Lemonada.
Hey, Story Pirates podcast listeners, Lee here.
Today we have a very special bonus episode for you, featuring another new story written by not one, not two, but over a hundred different kids in our creator club.
And this time...
It's about time travel to the 90s.
And don't forget, we've teamed up with Rhett and Link from Good Mythical Morning for a special story contest to celebrate their new book Spaghetti Head and Chicken Fingers.
To find out more and submit your kids' stories, visit storypirates.com slash mythical.
And the Story Pirates 2026 tour continues.
Get tickets at storypirates.com slash live for our upcoming shows in Ridgefield, Connecticut.
A brand new Creator Club story and story love with Lee and Peter continues.
Coming up right after a few words for the grownups.
I love Story Pirates.
It just filled me up with joy.
My mom loves the jokes.
Yo, yo, my check.
It made me very proud about my writing.
Yeah, we're just getting like really deep into like, I want to say philosophy.
I definitely think I can be more creative now.
I'm the champion.
The Sully Pirates.
Okay, everybody, here's what's going on.
As you've probably heard before, every once in a while we invite all of our Creator Club members to join me and Peter on a Zoom and we write a wacky story together.
This time, over 100 different kids from all over the world showed up and together we wrote this incredible story about a snake named Peter who is not Peter, the Story Pirate, who travels back in time to the 1990s to save his pet frog.
And yes, there are a lot of references to things we loved from the 90s in this episode.
And Elvis.
He was from the 90s, right?
Right?
And P.S.
Grownups, we're doing this whole thing again on Zoom with me and Peter in July.
And it's not too late to get your kids involved.
We're going to write a brand new story together and then adapt it for the podcast, just like in today's episode.
Information on how to join us is in the episode description for today's episode.
So grown-ups, check it out and join us.
And now, without further ado, we present to you a story by the Story Pirates Creator Club.
The historic time traveling of the snake trying to find Peter in the 90s, not the story pirate the frog.
Enjoy!
Oh, it's quitting time here at the Cuckoo Clock Factory.
Oh, Calvin the Snake, this isn't just a Cuckoo Clock Factory.
Meow.
I know that, Fiona the Cat.
But it's mostly Cuckoo Clocks.
You got me there.
I sure did.
Anyway, any big plans this weekend?
Not really.
My only plans are to try to find my lost neon gloves.
Neon gloves?
Like the kind that were very big in the 90s.
Remember the 90s?
I haven't thought about the 90s in quite some time.
Hmm, yep.
Looks like you're about to get lost in a bit of nostalgic 90s daydreaming, so I'll leave you to it.
Huh?
Oh, right.
I'll see you Monday.
Bye.
The 90s.
That was quite a decade.
Famous for so many things.
Skateboards mixtapes, rat tails, no screens, tall socks, puffy hair, hula hoops, disco dancers dragons, Elvis Presley and
And grunge.
If my memory's correct, all that's true.
But there's something else in my memory of the 90s.
Something I haven't thought about in a long time.
It's all coming back to me.
Wow, Peter, my pet frog, wasn't that an incredible movie we just got done seeing here at the mall?
Ribbit.
I agree.
That Sandra Bullock is going places.
The net?
More like the best movie ever.
Ribbit.
What's that?
You want to go to the hat store here at the mall and buy another hat?
How many hats do you need?
Ribbit.
Ah!
Ah!
Can't argue with that.
Let's go.
Buzz, buzz.
Yeah, well, look who it is.
Calvin the Snake and his pet frog, Peter.
Whoa, that is the biggest, juiciest fly I have ever seen.
Ribbit, ribbit.
Peter, I know that frogs love flies, but don't get any ideas.
Ribbit, ribbit.
Hey, don't look at me that way, frog.
Ribbit.
Ribbit!
Ah!
He's chasing me!
Ribbit!
Ribbit!
Ribbit!
Ribbit!
No, Peter!
Come back!
Come back!
Peter!
Oh my gosh, I completely forgot!
After that, I never saw my dear pet frog ever again!
Oh, Calvin, how could you have forgotten such a core memory?
If only there was some way to go back to prevent Peter from hopping off!
If only I could go back in time!
Oh!
Of course.
It's so simple.
Calvin, you're all alone in a clock factory.
Can't you just use all these clocks to build a time machine?
No, of course not.
But I can use all these clocks to build a robot who can build a time machine for me.
Here I go.
And done.
My robot is complete.
Turning on.
Hello, Calvin the snake.
I'm robot number one.
I love your bangs.
Of course you do.
My bangs are beautiful.
But that's not why I built you.
I know.
You built me to build a time machine.
That's right.
You better get to it.
We don't have much time.
Soon we will have all the time in the world.
Here I go.
Building.
Wow, he's doing it.
He's really doing it.
He's using all the clock gears and the cuckoo clock bits.
And done.
Calvin, I present, group time machine, go!
Cock-a-doodle-doo!
Hiya, Calvin.
I'm a time machine.
Cock-a-doodle-doo?
Why do you sound like a rooster instead of a cuckoo bird?
Nobody knows.
You want to travel through time, huh?
Just turn my clock hands to the date and time that you want, and we'll get going.
Cuck!
Okay.
I'll start with the year hand here.
Ow!
Ow!
Oh, does it hurt?
A little bit.
Keep going.
Ow!
Ow!
Ow!
Do you want me to stop?
Not at all.
Keep going.
Ow!
Ow!
I don't like this.
Nobody does.
Ow!
And done.
October 11th, 1996.
All right.
Now hop on in and close the door.
Okay.
All right, time to travel back in time in three, two, one.
Whoa!
I can see the decades flying by out the window.
It's the 2020s.
Glad that pandemic is over so I can start playing Wordle.
The 2010s.
Whoa, look at me binge watch TV while doing an ice bucket challenge.
The 2000s.
A smartphone, eh?
What could go wrong?
And finally, 1996.
What?
Cock-a-doodle-doo!
We're here!
Watch your step on the way out, is it?
I'm in the mall.
It's so full of people and no one's looking at a phone and look, it's the movie theater.
Wow, peter my pet frog.
Wasn't that an incredible movie we just got done seeing here at the mall?
Maybe great scott look there's younger me and peter, my long lost pet frog Bye-bye.
Excuse me.
Oh, I'm sorry.
Time machine.
Look who just buzzed past me and is heading over to the movie theater.
It's the fly.
That Sandra Bullock is going places.
The net?
More like the best movie ever.
In it.
That's it.
I'll stop Peter with a net.
Do you have a net?
No, but I can build two robots to make a net.
Do you have time for... Here I go.
Go!
He's doing it.
He's actually doing it.
And done.
Hello, I am Robot 3.
And I'm Robot 4.
Why does Robot 4's voice sound so different?
And why did you skip 2?
I don't have time to explain, Time Machine.
Well, technically, we have all the time in the grid.
Quickly build me the perfect net.
Sandra Bullock already did.
Uh-huh.
Uh-huh.
That's a reference to the movie The Nets.
Oh, that's good.
But you know what I mean.
Of course.
Here we go.
And here you go.
Perfect.
Now to capture Peter with this net the fastest way possible by climbing the mountain next to the mall, doing five backflips off the peak, falling all the way through that open skylight and landing on Peter with the net.
Is that the fastest way?
Too late.
He's already gone.
I hope he makes it back on time.
The fly is approaching Peter.
Buzz, buzz.
Look who it is.
Calvin the Snake and his pet frog, Peter.
Whoa, that is the biggest, juiciest fly I have ever seen.
Ribbit.
Ribbit.
Peter, I know that frogs love flies, but don't get any ideas.
Ribbit.
Ribbit.
Hey, don't look at me that way, frog.
Ribbit.
Ribbit.
He's chasing me.
What's that sound?
It sort of sounds like me, but 30 years older and falling from a mountaintop after doing five backflips.
How in the world would he even know what they're saying?
Ribbit!
Whoa!
That snake just fell through the skylight.
Ribbit!
Ribbit!
Ribbit!
And stopped Peter from running away by catching him in a net.
I'm out of here.
Buzz buzz.
Calvin, it's me.
You.
I mean, a stranger.
A stranger?
Are you sure you aren't my twin brother, but 30 years older?
It's best if we don't think about it too hard.
Here, take your pet frog, Peter, and go buy that hat.
Thanks, mister.
Just promise me one thing.
Don't let Peter get lost.
Don't let him out of your sight.
And also...
Never cut those bangs.
Why would I?
Exactly.
Ribbit, ribbit.
You're funny.
All right, I gotta go back to the future.
I mean, my house.
Uh, all right.
See you later.
Bye.
Wow, you did it, Calvin.
Yeah, good job, Snake.
Thanks, Elvis Presley.
You're welcome.
You're welcome very much.
All right, let's go.
Back to the future.
Watch me as I hula hoop.
Here we are.
Back to the future.
Wow, I can't believe it.
But did it work?
Everything looks the same.
I guess it didn't make a difference.
Ribbit, ribbit.
Peter, you're here.
And you're older.
Ribbit, ribbit.
But if you're here, does that mean that I never lost you?
Does that mean that my memory should be updated to include all the things that we would have done together if I Ribbit ribbit ribbit ribbit, ribbit?
You're right, you're right.
When it comes to time travel, it's best not to think about it.
Huh?
Is that a wormhole?
It is!
Look what's coming out of it.
It's the net!
Where did this net come from?
When it comes to the net, it's best not to think about it.
You got that right, Sandra Bullock.
The end.
We'll be right back after these words for the grownups.
Hey, grown-ups!
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Hey, welcome back to Story Love, where we take stories written by kids and we talk about them.
Peter.
Lee.
Hello.
Hello.
You know, the Story Pirates, we get tens of thousands of stories a year.
And some of those stories we get to put on our podcast.
And some of them we get to talk about on this segment.
Yeah.
Story Love.
I can't wait anymore.
Okay, do you want to read first?
Yes!
Okay, go ahead.
Lee, our first story comes to us today from a seven-year-old from Nebraska named Willa.
And Willa's story is called The Slow Sloth.
Ah.
The Slow Sloth Sloth Mom.
It's time for dinner, Slothy.
Slothy.
I'm coming.
Narrator slothy was coming, but it took a long time long, long time, narrator.
It took one year.
When he got to the table, the food was gone slothy, Oh no, the food is gone.
I'm so hungry.
Mom.
It has been one year.
Slothy.
What?
To be continued.
Ah, excellent story.
I think it's for the best that the food was gone because you can't leave food out that long.
You could get sick eating it.
Best case scenario, that food has deteriorated.
It's decomposed.
A plant has grown out of it.
Oh, is that how it works?
And so fresh fruit is awaiting.
So old food becomes new plants?
I'm pretty sure if you leave a bagel on the street, an apple tree will grow.
Right, right.
That's how it works, right?
Okay.
Well, the other thing that could have happened is that it could have been exactly one year and it was dinnertime again.
So if you're a sloth family... Because sloths famously eat once a year?
No, no, no, no, but you're timing things with a year delay if you're a sloth family.
Well, we need to ask ourselves, where is Slothy coming from?
I assumed their bedroom upstairs.
That's usually where you are when someone says, come to dinner.
Because this is slow even for a sloth.
But the title of the story is The Slow Sloth.
Okay, you're right.
So we can assume that this sloth is slower than the normal sloth.
Which is why the mom is so shocked.
Yeah.
And was mom worried the whole time or is the whole family that slow?
So she thought, I better go check on him.
I think that the mom knows the pattern here.
It's not a surprise.
It seems like mom sees her child once a year.
This childhood is going very quickly.
And also very slowly.
Mom was sitting there, was like, I could go check, but I'm his mother.
That's right.
You should come see me.
Maybe she took like an online correspondence class during that time.
She could have started a whole new career.
Yeah, a business.
Uh-huh.
This story was incredible.
Thanks so much for sending it in.
Lee, do you want to read the next one?
You bet I do.
This one is from Orion, an 11-year-old from Ohio, and it's called Anchovy the Flying Burger.
Oh, excellent.
Once there was a burger named Anchovy.
Anchovy could fly.
Oh, by the way, he could fly because a radioactive cat tried to eat him but spit him out.
The radioactive cat's spit was also radioactive and the radioactiveness made the burger able to fly.
Back to the story.
Whew.
Anchovy was flying around when suddenly a flying golf club attacked the city.
Anchovy grabbed the flying golf club and made a hole in one.
The golf club's only weakness.
Because he saved the day, he was tired, so he landed on a table.
The end.
P.S.
Jeff the Stickman was controlling anchovy the whole time.
Whoa.
Whoa.
I have a lot of questions about this.
Okay, please, hit me.
Because there's this whole backstory about how this burger can fly radioactive spit from a cat and in the end,
Jeff the Stick Man was controlling anchovy the whole time.
Does that mean the backstory is a lie?
No.
And the burger is just a ship?
No, yes.
The, well... You see what I'm saying?
I do see what you're saying, but in no way does I think this negate the backstory.
I imagine when the radioactiveness turned the burger into a flying burger, you know, it's sort of like some controls sort of went like bloop, bloop out of the burger, you know.
Yeah, maybe Jeff was like ooh, a giant burger, I'm a stick man, I'm gonna eat it.
And he was eating the bun and he goes whoa.
And then the cat happened and he's like suddenly there's a spaceship now.
So many questions.
This story also reminded me of one of my favorite jokes, which is do you know why I always bring an extra pair of socks when I go golfing?
Because you have a hole in one?
In case I get a hole in one.
That's your favorite?
Number one?
In this moment, it's my favorite.
The joke I'm currently telling is always my favorite one.
Well, my favorite story right now is this one.
Orion, excellent work, my friend.
All right, Peter, we got one more.
You want to give it a go?
I do.
This one comes to us from a four-year-old from Arizona named Maggie, and Maggie's story is called The Clock That Can Talk.
I love it.
The refrigerator...
And the sparkly gingerbread girl sees the clock in the kitchen.
The clock starts talking to them about what time it is.
They get scared.
The end.
Fantastic.
Short, sweet, terrifying.
It's really terrifying.
But what she's not telling us is the scary part.
What do you mean by that?
My mind races.
Like, they get scared.
And that implies to me that the way the clocks spoke to them was creepy in some way.
Well, time is scary.
You know, if you start talking to someone about what time it is, you could terrify them.
For example, I could say like, Peter, it is 10 a.m. right now.
You have so much work to do.
You got to get it done.
You got to eat lunch at some point.
You got to get home.
That's going to take 45 minutes.
I'm scared.
And then you're going to have to.
You know, as soon as it's going to be bedtime, you're going to be tired.
Yeah, that's talking to someone about what time it is is way more than just saying 3 o'clock.
Mm-hmm.
Right?
Don't even get me started about space-time.
Oh, I would love to.
Oh, okay.
Gravity?
Gravity's not a... Gravity, we don't even know what it is.
It's not even a thing.
It's... Is that space-time?
Well, planets, they bend space-time.
So the idea is that when you get close to a planet, you're not actually moving towards it.
But time and space are.
And so...
The straight line becomes a curved line.
This is honestly how I imagine all scientists are acting when they're describing space time.
Oh, yeah, I had an imagination about a line curving.
Yeah, okay, so you're in an elevator, but a planet is too big, and so are you moving?
Scientists, thank you for your work.
And Maggie, thank you for yours.
Here's my thought about this Peter is the refrigerator and a sparkly gingerbread girl.
Both of those are inanimate objects.
Yes.
Right?
So we're starting from a baseline of like, why should they be so surprised that the clock is talking to them?
Are they the only ones that are sentient in this universe?
But...
I assume that they can't speak themselves.
Oh, interesting.
Right?
So I imagine there's this counter with a sparkly gingerbread girl on it sitting there.
She's looking at the fridge.
The fridge is looking at her.
And they're sort of just like aware of each other.
But they haven't figured out a way really to communicate.
And then the first time in their whole lives that they hear something talk and communicate to them.
And that's always a really interesting question.
What's the rules of this world?
Because that's not something that occurred to me, which is all the objects are alive and aware of themselves, but can't speak.
So the clock speaks.
Speaking is the weird thing?
Yes.
Or in my mind, if they're alive, everything's alive, they can all speak.
So what he is saying about time is the weird thing.
But Maggie has invited us to ponder these questions.
Maggie, and ponder them we will.
Thank you so much for your story.
That's it for today's Story Love.
To read all these stories, just head to storypirates.com.
It's easy.
Just do it.
Bye.
And guess what, grownups?
You can still find an even longer version of today's Story Love on YouTube.
So check it out and subscribe to our channel if you don't mind.
And grownups, Story Love isn't just the name of a segment on our show.
It's also the name of our incredible corporate volunteer program.
So to find out more about Story Love or Story Quest, our digital creative writing program, or our non-profit arm Story Pirates Changemakers, check out the show notes for links.
That's it for today's bonus episode.
Grownups.
Don't forget to check the show notes for today's episode to find out how your kids can join us for our next Create a Story session in July.
We'll be back next week with a brand new episode.
Until then, stay creative and stay kind.
The Story Pirates Podcast is a production of Story Pirates Studios.
Executive produced by Lee Overtree and Benjamin Salka.
Co-executive producers are Holly and Rizwan Kassim, Manu Lissi, Aaron Moore, Murray Sampson, Jack Schaefer and Jacob Vaughn.
This episode was produced by 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 Toobin.
Theme song by Bobby Lord.
Musical scoring by Eric Herson and Jack Mitchell.
Our head writer is Peter McNerney.
Staff writers are Megan O'Neill and Alexis Simpson.
Episode artwork by Camilla Franklin.
The historic time traveling of the snake trying to find Peter in the 90s, not the story.
Pirate the Frog was adapted by Peter McNerney.
Musical scoring by Jack Mitchell.
This episode features performances by Christina Gross-Peach, Justin Linville, Sarah Morgan Ashey, Peter McNerney, Josh Nassar, Sam Rogal and Addie Weyrich.
Ugh, you know that episode just got me so nostalgic for the 90s, so I thought I'd name even more things from the 90s that I personally miss a lot half pipes, garbage trucks semiconductors, James Bond France, flambe pancakes, shoes that don't need laces, pigs in blankets, easy bake ovens Velcro saltines, the moon landing and the common cold.
We miss you, 1990s.
