Sparkle Car

Included in this episode is an original Martin and Sylvia story called “A Visit from Uncle Phil”:

In this story, Daddy’s adventuring friend Phil comes to visit for the weekend. And a visit from “Uncle Phil” means a whole lot of fun. Brother and sister have great ideas about what they’d each like to do, but they can’t seem to agree. When Uncle Phil arrives, he challenges them to find something they can all do together! With a little story magic from Uncle Phil, sibling harmony is found once again.

Also included: “The Bremen Town Musicians”, a story collected by the Brother’s Grimm and “East of the Sun and West of the Moon”, a story from Norway.

Woven between the stories are some long “staircase” verses that everyone can join in, as well as some fun and original car games.

This episode features an original Junkyard Tales, “Theadora Moth and the Silvery Moon”: A mysterious moth invites Ben Thompson, clever cat, and Sergeant, the steadfast watchdog on a magical midnight adventure back to Sergeant’s puppy-hood home.
A tale from Norway, “The Husband Who was to Mind the House”: A conceited husband wishes to switch occupations with his wife and learns a lesson about the challenges of minding the house.
A tale from Germany, “Old Sultan”: A Farmer decides his old dog is too old to remain at the farm and plans his dismissal. The dog’s friend, a wolf, helps him show the farmer that he is in fact still loyal and useful to the family.
Tale from Norway, “The Squire’s Bride”: A miserly Squire wishes to marry a young peasant girl — but she has no interest in him and instead plans a trick to teach him a lesson in humility.
A tale from India, “The King and the Clever Girl”: An Indian version of the Emperor’s New Clothes where a girl outwits the king and all his wisest advisors.
Also includes fun verses and two engaging car games, “Counting Cows” and “My Mother owns a Grocery Store”.

This episode of Sparkle Car includes:

A story from the Martin & Sylvia series, “Grandma’s House”:
Martin, Sylvia, Momma and Daddy are all headed to Grandma’s to help her pack up her big old house and move to a smaller, newer house. Daddy is ready to dive in and get the work done, but Martin and Sylvia can’t wait to explore all the hidden corners and marvelous treasures that live in Grandma’s closets and attics. Will they have to give everything away?

A Jack Tale from the United States, “How Jack Went to Seek His Fortune”: A Southern Appalachian story about a gathering of exiled animals that find a new life in a cottage formerly inhabited by a band of robbers.

A Story from Norway, “The Cock and the Hen That Went to Dovrefjell”: A playful version of the “Chicken Little” story where a hen leads a rooster, duck and goose to Dovrefjell to avoid the “end of the world”

A story from the United States, “Johnny-Cake:” This is an southern Appalachian retelling of the “gingerbread man” story.

A story from Norway, “The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse”: A version of the classic story about two mice from very different parts of the world who wonder if the grass is indeed greener on the other side of the fence.

Plus several verses and two fun car games called “Rainbow in my Window” and classic riddle game “Hink Pink”.

This episode of Sparkle Car includes:

A story from the Junkyard Tales series: “A Long Journey Through the Woods”.

Mr. Flinch, the old possum, wishes to send a gift to his dear friend Dame Redtail, the muskrat — but their normal messenger Fredland the Moose isn’t available. Ben Thompson, clever cat, and Sally the Chipmunk volunteer to make the long voyage through the woods to the beaver pond where Dame Redtail lives. Though the voyage does not go as Ben had hoped, he leaves the beaver pond deeply grateful for the magic of the woods.

A Nature Story from Clair Dillingham Pierson, “The Young Robin who was Afraid to Fly”: A simple tale about a frightened little Robin who find the bravery to finally take the leap and learn to fly.

An adapted Grimms Fairy Tale, “The House in the Wood”: A man has three daughters who learn the valuable lesson of being grateful for what is given

Another Nature Story from Clair Dillingham Pierson, “The Race of the Grasshopper and the Measuring Worm”: A delightful version of the tortoise and the hare.

Plus several lovely verses of trees and traveling.

This episode of Sparkle Car includes:

A story from by Thistle by Thimble series: "Treasure".

Rigby is a poor boy who works in a coastal town's dungeon. The guard and the cook take good care of the boy and he grows up happy and healthy. He especially enjoys the stories told by the captured pirates held in the dungeon - and when he hears the tale of the Gentleman Pirate, Captain Bonnet - his life transforms from one of rags to riches.

A Folktale from Old Persia: "The Buried Treasure"

The story of a man who loses his life savings and recovers it with the helpful advice of a madman and a boy.

A Folktale from Turkey: "Numan's Dream"

Numan is in a predicament: in order to properly compensate his son's reading teacher, he must give up the family camel - the source of their personal wealth. He is blessed, however, with a dream of riches that turns out to be true.

A Fun Car Game called "Pirates" where the passengers find pirates, pirate ships and pirate convoys - and count them up.

Plus several lovely verses of silver and gold.

This episode of Sparkle Car includes:

an original story from our Junkyard Tales series: "In Search of Mr. Flinch"

There is an autumn tradition in the Junkyard called "Sorting Day", where all the animals get their houses in order before the leaves fall and important junkyard items can suddenly disappear.  In preparation for this, the special day ends with another tradition called "Find the Missing Thing" where something goes missing and the mice must find it.  They so look forward to it but are disappointed this year because nothing seems to be missing - that is until they realize that what is missing is not a thing - but the old possum, Mr. Flinch!

"The Dignified Walking Sticks" by Clara Dillingham Pierson

Walking stick bugs walk around the meadow thinking rather highly of themselves until they learn a lesson in humility that one can look dignified in certain circumstances and rather foolish in others.

"The Pigeon's Bride"  a Folktale from Yugoslavia

When a King's daughter falls in love with an enchanted Prince, she must travel the world with iron shoes to find him and break the enchantment.

This episode of Sparkle Car includes:

A new story from our "By Thistle By Thimble" storyline: "Riding the Trains."

On a train somewhere between Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Omaha Nebraska, two strangers share the same incredible secret.  Willie, a famous boy genius, is searching for a quiet, new life where no one knows of his fame.  Molly-Sue, a girl genius from a poor household, must get to Omaha to claim a prize that will bring her family out of poverty.  Both of them have discovered a hidden code that will bring them together on the same train and transform their lives forever.

A long folktale from Romania, called "The Poor Boy"

A poor boy's sister is stolen away by a dragon and brought to a palace of crystal, far far away.  He wanders the world, following the wind to find her, and in the process finds a heroic best friend as well as a royal bride-to-be. 

Also included are some lovely verses of "wonder" from the fairy world.

This episode of Sparkle Car features a story from our "By Thistle By Thimble" story series:  "The Glove Box"

Gregory and his grandmother both share a deep interest in things from 'times gone by'.  He spends long hours sorting through boxes in her attic, bins in her basement, and drawers in her garage; and she loves telling him stories about the curious tools and toys and objects that he finds.  But there is one place he's not allowed to dig: the glove box in her car.  She always tells him: "It is not for you Gregory - at least not yet."  Many years later, Gregory gets to discover the magic that was kept inside - a magic that could show him something very dear to both him and his grandmother.

Also included is the German folktale "The Water of Life", about the wanderings of the youngest son of an ailing man. The boy is able to find what his brothers could not, due to his generosity and kindness to a strange man he meets on a back road on the way to the palace.

This month's episode includes two original holiday stories and one classic tale:

“Mr Gabriel’s Toy Store” (originally featured in Saturday Sparkle)

 At the far end of a small town’s Central Green is a toy shop owned by Mr. Gabriel.  As long as anyone could remember, Mr. Gabriel’s shop had always been there – selling its old-style toys from times gone by.  Once a year everyone from miles around came to see the front window of his toy shop magically transform over the course of the days leading up to Christmas and then the twelve days that followed.  There was much to beyond, but the most incredible part of the display was the light – where did it come from?  No one knew – until the day a young girl had the courage to ask…

"Four Friends" (originally featured in Saturday Sparkle)

Rosy, Grayson, Skippy and Peach are best friends who all live in the same town and go to the same school.  Their families have a New Years Eve tradition to gather together and have a party that lasts into the night.  It is a lot of fun, but as the night unfolds, Grayson starts to feel excluded and it takes the work of the other three to help him find his way back.

 "The Bronze Ring"

A folktale from Ancient Persia about a gardener’s son whose kindness and generosity help him win the advice of an old wise woman.  She guides him to a King and helps him choose a magical bronze ring that protects him on his many and varied adventures.  This story is most suitable for children 5 years and older. 

This month's Sparkle Car features our longest Martin and Sylvia story to date!  

"The Path to Storyland" (from our "Martin and Sylvia" series)

A magical park that has opened near brother and sister's grandparent's house called "Storyland".  "Storyland" has winding wooden boardwalks, beautiful old trees, a castle with three towers, treehouses and most importantly - real storytellers throughout.  Martin and Sylvia spend the morning following an unfolding story that leads them not only to the lost daughter of "Lady Barnswallow", but imparts the important message that magic is everywhere you go - so long as your use the most precious gift in the world:  your imagination. 

Also included are poetry from Malisa Garlieb and James Stephens

This month's episode of Sparkle Car includes an original story from our Junkyard Tales story series:

"Georgia Bean, Out and About":

When Harriet Hawk pays the Junkyard a visit and lavishes them with adventurous stories, Ben notices that Georgia Bean is not as enthusiastic as the others.  He finds out that she has had a particularly busy winter taking care of the mice and hasn't had any kind of adventure in a very long time.  Ben then concocts a plan so that Georgia Bean can have some time off -- but it's not Ben that shows Georgia Bean an adventure, but Georgia Bean that shows Ben!

Also included: a folktale from Russia entitled "Baba Yaga and the Girl with the Kind Heart", in which a kind little girl escapes from the wicked grasp of Baba Yaga with the assistance of all the people, animals, plants and things that she has been kind to.

This episode of Sparkle Car features an original story from our "Martin and Sylvia" series called:

"A Ride on a Train"

When Sylvia learns about how people used to travel by train, she excitedly hopes she can ride one as well.  Daddy finds out that there is a station nearby where they can hop on a train and ride it almost all day long.  Brother and sister jump at the chance - thinking about sleeping cars, dining cars, circus cars and firemen shoveling coal.  They are surprised, however, at their favorite part of riding a train...

Also included is a short story from the "Blue Umbrella" collection called "Charlie Rides in the Engine of a Real Train"

A little boy from a time-gone-by gets to watch a real fireman feed the fire of a real steam engine.  This tale is filled with beautiful images of what life was like on a steam train.

"Johnny Appleseed", an imaginative description of the life of John Chapman better known as 'Johnny Appleseed' (as mentioned in the Martin & Sylvia story "A Ride on a Train"!).

And "The Travels of a Fox", an old English folk tale about a fox who travels from house to house gaining value in his traveling bag until he pushes it too far and meets up with the wrong animal.