Auntie Jo Jo's Library
For unge lyttere📚✨ Auntie Jo Jo’s Library is a magical place where stories come to life! 🎙️📖 Join Jo Saraceni as she reads enchanting children's stories perfect for kids aged 2-11—and fun for the whole family! Plus, don’t miss History-Sodes, where we make history easy to learn and exciting to hear. Whether you're tucking in for bedtime or just need a little adventure, Auntie Jo Jo’s Library is here to entertain, educate, and spark imagination. 🎧 New episodes every Tuesday! 📜 History-Sodes every Thursday!
Siste episoder av Auntie Jo Jo's Library podcast
- History-Sode | Colonial Witches (00:06:11)
The air is crisp, the leaves are falling and it’s the perfect time for a little spooky history! In this special October history-sode, Auntie Jo Jo takes you back to the 1600s and 1700s to explore the real witch trials of colonial America.Sources for this episode:“Records of the Witchcraft Cases in Virginia” – Virginia Colonial Records Project, Library of Virginia (mentions Grace Sherwood, Joan Wright, Katherine Grady).Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive & Transcription Project – University of Virginia.Karlsen, Carol F. The Devil in the Shape of a Woman (1987) — a well-researched book on witch trials in New England and Virginia.Godbeer, Richard. Escaping Salem: The Other Witch Hunt of 1692 (Oxford University Press, 2005).Demos, John. Entertaining Satan: Witchcraft and the Culture of Early New England (Oxford University Press, 1982).Hoffer, Peter Charles. The Salem Witchcraft Trials: A Legal History (University Press of Kansas, 1997).Library of Congress: “Witchcraft in Colonial America” primary source set.National Park Service: Grace Sherwood Statue, Witch of Pungo history summary.
- Pinecone Password (00:13:02)
Quick Note: There is no music with this episode due to technical issues. When a mysterious geocache pops up in Cedar Hollow Preserve, best friends Lila and Noor follow a trail of riddles, pinecones with secret tags, a hidden meadow of whispering flags, and a lock that only opens with the right four-letter word.
- History-Sode | Kids in 1671 (00:05:54)
Quick Note: This episode has no music due to technical issues. In this history-sode, Auntie JoJo takes listeners back to colonial Virginia in 1671. Through sound and storytelling, you’ll walk through a plantation at sunrise, sit at a colonial dinner table, peek at an early hornbook, and hear what might have scared kids and adults at night. This episode blends facts with imagination to make history feel alive.Morning chores and daily life for children on a Virginia plantationTypical colonial meals and why sugar was a rare treatEducation and church life in the 1600sGames, storytelling, and simple fun kids made for themselvesThe tobacco economy and colonial society under Governor Sir William BerkeleyThe atmosphere of fear that sometimes led to witchcraft accusationsYou can include this in your show notes/blog so listeners can learn more:Lorena S. Walsh, Motives of Honor, Pleasure, and Profit: Plantation Management in the Colonial Chesapeake (University of North Carolina Press, 2010)Philip Alexander Bruce, Institutional History of Virginia in the Seventeenth Century (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1910)Library of Virginia – Digital Collections on Colonial Virginia LifeEncyclopedia Virginia, entries on Colonial Society and Governor Sir William BerkeleyJamestown Settlement & American Revolution Museum – “Daily Life in 17th Century Virginia” (living history resources)
- The Library Lantern : Part 3 (00:07:47)
Quick Note: There is not music with this podcast due to technical issues. When the Lantern glows with a new golden word "COME" Wren is called back to the Hall of Hidden Wonders in the middle of the night. But this time, the hall is under threat: a Shadow Collector is stealing unfinished stories and erasing books from existence.
- History-Sode | The 13 Colonies (00:06:11)
Quick Notes:1. This episode does not include intro or outro music. Travel back in time with Auntie Jo Jo’s Library as we explore the story of the original thirteen colonies! From the rocky coasts of New England to the warm fields of Georgia, discover why settlers came to America, how each colony had its own personality, and what life was like for kids growing up in the 1600s and 1700s.
- The Cloud Without A Name (00:06:16)
Quick Notes: 1. Episode does not have intro or outro music due to technical issues. 2. Auntie Jo Jo has been out of the country for a week and was not able to record in her studio. So, the sound quality is not the best. 3. Auntie Jo Jo is doing her best to provide you with stories weekly - please understand this is the best she could do this week!Have you ever wondered if clouds have names? In this heartwarming story, we meet a small, plain little cloud who feels invisible up in the big sky.
- History-Sode | International Talk Like A Pirate Day (00:02:35)
Every year on September 19th, people all around the world celebrate by saying things like “Ahoy, matey!” and “Shiver me timbers!” But where did this silly holiday come from? In this history-sode, we’ll discover how two friends invented International Talk Like a Pirate Day in 1995, how it grew from an inside joke to a worldwide tradition, and why it reminds us that sometimes the best holidays are the ones that make us laugh and use our imaginations.Sources:International Talk Like a Pirate Day – Wikipedia“All the Fun and Important Holidays in September” – AFA Education Blog
- The Lantern In The Tree | Read by Amelia (00:04:05)
One autumn evening in the town of Willowbend, Thomas discovers something strange hanging high in the branches of the old oak tree—a lantern that glows with a mysterious light. When he and his friend Lily climb up to touch it, the lantern bursts with magic, letting them hear the whispers of the world around them: squirrels gossiping, roots humming, and even stars beginning to sing. Together, they promise to keep its secret safe, guarding their “library of voices” hidden in the branches above.
- History-Sode | The Backpack (00:02:38)
Backpacks may seem like a simple school essential, but their history stretches back thousands of years. From ancient hunters carrying supplies in animal skins, to Roman soldiers with leather packs, to the invention of the zippered backpack in 1938, these handy bags have always been a part of human life. In this history-sode, we’ll explore how kids used to carry their books with straps instead of bags, how the yellow pencil revolution inspired colorful, stylish backpacks, and even how modern versions can charge your devices!Sources:“Backpack” – Britannica Kids (history of carrying packs and early school use).John C. Cunningham’s 1938 invention of the zippered backpack: Smithsonian / hiking history archives.“Book straps before backpacks” – Smithsonian National Museum of American History.Brand history: Faber-Castell (on the spread of writing tools, pencils and packs for school).Cultural history of yellow pencils and school supplies: Pencils.com
- The Cloud Without A Name | Read by Amelia (00:05:20)
In today’s story, we’ll meet a little cloud who feels left out because everyone else seems to have a name, children, birds, even airplanes! Determined to find one for herself, she floats across mountains, oceans, and forests, asking each what she should be called. But when she drifts over a meadow full of children, she discovers something magical: she doesn’t need just one name. She can be many things to many people - soft as a feather, watery as raindrops, or even shaped like a bunny or a ship!
- History-Sode | "The Cats Out of the Bag" (00:03:56)
Why do we say this when a secret is revealed?Sources used:Oxford English Dictionary (OED) – historical citations for “let the cat out of the bag” and idiom notesMerriam-Webster Dictionary – idiom entry and usage historyEtymonline (Online Etymology Dictionary) – discussion of proposed origins and early attestationsThe Phrase Finder – idiom background, “pig in a poke” connectionSmithsonian Magazine (language/etymology features) – context on idioms with uncertain origins
- The Library Lantern : Part 2 (00:08:35)
Wren returns to the Hall of Hidden Wonders - a magical place that feels alive, changing each time she visits. The man in the green coat is waiting, and today he has a challenge: find her spark, the gift that proves she belongs here.
- History-Sode | The Pencil (00:04:05)
There’s a tiny tool in your backpack with a giant history. In this kid-friendly history-sode, Auntie Jo Jo traces the pencil’s journey from a 1500s graphite discovery in England to the first wooden pencils in Germany, the invention of the rubber eraser, and why so many pencils are painted yellow.We’ll also peek at how pencils helped soldiers, artists, and even early astronauts put ideas on paper—anywhere.Sources used:Encyclopaedia Britannica — “Pencil” (history, materials, manufacturing)Smithsonian Magazine — “Why Are Pencils Yellow?” (branding and 19th-century graphite trade)Royal Society of Chemistry — Joseph Priestley and the discovery of “rubber” for erasing (1770)NASA History Office — Early writing tools in space (pencils and later pressurized pens)Henry Petroski, The Pencil: A History of Design and Circumstance (Knopf)
- The Library Lantern : Part 1 (00:09:45)
Wren Calder has always been good at staying invisible: at home, at school, even in the crowded hallways where louder voices take up all the space. But on a quiet afternoon in the school library, she stumbles upon something she was never meant to see: a brass lantern glowing faintly in the dustiest corner of the shelves.When she lifts it, the shelves shift to reveal a hidden staircase… and a doorway into a place beyond anything she’s imagined. Talking books, rope bridges of paper cranes, and a man in a green coat who seems to know her name and insists she’s here for a reason.One question echoes in Wren’s mind: What’s a spark… and could she really have one?
- Author Spotlight | Elephant Beach with Christine Devane (00:24:36)
Auntie Jo Jo’s Library opens her library to a very special guest! This episode I sat down with author Christine Devane to talk about her children’s book, Elephant Beach.Christine shares how she brings her story to life during classroom readings and community events, and we explore the ways introverts and extroverts experience stories differently. We also talk about the invaluable role of your local public library. From storytime to countless free resources. Christine gives us a sneak peek into her next project, a heartfelt book about navigating grief.Upcoming Children's Author Fair at Hummingbird Books- August 23, 2025. Learn more about Christine Devane and her work: http://www.christine-devane.com/Purchase through Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Elephant-Beach-Christine-Devane/dp/1665765763Purchase through Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/elephant-beach-christine-devane/1147288164
- History-Sode | Popcorn (00:04:10)
Popcorn and movies go together like peanut butter and jelly but how did this crunchy, buttery snack become a star at the theater? Sources used:National Popcorn Board – History of PopcornSmithsonian Magazine – How Popcorn Became a Movie Theater StapleHistory.com – The History of PopcornLibrary of Congress – The Great Depression and Popcorn SalesThe New York Times – Popcorn’s Long and Storied Past
- The Mystery Locker Key (00:04:44)
On the first day of seventh grade, Sam expects the usual: new classes, new teachers, and probably a forgotten locker combination. What he doesn’t expect is for a strange brass key to tumble out of his locker!
- History-Sode | The School Year (00:06:10)
Why does school start in late summer and end in late spring? And who came up with the idea of school in the first place? Sources used:PBS Learning Media – A History of School in AmericaNational Park Service – Early Public Education in the United StatesNational Geographic Kids – History of Schools Around the WorldSmithsonian Magazine – Why Schools Have Summer VacationUNESCO – Global School Year Calendars
- The Tree at the Edge of the Yard (00:04:45)
Mara’s favorite place is the old oak tree growing right along her backyard fence . It's the one spot where she can think, dream, and just be herself. At home, it’s easy to feel invisible, especially when her parents don’t seem to hear what she’s really saying. But when a new neighbor named Quinn shows up on the other side of the fence, the tree becomes more than a hiding place.This heartfelt middle-grade story explores boundaries, feeling understood, and the small moments that help us find our voice.
- History-Sode | The Irish Wake (00:03:45)
Irish wakes are unlike any other tradition—where laughter meets loss, and the community gathers to carry grief together. In this episode, we explore the origins of the Irish wake, its roots in Celtic beliefs, the role of storytelling, and why some wakes felt more like celebrations than funerals. A beautiful blend of history, heart, and healing.Sources Used:Irish Central: “The History of the Irish Wake”National Folklore Collection, University College DublinBBC: Irish Mourning Traditions“The Irish Wake: History and Meaning” by Kevin DanaherMuseum of Country Life, County Mayo
- The Horse That Heard the Wind (00:05:13)
On a quiet farm in the Irish countryside, Owen is the only one who can connect with Windy, a wild gray pony that refuses to be tamed. But when the wind begins to whisper secrets only Owen can hear, the boy and the horse discover something ancient running through the hills.
- History-Sode | The Siege of Limerick & the Treaty Stone (00:05:46)
Why do people call Limerick the City of the Broken Treaty? In today’s history-sode, we travel back to 1690 and 1691, when the people of Limerick stood strong during two major sieges. Discover the bravery behind the walls, the treaty that was signed—and broken—and how a single stone became a symbol of both hope and heartbreak.Sources Used:Limerick Museum: https://limerickmuseum.ieHistory Ireland: “The Treaty of Limerick”BBC Bitesize: Irish Conflicts TimelineIrish Central: The Wild Geese and Irish Military HistoryShannon Heritage: King John’s Castle Archives
- The Lighthouse of Loop Head (00:07:59)
Cara thought her family’s summer trip to Ireland would be quiet… until the old lighthouse blinked back to life in the middle of the night. When she investigates, she finds a glowing journal, whispers from the past, and a message meant just for her. A mystery set on the cliffs of County Clare, where stories—and light—never really disappear.
- History-Sode | The Two Irelands (00:04:30)
Have you ever wondered why there’s a Republic of Ireland and a Northern Ireland—even though they share the same island? This episode gently explains how history, religion, and politics shaped two governments, and why today’s Ireland is a place of both memory and peace. Kid-friendly and easy to follow, this episode breaks down borders with curiosity and care.Sources Used:BBC Bitesize: “Northern Ireland and Ireland – What’s the Difference?”Britannica Kids: Ireland vs. Northern IrelandUK Government Education PortalIrish Government ArchivesGood Friday Agreement Summary (Children’s Rights Alliance)
- The Piper of St. Stephen’s Green (00:05:13)
Every afternoon in Dublin’s St. Stephen’s Green, a boy named Finn listens to a street musician who seems to play music that matches his feelings. When the flute passes into Finn’s hands, he discovers that the right notes can do more than make music—they can change hearts.A modern Irish story about the magic of music, empathy, and connection.