what happens when creators bend a nursery rhyme to fit modern life.

Then we stress-test the form with a cheeky “wheels on the truck” parody that swerves from lullaby cadence to satire. That bit opens a real conversation about fair use, public domain melodies, and what “transformative” actually means for book reviewers, teachers, and creators who riff on classics. We walk through the four factors in plain language, share how we approach quotes and references, and talk candidly about audience trust: just because you can, should you? It’s a practical guide wrapped in laughs.

The heart of the episode is a debate on kids and darker themes. We look back to Mother Goose and Grimm, arguing that rhyme and repetition help children process the world’s rough edges without feeling overwhelmed. Tone and intent matter. Humor can soften hard topics; cynicism can sour them. By the end, we land on a middle path—respect children’s intelligence, keep the craft clear, and let the chorus carry meaning without dumping adult baggage.

If you care about children’s literature, folk songs, and the craft of ethical parody, you’ll find fresh insight, a few belly laughs, and a useful toolkit for navigating classics in modern contexts. Listen, share with a friend who loves picture books, and leave a review to tell us where you draw the line.

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Baby and Glucksey review and experience

Disappointing Affirmations by Dave Tarnowski.

A purse swings, stickers fly, the register dies, and the coffee runs out—so we reach for the only thing that still works: a book that tells the truth with a smirk. We dive into Dave Tarnowski’s “Disappointing Affirmations,” a collection of sharp, honest lines that cut through chaos and hand you the tiniest slice of control. Not glittery inspiration, but usable humor—the kind that lets you unclench your jaw, pick the next best step, and get through the morning in one piece.

We unpack why blunt affirmations hit harder on hard days. “No one is coming to save you. You’re the adult. Sorry.” It sounds rough, yet it creates agency. By mixing candid humor with mental health awareness, Tarnowski offers a realistic mindset shift: acknowledge the mess, then move anyway. We share favorite quotes, talk about how wit reduces rumination, and show how a single line can reframe a tense moment at work, at home, or in line with a thousand-yard-stare clerk. Humor isn’t an escape hatch here—it’s a stabilizer.

You’ll hear the story behind the book’s tone, why “grim-positive” jokes feel grounding, and how to turn a laugh into action: setting boundaries with difficult customers, calling tech when systems fail, and not collecting every feeling like a sticker. We leave you with quick practices for stressful days—pick a line that makes you breathe, use it to break a problem into one next step, and keep going with a little more grace than you started with.

If this conversation helps you breathe easier, tap follow, share it with a friend who loves honest laughs, and leave a review to tell us the line you’re keeping on your desk.

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Glucksey reviews and auditions for the Paw Patrol book series.

A children’s brand can soothe bedtime—or shortchange it. We step behind the bookstore counter and into the world of Paw Patrol paperbacks to see what kids actually learn when rescue missions jump from screen to page. Between shelving returns and dodging chaos, we break down why these books fly off displays, how the storytelling rhythm models teamwork and planning, and where polished plots can inadvertently train kids to expect easy fixes.

We get honest about representation. Early entries tilted the team’s balance, and while later characters aimed to correct course, the tie-in books tell a mixed story depending on print cycles and licensing. We share practical ways to curate a healthier shelf: pick titles that rotate leaders, highlight community helpers beyond the core crew, and include moments of struggle before success so grit feels real. You’ll hear how clear sequencing, emotionally literate language, and role diversity can turn a quick read into a mini-lesson in agency and empathy.

And yes, we confess to a spectacular misstep: trying to launch a parody concept with a borrowed choir and a tone-deaf EMT theme. That flop becomes a teachable moment about how kids process danger, why humor needs care, and where creators cross lines without meaning to. By the end, we land on a simple approach parents and educators can use today—scan for story structure, leadership variety, and respectful stakes—so Paw Patrol books become tools, not just tie-ins. If this kind of thoughtful media talk helps your reading time, tap follow, share with a friend who’s drowning in paperbacks, and leave a quick review to tell us what to explore next.