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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.