That’s Terrible!

The Great Chicago Fire occurred over three days in October 1871 and destroyed more than three square miles of the city. It began in a barn belonging to Catherine and Patrick O'Leary, but what sparked the fire and who was responsible remains a mystery to this day. The most popular theory is that a cow kicked a lantern over (probably because there's actually a song about it) but the real culprit could be as human as you and me. In this episode, Erika and Amelia talk to Ann Keating, a history professor in Naperville, Illinois about the fire and how it changed Chicago.   If you want to learn more about the fire, check out these books: The Great Chicago Fire and the Myth of Mrs. O'Leary's Cow by Richard Bales I Survived the Great Chicago Fire by Lauren Tarshis. There's also a graphic novel version.    We learned after recording this episode that Aly's Monkey Movement has ended their operations, but there's a new group taking up its cause. The Brookie Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting children with neurodivergence and medical needs. Their core work is to provide resources and items for these children, but through their initiative called Brookie's Bears, they're able to provide stuffed animals that bring comfort to those who need it most. 

Welcome to Centralia, Pennsylvania, a town with just a few residents and a wild history. Long ago, it was a bustling coal mining town, but everything changed in 1962 when a fire broke out underground. That fire still burns today and will probably continue for 250 years.  Erika and Amelia are joined this week by David DeKok, author of Fire Underground: The Ongoing Tragedy of the Centralia Mine Fire. He shares his theory about how the fire started and what it's like to visit Centralia today. Find more kid-friendly Centralia history here.  And don't forget to check out the Fish Doorbell and assist the lock keeper of Utrecht in The Netherlands in helping the fish move through the lock.

Get ready for an adventure into one of history’s greatest mysteries! In this episode, hosts Amelia and Erika take to the skies to explore the incredible life—and puzzling disappearance—of pioneering aviator Amelia Earhart. Who was she? What made her such a fearless trailblazer? And what might have happened on her final flight? Joining the show is special guest Sterling Falk from the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum in Atchison, Kansas, who shares fascinating facts, behind-the-scenes stories, and kid-friendly insights about Earhart’s legacy.  Packed with curiosity, history, and a dash of mystery, this episode invites young listeners to think like explorers, ask big questions, and imagine what it takes to chase your dreams—even when the journey gets tough. Special thanks this week to the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum. Also worth visiting in Atchison: the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum, where Amelia herself once lived and the Atchison Area Visitor and Information Center, where we learned the town's rich history outside of aviation. If you want to read more about Amelia Earhart, here are some books we think you'll enjoy: The Amelia Six by Kristin L. Gray Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride by Pam Muñoz Ryan Fly Girls: How Five Daring Women Defied All Odds and Made Aviation History (young readers edition) by Heith O'Brien Who Was Amelia Earhart? by Kate Boehm Jerome 20 Hours, 40 Minutes, Our Flight in the Friendship by Amelia Earhart