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[The Fascinating World of Storybooks: A Two Whats and a Wow Special]-[Two Whats?! And A Wow! - Storybooks (6/20/25)]

Wow in the World · B1 · 2025-06-20

Preschool Enlightenment
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📋 Summary

Uncovering the Wonders of Storytelling: A 'Two Whats and a Wow' Exploration

In this episode of Two Whats and a Wow, hosts Mindy and Guy Raz, joined by special guest DJ Fuge from the podcast Once Upon a Beat, dive into the captivating world of storybooks, folklore, and literary records. Through a series of interactive rounds, the show separates historical "wows" from clever "whats," revealing fascinating facts about the evolution of stories.

The Origins of Folklore: Paul Bunyan and Johnny Appleseed

The first round tackled the legends of American folklore. While many assume these figures are purely fictional, the show highlights a surprising historical connection. Contrary to the myth that Paul Bunyan was a "big blue ox" or entirely made up, historians suggest he was likely based on real-life lumberjacks, specifically a French-Canadian timber man named Fabien Fournier (nicknamed "Saginaw Joe") and another folk hero named Bon Jean. The name "Bunyan" may have evolved from English speakers mispronouncing "Bon-Jean." In contrast, the show confirms that Johnny Appleseed was, in fact, a real historical figure named John Chapman, an American pioneer who dedicated his life to spreading kindness and apple seeds throughout North America.

The Ancient Roots of Fairy Tales

Moving to the second round, the discussion shifted to the history of fairy tales. A common misconception addressed was the role of the Brothers Grimm; the show clarifies that they did not write the first fairy tales, but rather "collected a lot of stories that they'd heard over the years, rewrote them, and put them in books." The true "wow" revealed here is that the first fairy tale is believed to have been written as far back as 6,000 years ago, during the Bronze Age. Experts often point to the story of The Smith and the Devil as one of the oldest recorded tales, noting that because many stories were "told out loud and not written down" in ancient times, pinning down exact origins remains a challenge.

Record-Breaking Books: Massive Monuments of Literature

The final round focused on the physical extremes of book history. The show introduced listeners to Buddha and His Dhamma by B.R. Ambedkar, which holds the title of the heaviest book in the world. This impressive "metal book monument" is made of stainless steel, stands over nine feet tall, and weighs a staggering 4,409 pounds. While it contains 24 readable pages, each page weighs over 200 pounds. This was contrasted with the longest book ever written, Marcel Proust’s In Search of Lost Time (also known as Remembrance of Things Past), which contains over 1.2 million words.

The Power of Imagination

The episode concludes with a poignant reminder about the essence of storytelling. Celebrating the "winning Wowsers prize," Mindy and Guy Raz explain that the greatest stories are not necessarily found in heavy tomes or ancient texts, but within one’s own creativity. By gifting the audience "imaginary storybooks," the hosts emphasize that stories "come from your own imagination," encouraging listeners to write, share, and draw their own narratives. This philosophy mirrors the spirit of DJ Fuge’s Once Upon a Beat, reinforcing that the ability to create stories is a universal human experience that begins with the simple act of letting one's imagination flow.

🎯Key Sentences

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Ever feel like everyone's glued to their own screen?
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Want to actually feel good about your family's screen time?
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Maybe next time, Dennis.
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Rats. Okay, everyone ready to get this show going?
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Okay, great, then let's get to it.
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📝Key Phrases

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flips the script
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at their own pace
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make an impact
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refresh our contestants
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hard to believe
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📖 Transcript

Grownups, Wondery Plus subscribers can listen to Wow in the World early and ad -free right now.
Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or Wondery Kids Plus on Apple Podcasts.
Hey, grownups. Ever feel like everyone's glued to their own screen?
Want to actually feel good about your family's screen time?
Next, Playground flips the script with games that get the whole family moving, laughing, and playing together.
It's a motion -powered game system.

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