Long before fireworks were just for fun, one bold plan nearly changed England forever.
In this History-Sode, Auntie Jo Jo takes you back to 1605, when Guy Fawkes and his fellow plotters tried to blow up Parliament and how that failed attempt became Britain’s glowing November tradition: Bonfire Night.
Sources:
UK Parliament Education Centre, The Gunpowder Plot Explained
Historic UK, “Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot”
BBC History Extra, “The Real Story Behind Bonfire Night”
National Archives (UK), Primary Sources from the Gunpowder Plot of 1605
With gentle wind, a wise old tree, and a surprise landing, Linden learns that sometimes waiting doesn’t mean missing out, it means finding your perfect moment.
You’ve carved your pumpkins ......now hear the eerie Irish legend that started it all!
In this short bonus History-Sode, Auntie Jo Jo retells the story of Stingy Jack, the clever trickster who outsmarted the Devil twice and became the wandering ghost behind the first Jack-O’-Lantern.
Learn how Irish immigrants brought this glowing tradition to America — and why a turnip once carried the world’s very first candlelight.
(Plus, a special announcement about Auntie Jo Jo’s brand-new podcast, Legacy Lore, now streaming everywhere!)
Sources:
The witches are loose, Halloween is coming, and only Eliza and her cat Merrin can save the town of Brookhaven. Broomsticks, riddles, and a test of courage await in the thrilling conclusion of The Candle in the Window.
Before candy and costumes, Halloween began as an ancient Celtic festival called Samhain — a time when people believed the spirits could walk among us.
In this History-Sode, Auntie Jo Jo uncovers the story of how masks, disguises, and “guising” became part of our favorite spooky night.
From ancient bonfires to trick-or-treat bags, find out why dressing up on Halloween is really about imagination, courage, and a tiny bit of magic.
Sources:
National Museum of Ireland: Samhain – Origins of Halloween
History.com Editors, Halloween 101: Tracing the Origins of Halloween Traditions
BBC History, “Halloween: From Samhain to Trick-or-Treat”
The Folklore Society (UK), “Halloween Customs and Superstitions”
Smithsonian Magazine, “The Surprising History of Trick-or-Treating”
When curious Eliza Granger takes a job in a mysterious candle shop, she accidentally lights a candle that should’ve stayed dark......the Witch’s Flame. Now three mischievous witches have returned to Brookhaven, and with the help of a talking cat, Eliza must find a way to stop them before Halloween night.
🕯️ Magical mischief, talking cats, and autumn adventure await in this two-part Halloween special!
Who was the man from Stratford-upon-Avon who changed the world with his words?
In this History-Sode, Auntie Jo Jo travels back to 16th-century England to meet William Shakespeare — the boy who became the world’s most famous playwright.
Discover how a small-town dreamer wrote about kings, ghosts, love, and courage and explore the spooky, mysterious world of his play Macbeth, filled with witches, prophecies, and lessons about the choices we make.
Perfect for curious kids and families planning a visit to Stratford or anyone who loves a little history with their drama.
Sources:
The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Stratford-upon-Avon
British Library: Discovering Literature – Shakespeare and Renaissance Writers
Royal Shakespeare Company Archives – Macbeth Historical Context
Greenblatt, Stephen. Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare. W.W. Norton, 2004.
Oxford University Press, Shakespeare’s Life and Times
BBC History, “William Shakespeare: A Life of Drama”
Ellie loves October......and a good mystery! She finds herself listening to the wind and getting caught in the magic of the season.
Long before Halloween decorations and scary movies, a foggy little village in New York became the home of America’s most famous ghost story.
In this History-Sode, Auntie Jo Jo takes you to Sleepy Hollow, where Dutch folklore, Revolutionary War history, and one curious writer named Washington Irving created the legend of the Headless Horseman.
Learn how a real town, a few spooky local stories, and one brave schoolteacher named Ichabod Crane became part of American history.
Sources:
Irving, Washington. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. 1819.
Historic Hudson Valley, Sleepy Hollow Archives and Tours
Library of Congress: American Folklife Center – Legends of the Hudson Valley
“The Old Dutch Church and Burying Ground,” Sleepy Hollow Historical Society
Pip the tiny little pumpkin is looking for his window. Does he find it? Listen to this episode to find out!
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.
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.
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 plantation
Typical colonial meals and why sugar was a rare treat
Education and church life in the 1600s
Games, storytelling, and simple fun kids made for themselves
The tobacco economy and colonial society under Governor Sir William Berkeley
The atmosphere of fear that sometimes led to witchcraft accusations
You 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 Life
Encyclopedia Virginia, entries on Colonial Society and Governor Sir William Berkeley
Jamestown Settlement & American Revolution Museum – “Daily Life in 17th Century Virginia” (living history resources)
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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!