After some forays into classics, very classic classics, historical novels, and other serious books, the Dads return to nutty silliness and qwacky whackiness to lighten it up a little with How Martha Saved Her Parents from Green Beans, a fun and funny book by David LaRochelle, illustrated by Mark Fearing.

What did we like about this book? Besides green beans? Oh, let’s see, how about green beans singing off key? Or when the really realistic tomatoes splat against the wall and green beans get catapulted by mysterious vines? And happy lettuce and ominous carrots. Talk about tossed salad! Or as Mike pointed out “There’s nothing bad about a nice, leafy salad.” But you can’t trust radishes. And Mike's made up a whole new word—tomato-pult—don’t you dare close your eyes.

There’s fabric illustration, foreshadowing, and more fore shadowing (AND there are four shadows to boot). It's a fun talk about a fun book. Check it out.

If you liked this episode, you’ll like these:

Dan Yaccarino parte uno and parte due
Pinkalicious!!! by Victoria Kann

Places we love to buy books:
Books in Stock in Wooster, OH

A House with Books in Keller, TX
Talking Animals Books in Grapevine, TX
River Forest Public Library in River Forest, IL
Grapevine Public Library
Keller Public Library

Questions? Comments? Concerns?

Please, please tell us now about a great library or independent book store you love? Let us know!

Email us at dadsonbooks@gmail.com

Alternate episode titles: Marth Vader and the Beans of Destiny

Mike and David turn to a classic, Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse, an historical novel set in the Oklahoma panhandle during the Dust Bowl during the Great Depression.

David and Mike—well Mike—tells the origin story of how the Dads picked the book, but this is the origin story of all origin stories. It is the origin of the entire original podcast idea.

We also continue our feature “Things We Forgot to Say on our Last Episode.” Or, in this case, “Things that David Forgot that he didn’t Forget and Says Them Thinking it’s the First Time He’s Saying Them To Mike and it’s Not.” (Working title- may need to be lengthened)

David rediscovers it’s the OK Panhandle not the Texas Panhandle. Not the Good Panhandle, not the Bad Panhandle, just the OK Panhandle, because as it says on the license plate, "Oklahoma is OK." Which is good because the Texas panhandle would spill the dust.

Speaking of which, in our new feature, “Do They Say the Title in the Book?” Let’s just say pp. 149, 181, 197, 198, 203, 209, 222. To name a few.

It’s a beautifully written story, and we both very highly recommend it, and staying out of the dust. Especially if you have allergies.

If you liked this episode, you’ll like these:
Other stories about American history:

The Ruby Bridges Story: a story of a the Anerican Civil Rights movement
George Washington’s Teeth: a funny and gripping (and sometimes not so gripping) true tale of, well, our first president’s dental health.

Places we love to buy books:
Books in Stock in Wooster, OH

A House with Books in Keller, TX
Talking Animals Books in Grapevine, TX
River Forest Public Library in River Forest, IL
Grapevine Public Library
Keller Public Library

Questions? Comments? Concerns?

Please, please tell us now about a great library or independent book store you love? Let us know!

Email us at dadsonbooks@gmail.com

Our very first episode of our very second season!!!

There's so much in this episode, that we don't know where to begin. The beginning? Why not? David discovers that the tale of Rip Van Winkle is about the tale Rip Van Winkle. We know. He’s a late bloomer. Mike shows us his xylophone thing. He, too, blooms late. And Clean Slate David discovers—SPOILER ALERT— “This IS the guy who falls asleep!!”!!! And there are words that we have never seen, heard, read before. And since.

A true American classic—one of the first!—with some archetypal characters: there’s Kate from The Taming of the Shrew--or was it Kate and Allie?--aka Dame Van Winkle and her dame punishments! Mentions of the Georges: Washington and the III, and so amny more!

The Dads have been on books, classics, and now, they dig deep and delve into, dare we say, literature? Indeed we dare. You should delve, too.

If you liked this episode, you’ll love these classics:
The Giving Tree: Our first classic, our first book, our first episode!
Some of our favorite classic (I'm not) board books: Guess How Much I love You, Each Peach Pear Plum, Goodnight Moon, and so many more!!

AND Check out all of our author episodes:
Dan Gutman. Part One and Part Two
Dan Yaccarino: Part Uno, Part Due
Chris Grabenstein: Stinky Stories #6: Stinking Beauty
Part One, Part Two.
Alan Katz: Part One, Part Two
Linda Harkey: The Case of the Missing Pink Piggy

With a special guest appearance:
The Twig Bookshop San Antonio,TX
Books in Stock in Wooster, OH

A House with Books in Keller, TX
Talking Animals Books in Grapevine, TX
River Forest Public Library in River Forest, IL
Grapevine Public Library
Keller Public Library

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Have a great library or independent book store you love? Let us know!

Email us at dadsonbooks@gmail.com