
Today’s brand new story is about becoming immersed in books. Literally.
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Lee Overtree
Hey, Story Pirates podcast listeners. Lee here. Today's brand new story is about becoming immersed in books.
Benjamin Salka
Like really becoming immersed in books.
Lee Overtree
Like going into books. And not just any books.
Benjamin Salka
Weird books. Coming up after a few words for the grown ups.
Lee Overtree
Hey, grown ups. Lee here. See Story Pirates live. Our amazing touring cast, including Eric, will be visiting some east coast cities this spring to perform some of your favorite songs from the podcast. And they'll take suggestions from kids in the audience to create a brand new story that will only be seen once. Best of all, all of our upcoming shows are on weekends, so no need to worry about school nights or bedtime routines. We'll see you soon in Munn Hall, Pennsylvania, just outside of Pittsburgh. Cincinnati, Ohio, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Medford, Massachusetts, just outside of Boston and Ridgefield, Connecticut North. Tickets to all the shows are on sale now@storypirates.com live.
Abby
I love Story Pirates.
Annika
It just filled me up with joy.
Gayle Wentworth
My mom loves the jokes.
Annika
Yo yo Matcha. It made me very proud about my writing. I love to write stories. I definitely think I can be more creative now.
Abby
I'm the champion.
Lottie
The Story Pirates.
Lee Overtree
Oh, hey everyone. Have you ever read a book that you wish that you could live inside? What about a non fiction book on an esoteric subject? Well, in today's story, you can experience just that. Here's the author to introduce it.
Annika
Hi, I'm Annika. I live in Maine and I'm six years old. This is my story, the Library Adventure.
Lottie
Wow. Abby and Lulu. I can't believe I get to spend this afternoon doing what I love most. Visiting Falmouth Elementary Library with my two best friends, AKA you guys.
Abby
I can't wait to play tag. I mean, read books.
Lulu
Totally. We definitely aren't going to play tag the moment we step foot in that library.
Lottie
I know you both love running around and working up a sweat, but I'd love it if we could spend time doing my favorite library activity. Reading nonfiction. Totally.
Abby
Yeah. Libraries are about books and not tag. Let's head in.
Lottie
Wow. The library. It smells like adventure. Come on, girls. Head to the reference desk. I put a book on hold. That's just the number PI written out.
Abby
Tag, you're it. Lulu, get back here. Abby.
Peter McNerney
Ugh.
Lottie
So much for showing interest in my passions. I guess I'll enjoy this PI book all by myself. Excuse me, librarian. I put a book on hold under the name Lottie.
Benjamin Salka
Ah, yes.
Librarian
PI Uncovered. If you can believe it, it actually hasn't been brought back yet.
Lottie
Today is not my day.
Librarian
If you're interested in PI uncovered you may want to take a look at this book, too.
Lottie
Irregular wind patterns of the Atlantic ecosystem. Sounds promising.
Librarian
It's mostly just graphs and charts, but.
Lottie
Graphs and charts? What is it, my birthday?
Abby
I'll take it.
Lottie
Thanks, librarian. I'm gonna find a quiet corner in the stacks and lock in.
Librarian
Enjoy.
Benjamin Salka
Hmm.
Lottie
Where to read my awesome new book. Here's an interesting section. Books about obscure topics that double as portals to other worlds. I'll give it a shot. Wait a minute. Why is the back of this book glowing purple?
Abby
It must be a portal to another world.
Lottie
Well, obviously, I have to go through it. I better leave the girls a note.
Librarian
All right.
Lottie
Here goes nothing. Into the portal. 1, 2, 3.
Lulu
Tag.
Abby
You're hit. Hey, where's Lottie?
Lulu
I guess we should find her. We've been playing tag for 45 whole
Abby
minutes after we explicitly promise we wouldn't.
Lulu
Let's make it up to her.
Abby
Lottie.
Lulu
Lottie.
Abby
Lottie.
Librarian
Girls, this is a library. There's no yelling.
Abby
Kind of weird you let us play tag, though.
Librarian
We librarians have to pick our battles.
Lulu
Have you seen our friend Lottie? She's seven years old, passionate about nonfiction.
Librarian
Last I saw, she was headed into the section labeled Books about super obscure topics that double as portals to other worlds. It's next to the cookbooks.
Abby
This library has portals to other worlds?
Librarian
That is what I keep trying to tell people, but no. Everybody's just at the library for the
Lulu
free wifi and the icy cold water fountains. I mean, seriously, the water here is bone chilling.
Abby
Enough chatting about the many great attributes of the public library. We gotta go find our friend.
Lulu
If I know Lottie, she probably went through a portal to prove a point about us being more supportive of her passions. We've gotta find that section.
Abby
There it is. Books about suit super obscure topics that double as portals to other worlds. Now we just gotta figure out which book Lottie went into.
Peter McNerney
Ah.
Lulu
This is gonna take forever.
Lottie
I can't believe I'm actually inside a book. Whoa. This is clearly an Atlantic ecosystem. It's just water for miles. Did I just hear a bird cawing? It must be coming from that cave over there. Let me just crawl inside it. Certainly is spooky in here. So many shadows. That shadow is moving closer. Wait a minute. It's not a shadow at all.
Abby
It's a. Lulu. I feel like I just heard Lottie's voice coming out of one of these books. That must mean whatever portal she traveled through is close by.
Lulu
We know our friend. What book would Lottie want to enter?
Abby
What about this? One Family Faith and A Woman's Guide to Having it all by 40.
Lulu
Eh, I don't know. I kind of feel like Lottie already has it all.
Abby
It's worth a shot. Come on. We'll hop in the portal and have a quick look around for Lottie. Jump.
Gayle Wentworth
And we're back in three, two, one, Action. Welcome back to Family Faith and Fortune. I'm Gayle Wentworth, and I'm here to show you ladies how to have it all by 40.
Lulu
Excuse me, Gayle.
Gayle Wentworth
Oh, great, a smile child derailing my entire book.
Lee Overtree
What is it?
Abby
We're looking for a friend about yay high, brown hair, adventurous spirit that can't be crushed.
Gayle Wentworth
Children aren't allowed in my book. And that includes you, too.
Peter McNerney
Security.
Lulu
Quick. Back through the portal. Back in the library.
Abby
Oh, hey. Well, Lottie definitely wasn't in that book.
Lulu
How about this one? 1,200 different types of train whistles. This does seem like something Lottie would like.
Abby
Nothing to do but find out. Whoa.
Lulu
Well, I sure didn't expect that portal to drop us off right in the middle of the train tracks.
Abby
I don't see any sign of Lottie. But I do see a giant steam engine barreling towards us.
Lulu
It really does have a distinct whistle. It's shrill, yet bar.
Abby
Enough about the whistle. We gotta get back through the portal. Whoa.
Lulu
Well, that was a close one. Who knew train whistles could be so dangerous?
Abby
Where could our friend be? Let's think about her interests, adventures, nature books with no pictures.
Lulu
What about this book? Irregular wind patterns of the Atlantic ecosystem.
Librarian
Blech.
Lulu
It's got a glowing purple portal on the back of it, too.
Abby
And a sticky note. Hey, Abby and Lulu, not to brag, but I went through this book portal. Looks like obscure books are more fun than tag after all. Okay, okay. It definitely sounds like she's annoyed with us.
Lulu
Lottie, hold tight. Your besties are coming to get you. Jump.
Abby
Lottie, where are you? Lulu and I are here to save you from the super intense wind or whatever this book is about.
Lulu
I'm gonna make an educated guess that she's probably in that cave over there. Come on.
Abby
Ugh. It's all gross and drippy in here. Lottie. Lottie.
Lottie
I'm here.
Abby
Help. I need help.
Lulu
I can't quite see, but it looks like she's being attacked by
Abby
an unbelievably cute litter of baby puffins and its mama.
Lulu
And by attacked, I mean cuddled. Lottie, why are you yelling for help?
Lottie
Because I need help cuddling these unbelievably cute Baby puppets. I only have two arms. And there is so much love to give and receive.
Abby
We'd love to help you in the cuddle department. Come on, Lulu.
Lulu
Wow, this is so much fun. I'm sorry we were so resistant to exploring books that interest you, Lottie.
Abby
Yeah, we promise to show more interest in your passions.
Lottie
Hey, that means a lot. Now how about we head back to the library? I think my book on PI should be returned by now. What do you say?
Lulu
I say tag.
Abby
You're it, Abby. Oh, come on, Lulu. That wasn't even fair. Nice. The end.
Peter McNerney
And now Lise speaks with the author.
Benjamin Salka
So, Annika, you wrote the Library Adventure?
Annika
Yeah.
Benjamin Salka
Do you like to go to the library?
Annika
There's a coloring space where I like to color and I like to find chapter books that I want to read.
Benjamin Salka
That's cool. Do you remember the last book that you checked out from the library?
Annika
I'm reading a book called Puppy Play right now. It's about a kitten and a puppy. The puppy is named Maggie and the kitten is named Max.
Benjamin Salka
Sounds like you are a fan of animals.
Annika
Yeah, I am.
Lee Overtree
Well, Lottie, from your story, seems like
Benjamin Salka
she is a fan of animals, too.
Lee Overtree
Did you learn anything about puffins before you put them in your story?
Annika
Yeah, I did. They can fly and then they dive underwater to get fish. And then they just sit on the top of the water. Then they fly again and go get fish and they swallow some and then they give the rest to their babies.
Benjamin Salka
You know, I love your story because in your story there's like literal portals in the books that take you to another world.
Lee Overtree
But isn't reading itself even in real
Benjamin Salka
life kind of like being taken to another world?
Annika
Yeah, and I love to write stories.
Benjamin Salka
That's another way to transport yourself. If you could choose any of your books to have a portal itself that would take you into the world of the book. Which book would you choose?
Annika
One about mermaids.
Benjamin Salka
What would you do in the mermaid world?
Annika
Go visit the Pacific Ocean and see squid and octopuses.
Librarian
Oh, yeah. Cool.
Lee Overtree
The mermaids could help you see wildlife because you love animals.
Annika
Yeah, I do.
Benjamin Salka
Do you have any pets yourself?
Annika
No, but I'm gonna get one hamster.
Benjamin Salka
Oh, that's cool. When are you getting the hamster?
Annika
Probably next week.
Lee Overtree
Oh, wow.
Benjamin Salka
That's soon. You must be excited.
Annika
Yeah, I am very excited.
Benjamin Salka
Awesome. Thank you so much for letting us perform your story, Annika.
Annika
Thank you.
Peter McNerney
Bye.
Annika
Bye. We'll be right back after a few words for the grown ups.
Lee Overtree
Hey, grown ups. Today's episode is sponsored by Bombas. You know, people keep asking me about my 2026 resolutions and I'm like bruh, it's February. I thought we left our New Year's resolutions in January. But then I remember the number one resolution at the top of my list. Getting comfy.
Benjamin Salka
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Lee Overtree
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Benjamin Salka
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Lee Overtree
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Benjamin Salka
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Lee Overtree
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Benjamin Salka
stories written by kids and then we talk about them. And by we I mean Peter and myself.
Peter McNerney
We are those People, Peter. And the other is you. We, Lee.
Benjamin Salka
We are those people.
Peter McNerney
We am those guys.
Lee Overtree
Today's first story comes to us from
Benjamin Salka
a 12 year old in Colorado named Elsie. And Elsie's story is called Stuck in the Hamper.
Peter McNerney
Oh, no.
Benjamin Salka
If that's ever happened to you, you know this is a very serious topic. This is a story about a mammoth, but it's not going to rhyme.
Lulu
Oh, phew.
Benjamin Salka
Once upon a time, there was a mammoth named John. One day when John was doing laundry, he got stuck in the hamper. He was more round than square, so
Lee Overtree
it was hard to get out.
Benjamin Salka
He tried to suck in his stomach, but that didn't work. He tried many different things, but he still couldn't get out. He was stuck for three hours before he remembered he had his phone he
Lee Overtree
could call for help.
Benjamin Salka
He decided to call his best friend, Jeff. Hi, Jeff, said John.
Lee Overtree
Hey, John, what's up?
Benjamin Salka
Said Jeff. I'm stuck in the hamper. Say no more. I'll be there in a jiffy. A few minutes later, Jeff was there and had brought a chainsaw. Jeff used the chainsaw to get John unstuck. You broke my hamper, said John. You're a mammoth. You don't need clothes, said Jeff. Oh, yeah, said John. The end.
Abby
Whoa.
Peter McNerney
That's a twist I did not see coming. I'll tell you what. Like a mammoth being surprised that they're stuck anywhere. Like, come on, come on, John, you're
Benjamin Salka
gonna get stuck in a hamper. If you're a mammoth, it's in the name.
Peter McNerney
Yeah, you're a mammoth.
Benjamin Salka
By hamper, do we mean just like a laundry basket or like, like one of those, like, drawers that you open?
Peter McNerney
My grandparents had a laundry chute, which was great. Now we're talking to send some GI Joes down.
Benjamin Salka
Oh, I love laundry shoots, man. That's fun. Well, I love this friend, Jeff. He's a great friend. He saves his pal, but he also tells him the truth, which is a really important part of friendship.
Peter McNerney
He's like, I don't know how to tell you this, but you're a mammoth and you don't wear clothes. I love that Jeff as a character comes in, in this way where you're like, jeff, you are unreasonable. You're. Maybe, you know, you should think. And then he has the most sound advice because he comes in with a
Benjamin Salka
chainsaw, which is not prudent. I'm not into using a chainsaw to get someone out of anything.
Peter McNerney
It's. It is very rare that a chainsaw is the solution. I love an ax. I love chopping wood.
Benjamin Salka
Sure. Well, chainsaw is like an ax. Times 12.
Peter McNerney
Times 12. I'd argue every little tooth on that chainsaw is the a multiplier. Maybe we need some chainsaw scientists on this show. Pronto.
Benjamin Salka
We could get one. Great job, Elsie.
Peter McNerney
Amazing, Lee. This next story comes to us from a 6 year old from Canada named Arthur. And Arthur's story is called Grill and Pill.
Benjamin Salka
Great title.
Peter McNerney
The last story promised no rhymes. I have a feeling this story will be different.
Benjamin Salka
It's possible.
Peter McNerney
Mrs. Grill and Mrs. Pill are twins. They live in a sketchbook. Their job is to build stuff. One day they made a house. There was an earthquake and all the houses broke, so they were fired. They felt sad. They asked politely to come back, but their boss said no. They walked and walked and walked until they found another place to build houses. They built them for a human called Critch who had a friend who was a pumpkin called Pitch. Pitch was scary as he had so many eyeballs. There was also a ghost who was perfectly normal, but he has arms. Surprise. Critch was a witch and turned the houses into ghost pumpkin. Mrs. Grill and Mrs. Pill decided to call the police. The police forgot, so Critch and Pitch arrested the police. During this, Mrs. Grill and Mrs. Pill built a jail around them all with you will never go anywhere because I'm so strong. Glue. The end.
Benjamin Salka
Fantastic strategy from Grill and Pill here to just build a jail around the entirety of their problem. Just build a big jail.
Lee Overtree
Yeah, around everything.
Benjamin Salka
And then you get everything in there. Pitch, the police. I love Critch and Pitch. You know, that's when the story really took off for me is that they built. They're building houses for a human named Critch who had a friend who's a pumpkin named Pitch who was scared because he had so many eyeballs. For some reason. I just really can see Critch and Pitch. Yeah, they're awesome.
Peter McNerney
They're kind of. I tell you who can really see is Pitch.
Benjamin Salka
Yeah, that's true.
Peter McNerney
Let's just remember they live in a sketchbook. That's true. All of this took place in a sketchbook.
Benjamin Salka
That's true. And there's an earthquake. Their jobs to build stuff. They made a house. There's an earthquake. All the houses broke.
Peter McNerney
Wow. So they live in a sketchbook. All of this are drawings. And so was the earth play earthquake. Like somebody coming up and picking up the sketchbook and maybe ripping out a few pages. And it was chaotic within the sketchbook.
Benjamin Salka
Right. It's. Yeah. I think you can see the hands drawing it, as the story goes, it's like that old Looney Tunes.
Peter McNerney
Oh, yes.
Benjamin Salka
You know I'm talking about.
Peter McNerney
Yeah. Where they Daffy ducks gets a race.
Benjamin Salka
Is a racing.
Peter McNerney
You, my friend, are despicable.
Benjamin Salka
Yeah. It's a classic. We love it. Great work, Arthur. Amazing story. All right, here's our last one. It's from Luna, age 7 in Maryland. And it's called Tim. Tim. Once upon a trash can, there was a fly named Tim. And he always had lived in the trash can. But one day he got tired of all the stinkiness and rotten apples. So one night he told his mom, I'll be back by dinner.
Lee Overtree
And he left to go see the world.
Benjamin Salka
He went to the living room and he watched some tv. He ran out of WI fi, but he went outside because the window was open.
Lee Overtree
He said, wow. He flew to the tree.
Benjamin Salka
He made friends with some bees. He liked them. He flew back to his trash can and ate moldy soup for dinner and melted popsicle for dessert. The end. And they lived happily ever. Trashed her. Wow.
Peter McNerney
This is a. You know, there's a whole world outside
Benjamin Salka
your window, but there is no place like home.
Peter McNerney
There's no place like home where you
Benjamin Salka
can get your moldy soup.
Peter McNerney
You know right away that this is a rebellious teenage fly. When he says, I'm tired of stinkiness and rotten apples, I think it's. You'd be hard pressed to find a fly that felt the same way.
Benjamin Salka
Most flies like that stuff, but I also would argue that Tim likes that stuff, too. It's very clear to me when he eats them, goes home and has moldy soup and melted popsicle for dinner and dessert that those are comfort foods. Right. Like Tim. I'm really glad Tim got out that he met some bees. He was friends with them. Etc.
Peter McNerney
Yeah.
Benjamin Salka
But he came home again.
Peter McNerney
I also love that he ran out of WI fi.
Benjamin Salka
Yeah, well, that's the only reason anyone would ever go outside, isn't it?
Peter McNerney
It's like, ugh, WI fi is out.
Benjamin Salka
Guess I'll go experience nature's WI fi.
Peter McNerney
I love when I. When my phone is dead or suddenly there's no WI fi. And then I suddenly look at the bookshelf and pull a book out like it's an ancient tome tome. And I go, what is this knowledge within?
Benjamin Salka
And then you learn a spell.
Peter McNerney
And then I learn a spell that
Benjamin Salka
brings the WiFi back.
Peter McNerney
Yeah. And then that book was called the router manual.
Benjamin Salka
Yes, it was. Reading manuals, Luna, I would prefer to read your story over a manual any
Lee Overtree
day to read all of today's Story Love stories. Just head to storypirates.com and remember, you can watch an even longer version of Story Love on the Story Pirates YouTube
Benjamin Salka
page with help from your grown up.
Lee Overtree
Grownups can submit stories@storypirates.com and remember, we respond to every single one. That's it for today's episode. Thanks to today's author, Annika. And we'll be back next week with another brand new one for you. Until then, stay creative and stay kind.
Annika
Bye.
Lee Overtree
The Story Pirates podcast is a production of Story Pirates Studios, executive produced by Lee Overtree and Benjamin Salka. This episode was produced by Isabel Ehrlichio, Sam Baer, Peter McNerney, Lee Overtree and Brittany Stahl. Recording sound design and mixing by Sam Baer at the Relic Room in New York City. Additional production by Brett Tubin Theme song by Bobby Lord. Musical scoring by Eric Erson and Jack Mitchell. Our head writer is Peter McNerney. Staff writers are Megan O' Neil and Alexis Simpson. The Library adventure was adapted by Rachel Jurowski. Episode artwork by Camilla Franklin. This episode features performances by greg barnett, michelle chan bennett, jake fallon, peter mcnerney, kento morita, megan o' neil, and britney stahl. Hanging around looking for a book to read.
Benjamin Salka
Hanging around.
Lee Overtree
Ooh, look. Fishes of the Western North Atlantic, Part 9. I've been really meaning to read this ever since I finished Part eight. Okay, I'll just open it up and.
In this whimsical episode of Story Pirates, the team brings to life "The Library Adventure," a story written by six-year-old Annika from Maine. The episode explores the magic of books, the joy of friendship, and the wonders waiting inside the library—sometimes quite literally! Alongside the main performance, the hosts chat with Annika about her inspiration and love of animals, and then share and discuss three more imaginative stories written by kids.
Summary:
A mammoth named John gets stuck in a hamper, calls his friend Jeff, who arrives with a chainsaw and reminds John, “You don’t need clothes, you’re a mammoth.” They celebrate friendship’s truths—and ingenuity.
Hosts' Reflection:
“I love this friend, Jeff. He saves his pal, but he also tells him the truth, which is a really important part of friendship.” – Peter McNerney (17:08)
Summary:
Twins Mrs. Grill and Mrs. Pill (who live in a sketchbook and make houses) get fired after an earthquake, find new friends (Critch the human and Pitch the many-eyed pumpkin), and eventually build a giant jail to enclose everyone after a series of misadventures.
Hosts' Reflection:
“Fantastic strategy from Grill and Pill here to just build a jail around the entirety of their problem. Just build a big jail.” – Benjamin Salka (19:26)
Summary:
Tim the fly grows tired of the trash can life, has a brief adventure (including bees and a TV binge), but realizes there’s no place like home—especially for moldy soup and melted popsicle meals.
Hosts' Reflection:
“You know, there’s a whole world outside your window, but there is no place like home.” – Peter McNerney (21:44)
“When my phone is dead or suddenly there’s no Wi-Fi, then I suddenly look at the bookshelf and pull a book out like it’s an ancient tome…” – Peter McNerney (22:35)
The episode maintains Story Pirates’ trademark tone: upbeat, silly, encouraging, and thoroughly imaginative. The hosts and cast strike a balance between laugh-out-loud humor (with jokes for both kids and grown-ups) and genuine admiration for children’s creativity.
“The Library Adventure” champions the transformative power of books as literal and metaphorical portals to new worlds—whether those worlds are filled with puffins, train whistles, or outlandish sketchbook citizens. The Story Pirates, with help from creative young minds, remind listeners that adventure and imagination are always just a page (or a portal) away.
For more stories or to submit your own, visit storypirates.com.