Story Pirates Podcast: Buried Treasure – "Every Midnight I Turn Into a Wolf" / "The Case of the Missing Files" (S3E20)

Date: August 28, 2025
Host: Story Pirates

Episode Overview

In this special Buried Treasure edition of the Story Pirates Podcast, the crew dives into a fan-favorite episode from Season 3, featuring two wildly creative stories written by kids: "Every Midnight I Turn Into a Wolf" and "The Case of the Missing Files." Packed with memorable characters, catchy original songs (including Tony Award-winner Lena Hall on lead vocals!), and signature Story Pirates humor, this episode also explores themes of self-acceptance, friendship, and letting your own unique interests shine. The episode is humorously framed by the crew's unexpected detour to "Party Planet" and a slew of cosmic shenanigans.

Key Segments & Discussion Points

[00:58–04:15] Encounter with Party Planet

• Space Shenanigans: The Story Pirates crew notices strange, festive phenomena while traveling through space: confetti, strobe lights, and thumping bass. They discover a talking planet who pleads for company at his underpopulated galactic bash.
• Party Planet’s Invitation: The planet, who introduces himself as "Party Planet," tries to entice the crew with snacks and games. The crew’s reluctance leads to being trapped in his gravitational pull until they agree to party.

Memorable Quote:

“Hey guys, it's me. It's the planet. I'm like a whole planet.” – Party Planet (D), [02:04]

[04:15–09:14] Story #1: "Every Midnight I Turn Into a Wolf" (by Maren, age 11)

• Musical Storytelling: The story, introduced by 11-year-old author Maren from Washington, is turned into a rock musical number, featuring Lena Hall on lead vocals. It tells of a girl who transforms into a wolf at midnight, grappling with the challenges and freedoms of her secret life—complete with a dramatic sleepover reveal and an empowering decision to embrace her true self.
• Song Structure: The song takes listeners through the main character’s origin, her dilemma at a slumber party, and her ultimate acceptance of her new wolf identity.

Notable Lyrics:

“Every midnight I turn into a wolf... And now I can't forget about it. From that moment, I swore to spend the rest of my life in wolf form.” – Lead vocals, [08:00–08:50]

[09:17–13:19] Interview with Story Author Maren

• Inspiration and Mythical Creatures: Lee interviews Maren, who shares her fascination with werewolves and belief in mythical creatures, including a personal story about seeing a tooth fairy at a camping trip.
• Themes of Belief: Maren touches on the importance of holding on to your own experiences, even when others don’t believe you.

Memorable Quotes:

“I was just sitting in my room, and for like a while now I’ve been wanting to write a story, and I’m obsessed with werewolves.” – Maren (E), [09:25]

“If you care about something and other people don’t believe you, that’s fine. Just don’t listen to them.” – Maren (E), [11:46]

“Wait, can we howl together? Cause wolves have to howl in a pack, right?” – Lee (A), [12:57]
(followed by collaborative wolf howling!)

[13:20–21:08] Party Planet’s Meltdown and Transformation

• Failed Party Game: The crew reluctantly plays charades, but awkwardness and misunderstandings abound, leading Party Planet to feel rejected and triggering his emotional meltdown.
• Honest Conversations: The crew consoles Party Planet (“Mark”/Proxima Cephus), helping him realize the value in being himself instead of just appealing to others. He discovers his own love for crossword puzzles, leading to a new, authentic kind of party that attracts his true friends—including his moons and ex-girlfriend.
• Lessons Learned: Authenticity is the key to real connections.

Notable Quotes:

“The best way you can make friends is by just being yourself and finding people who love you for who you are.” – B, [18:52]

“I’ve sort of been forcing people to call me Party Planet.” – Party Planet/Mark (D), [19:15]

[21:32–28:40] Story #2: "The Case of the Missing Files" (by Will, age 10)

• Detective Parody: The second story, introduced by 10-year-old Will from Arkansas, is a comedic noir-style detective adventure. Jonathan Jones, a grumpy but lovable private eye, gets tangled in a web of missing case files, suspiciously named characters, and poorly executed criminal plots.
• Highlights: The segment is filled with deadpan humor, intentionally awkward conversations, puns, and meta commentary on detective tropes.

Memorable Moments:

“Looks like today is starting out just like any other, with me reminding myself of my name, occupation and where I currently am.” – Jonathan Jones (F), [22:05]

“Here at the Rhymes Place, we love to rhyme. In fact, we do it all of the day, so.” – Rhymes Place/Crimes Place voice, [25:07]
(Jonathan deadpans, “Didn’t seem to rhyme.”)

[28:50–29:35] Story Spark and Creative Encouragement

• Story Spark Prompt: Lee encourages listeners to write stories about a character who undergoes a surprising transformation and details how it changes their lives—for better or worse.
• Community Connection: Reminds grown-ups and kids to share their stories and check out activity guides on the Story Pirates Creator Club website.

Timestamps for Major Segments

• [00:58] – Party Planet appearance begins
• [04:55] – "Every Midnight I Turn Into a Wolf" musical performance
• [09:17] – Interview with Maren
• [13:38] – Crew attempts to appease Party Planet
• [18:19] – Friendship advice and Party Planet's true self
• [21:53] – "The Case of the Missing Files" detective segment
• [28:50] – Story Spark creative prompt

Notable Quotes & Moments

• [02:13] Party Planet: “No, no, just call me Party Planet.”
• [09:25] Maren: “I was just sitting in my room, and for like a while now I’ve been wanting to write a story, and I’m obsessed with werewolves.”
• [11:46] Maren: “If you care about something and other people don’t believe you, that’s fine. Just don’t listen to them.”
• [18:52] B: “The best way you can make friends is by just being yourself and finding people who love you for who you are.”
• [25:07] “Here at the Rhymes Place, we love to rhyme. In fact, we do it all of the day, so.”
  Jonathan: “Didn’t seem to rhyme.”

Themes & Tone

• Creative Empowerment: Celebration of kids’ wild imaginations and writing.
• Humor & Parody: Satirical takes on space adventures and detective stories, accessible to all ages.
• Friendship & Authenticity: Encouragement to be true to oneself and seek friends who appreciate one’s real personality.
• Imagination as Community: Features inclusive, supportive conversations where all voices, including children’s, are valued.

For New Listeners

This episode is a perfect showcase of the Story Pirates’ unique, kid-centered comedy: original stories transformed into riotous, musical, and heartfelt adventures, plus candid conversations with the young authors themselves.

Whether you love werewolves, puzzles, or playful space parties, this episode will make you laugh—and might even inspire your next story.