Once Upon a Time, Twice with Ms. Rachel Xi
by Rachel Xi
Welcome to "Once Upon a Time, Twice with Ms. Rachel Xi," where stories come to life in both English and Mandarin (hence the Twice)! I'm Rachel, a mom of 3, a seasoned teacher, and a 1st generation Chinese American. Growing up, I often found myself bridging two cultures, translating for my parents, friends, church and even random people on the street.My husband and I raise our children bilingually, and one way to do it is by reading stories to them in both languages. In this podcast, I share how to immerse my own kids in their bedtime stories!Check out my IG for more @rachelxeverafter
Episodes
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Sneezy the Snowman
Sneezy the Snowman by Maureen Wright is a popular children's book about a snowman who gets cold and tries to warm up in silly ways, like drinking cocoa or sitting in a hot tub, causing him to melt, but children rebuild him each time. Illustrated by Stephen Gilpin, the book features repetitive,...
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Little Blue Truck's Christmas
Little Blue Trucks' Christmas is written by Alice Schertle and illustrated by Jill McElmurry. Little learners will explore seasonal vocabulary, simple phrases and cultural fun as they follow Little Blue delivering joy to all his friends in both English and Chinese.
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God Gave Us Christmas
God Gave Us Christmas is written by Lisa Tawn Bergren and illustrated by David Hohn. In this sweet story, little cub and mama polar bear go out on an adventure looking for God and find beautiful sightings of Him and the meaning of Christmas.
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Snowball Soup
What does a snowman like to eat? Snowball soup of course! Tune in for an adorable story of Little Critter, Little Sister and Dog with their new friend. Snowball Soup is a scholastic book by Mercer Mayer.
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We're Going on a Leaf Hunt
In this cozy storytime episode, we follow our young explorers on a fun filled leaf hunt! Join us as we wander crunchy paths, spot colorful treasures, and discover the magic hidden in nature's tiniest details.
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Spookely the Square Pumpkin - A Family to be Thankful For
In this episode, we cozy up with the heartwarming fall classic Spookley the Square Pumpkin, by Joe Troiano. This sweet story reminds us that being different isn't something to hide, it's something to celebrate! We walk through Spookley's journey from feeling like an outsider to discoverying that...
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My Why and a Reflection on LeadHer Summit
In today’s episode, I’m sharing the story behind why I started this podcast. I’ll also take you inside my experience at the LeadHer Summit in Dallas, a weekend filled with powerful connections, meaningful inspiration, and transformative moments. Many of you may have seen my posts about it on…
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12 Days of Thanksgiving
Count the exciting days leading up to Thanksgiving, and get ready for a festive gathering with family! This episode brings together numbers, family, and holiday festivities in English and Chinese with Ms .Rachel, enjoy! 12 Days of Thanksgiving i a Scholastic book by Jenna Lettice and illustrated…
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Does Giraffe Eat Alone?
In this episode,we dive into the book Does Giraffe Eat Alone? By Anita Bijsterbosch. It' a heartwarming and thoughtful children's book about family, friendship and togetherness through the eys of animals. This book is extra special to me since my little boy picked it out when he was a wee…
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Back to the Basics - Greetings!
In this episode, I will be teaching you some of the most useful phrases in Chinese, enjoy!
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Do I Have to go to the Party?
In this adorable kid's story, you will learn basic words when going to a party. It's a kid friendly story to listen to or watch wherever and whenver!
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Back to the Basics - Number of Animals
In this episode, I used my kids' Usborne book All You Need to Know before You Start School to teach you basic phrases you can form with numbers and animals. Now you can confidently talk about common animals you see in phrases!
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Back to the Basics - Colors
In this short and sweet episode, I introduce to you the basic colors in Chinese! The video of me holding the book and pointing to the colors is available on Spotify or Youtube.
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Back to the Basics - Count in Chinese from 1-99
By popular demand, today's episode is all about going back to the basics. I know many of you have shared that you're just starting your journey in learning Chinese, so I want to make sure everyone feels included. This episode is perfect for beginners learning Mandarin Chinese, as we learn to…
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All about Chinese New Year
In this special episode, I will teach you all about Chinese New Year, the cultures and traditions, phrases to say and know, the Chinese zodiac etc. Enjoy!
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Grumpy New Year
What would lack of sleep do for a kid who is flying all the way to China to celebrate Chinese New Year with her grandpa? Find out in Grumpy New Year by Katrina Moore. The book is beautifully illustrated by Xindi Yan, and this podcast episode is audio only.
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A New Year's Reunion
Maomao's father works far away and comes home only at Chinese New Year. Join me in reading this heartwarming story about Maomao, written by Yu Li-Qiong, who has a BA in literature from Nanjing University (where my husband graduated from!). In the coming weeks, I will be reading and releasing 2...
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This is the Stable
Join us for a heartwarming journey with Cynthia Cotten's enchanting children's book, "This is the Stable." In this episode, we bring to life the story of the Nativity, as seen through the eyes of the humble animals in the stable. Experience the wonder and joy of the birth of Christ, with vivid...
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The Frog in the Well
For the next 5 stories, I will introduce you to 5 famous Chinese parables. They are so renowned pretty much every Chinese kid and adult in China knows them, and these stories are used in daily conversations to convey people's intentions. Today's story is Jing Di Zhi Wa, or The Frog in the Well.…
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If you Give a Mouse a Brownie
I was packing for a month in Asia when I recorded this episode. Because of the crazy timing, I didn't have time to do too much detailed explanation after the story. But my kids enjoyed this episode and learned a lot and I hope you do too! This episode is audio only for now since it wouldn't let…
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The Shape of Me and Other Stuff
This Dr. Seuss book is short and sweet, hope you enjoy!
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On the First Day of Summer Vacation
It's summer! We finished our dance recital, piano recital and kindergarten graduation, so summer has officially started! What about you? Hope your summer is off to a great start! This book is repetitive in many of the phrases, which can help you learn the English and Mandarin words quickly by...
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Are You My Mother
In this episode, we dive into the timeless children's classic "Are You My Mother?" by P.D. Eastman. Join us as we follow the journey of a determined little bird who embarks on an adventurous quest to find his mother. From meeting a curious kitten to a clunky steam shovel, this beloved tale of…
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I Love You Through and Through
Welcome to another enchanting episode of "Once Upon a Time, Twice with Ms. Rachel Xi"! In this episode, we're diving into the tender and loving world of "I Love You Through and Through" by Bernadette Rossetti-Shustak, illustrated by Caroline Jayne Church. Join us as we read this beautifully...
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The Alligator and the Dentist
The Alligator and the Dentist is a Japanese children's book by Taro Gomi. The alligator has a toothache but is afraid to go to the dentist. The dentist is afraid of operating on the alligator too, what a conundrum! As always, you can find me on Instagram @rachelxeverafter, and I would appreciate…
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Good Night Houston
Good Night Houston by Jennifer and Kyle Solak takes families on a bedtime tour of the many points of interest that make this city so unique. Since I'm from Houston, TX, I thought I'd share my beautiful city with you through this beautiful children's book! As always, you can find me on Instagram...
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10 Apples Up On Top
"10 Apples Up On Top" is such a classic by Dr. Seuss! Enjoy the whimsical rhymes of Dr. Seuss, and its culturally accurate translation by me, Ms. Rachel, into Mandarin. As always, you can find me on Instagram @rachelxeverafter, and I would appreciate it if you can like, subscribe and write me a...
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Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
While my plan is to release a new episode every Friday morning, I wanted to share some extra episodes in the beginning to kick off this brand new podcast! Today's bonus story is Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by the one an only Eric Carle, and it is dedicated to my daughter's friend...
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I Love My Dinosaur
In the third episode, we embark on a prehistoric adventure with "I Love My Dinosaur" by Caroline Jayne Church. This story brings to life the whimsical world of a child's love for their dinosaur friend. Don’t forget to follow, like, and subscribe to our podcast to stay updated on new episodes and...
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Ten Tiny Toes
With "Ten Tiny Toes" by Caroline Jayne Church, my kids learned their body parts in English and Mandarin for the first time, and I want to teach you how to say them in Mandarin too! Don't forget to follow, like, and subscribe to our podcast to stay connected and never miss an episode. You can…
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Good Night, I Love You
Welcome to the debut episode of "Once Upon a Time, Twice with Ms. Rachel Xi"! In this first episode, I will read the adorable story for little ones at bedtime, "Good Night, I Love You" by Caroline Jayne Church. It's a beloved series that holds a special place in my heart, since they were the…
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Trailer
Welcome to "Once Upon a Time, Twice with Ms. Rachel Xi," where stories come to life in both English and Mandarin! I'm Rachel, a mom of three, a seasoned teacher, and a first generation Chinese American. I’ve taught subjects ranging from Biology and Physics to leading my own Mandarin program, and...
About this show
Welcome to "Once Upon a Time, Twice with Ms. Rachel Xi," where stories come to life in both English and Mandarin (hence the Twice)! I'm Rachel, a mom of 3, a seasoned teacher, and a 1st generation Chinese American. Growing up, I often found myself bridging two cultures, translating for my parents, friends, church and even random people on the street.My husband and I raise our children bilingually, and one way to do it is by reading stories to them in both languages. In this podcast, I share how to immerse my own kids in their bedtime stories!Check out my IG for more @rachelxeverafter
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Rachel Xi
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