Board Book Breakdown

This week KC and Eric review Eric Carle’s 1969 classic, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. After The Bagunda summarizes the plot—an egg hatches, the caterpillar eats increasing amounts of fruit, then a chaotic Saturday spread of treats (including the aptly renamed "flat cheese"), gets a stomachache, eats a leaf, forms a cocoon, and emerges a butterfly—they debate whether the story fits a hero’s journey about consumption, self-regulation, and transformation. They cover publication history, Carle’s background and influences, and the book’s design innovations like hand-painted tissue collages and die-cut holes. “WTF moments” include the bizarre Saturday menu and a science complaint: butterflies form a chrysalis, not a cocoon. They joke about darker alternate endings, connect the book to intuitive eating lessons with kids, and recommend it as a must-have bedtime staple.Timestamps: 00:18 Welcome to the Board Book Breakdown02:52 What the Kids Say04:34 Coffee06:25 Plot Breakdown07:10 Plot Breakdown09:55 Heros Journey 13:45 Author and Influences16:54 WTF Moments18:12 Cocoon vs Chrysalis22:12 Alternate Endings 23:57 Adult Food LessonsAbout the Show: Board Book Breakdown is the hilarious, slightly NSFW podcast where two overstimulated parents dissect the children’s books our toddlers demand and ask the question that matters: why is this a thing? We read over a thousand kids’ books a year. Some are sweet, some are cardboard fever dreams from the nightmare collection… and of course, those are the kids’ favorites. Every week, we go down a quick author rabbit hole, share our what the— moments, ask what would a toddler say? If bedtime stories are breaking your brain, come laugh with us. New episodes every week—subscribe and follow.Feedback: What book should we review next? What coffee should we try? Please follow or subscribe and connect at: [email protected] and @Boardbookbreakdown on Instagram.

This week, KC and Eric review the 1968 picture book Tikki Tikki Tembo (retold by Arlene Mosel, illustrated by Blair Lent), a Boston Globe–Horn Book Award winner they call their most controversial pick yet. With help from Little Eric’s recap, they outline the plot: two brothers in a village, one with a long honored name and one called Chang; both fall into a well, and the long name delays rescue and recovery, leading to a “lesson” against long names. They discuss repetition, name-as-identity, social hierarchy, and criticize cultural appropriation and inaccuracies, noting the story likely isn’t even a Chinese folktale. Timestamps: 00:37 Welcome to the Board Book Breakdown01:12 What the Kids Say 02:56 Coffee04:33 Plot Breakdown08:21 Why the Controversy11:43  Author and Influences16:19 WTF Moments22:13 Alternate EndingsAbout the Show: Board Book Breakdown is the hilarious, slightly NSFW podcast where two overstimulated parents dissect the children’s books our toddlers demand and ask the question that matters: why is this a thing? We read over a thousand kids’ books a year. Some are sweet, some are cardboard fever dreams from the nightmare collection… and of course, those are the kids’ favorites. Every week, we go down a quick author rabbit hole, share our what the— moments, ask what would a toddler say? If bedtime stories are breaking your brain, come laugh with us. New episodes every week—subscribe and follow.Feedback: What book should we review next? What coffee should we try? Please follow or subscribe and connect at: [email protected] and @Boardbookbreakdown on Instagram.

In this episode of Board Book Breakdown, KC and Eric break down Caps For Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina. A cap peddler can’t sell his hats, naps under a tree, wakes to find monkeys wearing his caps, and finally gets them back by mimicking their gestures and throwing his own cap down. They test whether the story fits Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey and conclude the peddler is not changed and carries on with his sub-par business strategy. They cover Slobodkina’s background as a Russian refugee turned American abstract artist who preferred collage, her connection to Margaret Wise Brown, and possible influences from her father. “WTF moments” include beyond the horizon advertising, napping on the job, medical experimentation leading to zombie outbreaks, and inflation math on 50-cent caps, plus alternate endings and lessons about retail, creativity, and parenting.Timestamps: 00:24 Welcome to the Board Book Breakdown02:20 What the Kids Say 03:58 Coffee05:48 Plot Breakdown08:15 Hero’s Journey 11:29 Author and Influences15:34 WTF Moments18:36 Alternate Endings21:37Final Thoughts About the Show: Board Book Breakdown is the hilarious, slightly NSFW podcast where two overstimulated parents dissect the children’s books our toddlers demand and ask the question that matters: why is this a thing? We read over a thousand kids’ books a year. Some are sweet, some are cardboard fever dreams from the nightmare collection… and of course, those are the kids’ favorites. Every week, we go down a quick author rabbit hole, share our what the— moments, ask what would a toddler say? If bedtime stories are breaking your brain, come laugh with us. New episodes every week—subscribe and follow.Feedback: What book should we review next? What coffee should we try? Please follow or subscribe and connect at: [email protected] and @Boardbookbreakdown on Instagram.

In this episode of Board Book Breakdown, KC and Eric break down The Runaway Bunny, where mother bunny chases her offspring to the theoretical end of the earth in a runaway thought experiment. They map the story’s hero's journey and dive into the author’s unconventional (for the period) relationships, her lover “Rabbit”, and her untimely demise. Their favorite “WTF moments” include helicopter parenting, Brownie’s personal life reveals, and what the hell is a crocus? So sit back, have a carrot, and enjoy the episode!Timestamps: 00:25 Welcome to the Board Book Breakdown01:42 What the Kids Say 03:30 Coffee05:33 Plot Breakdown08:35 Hero’s Journey 12:09 Author and Influences14:51 Rabbit And Pebble15:31 Random High Kick Demise19:07 One Bunny Mystery20:15 What Is a Crocus?23:12 Final Thoughts About the Show: Board Book Breakdown is the hilarious, slightly NSFW podcast where two overstimulated parents dissect the children’s books our toddlers demand and ask the question that matters: why is this a thing? We read over a thousand kids’ books a year. Some are sweet, some are cardboard fever dreams from the nightmare collection… and of course, those are the kids’ favorites. Every week, we go down a quick author rabbit hole, share our what the— moments, ask what would a toddler say? If bedtime stories are breaking your brain, come laugh with us. New episodes every week—subscribe and follow.Feedback: What book should we review next? What coffee should we try? Please follow or subscribe and connect at: [email protected] and @Boardbookbreakdown on Instagram.

In this episode of Board Book Breakdown, KC and Eric break down Grandpa’s tall-tale bedtime story about Chew and Swallow, where meals fall from the sky until the weather turns into giant, dangerous food that forces the townspeople to escape using food as a boat. They highlight the sanitation crew’s role, the town’s elite meteorologists, and why is there no dad in the story? Their favorite scenes and “WTF moments” include Lower Intestine Street, food chaos like noodlehead and questions about hygiene, waste, and supply chain logic. Timestamps:00:30 Welcome to Board Book Breakdown01:35 What the Kids Say04:31 Coffee07:50 Plot Breakdown Chew and Swallow11:33 About the Author12:54 Grandpa In the Story13:43 US Divorce Rates14:45 Where Is Dad16:36 Lower Intestine Street18:46 Worst Food Debate19:58 Lessons And Logic Gaps22:06 Final ThoughtsAbout the Show: Board Book Breakdown is the hilarious, slightly NSFW podcast where two overstimulated parents dissect the children’s books our toddlers demand and ask the question that matters: why is this a thing? We read over a thousand kids’ books a year. Some are sweet, some are cardboard fever dreams from the nightmare collection… and of course, those are the kids’ favorites. Every week, we go down a quick author rabbit hole, share our what the— moments, ask what would a toddler say? If bedtime stories are breaking your brain, come laugh with us. New episodes every week—subscribe and follow.Feedback: What book should we review next? What coffee should we try? Please follow or subscribe and connect at: [email protected] and @Boardbookbreakdown on Instagram.

In this episode of the Board Book Breakdown, KC and Eric delve into the 1991 children's book 'The Frog Prince, Continued' by Jon Scieszka. They discuss the genesis for the Board Book Break down, the origin of OG Fairy Tales, new age gentle parenting fairy tales, and flipping the script on both. “Happily ever after” takes intention, compromise, and working together.Timestamps:00:25 Welcome to Board Book Breakdown02:19 What the Kids Say04:08 Coffee06:21 A Hero's Journey11:31 Dark Fairy Tales14:14 About the Author16:57 WTF Moments22:27 Alternate Endings24:33 Final Thoughts About the Show: Board Book Breakdown is the hilarious, slightly NSFW podcast where two overstimulated parents dissect the children’s books our toddlers demand and ask the question that matters: why is this a thing? We read over a thousand kids’ books a year. Some are sweet, some are cardboard fever dreams from the nightmare collection… and of course, those are the kids’ favorites. Every week, we go down a quick author rabbit hole, share our what the— moments, ask what would a toddler say? If bedtime stories are breaking your brain, come laugh with us. New episodes every week—subscribe and follow.Feedback: What book should we review next? What coffee should we try? Please follow or subscribe and connect at: [email protected] and @Boardbookbreakdown on Instagram.

In this episode of the Board Book Breakdown, KC and Eric delve into the 2018 children's book 'Love, Z' by Jessie Sima. A young robot named Z seeks to understand the concept of love and embarks on an epic hero's journey. Z encounters various characters who offer their own definitions of love, ultimately realizing it's a felt experience closer than they thought. Happy Valentines Day!Timestamps:00:32 Welcome to Board Book Breakdown01:16 Valentine's Day Preparations02:26 What the Kids Say04:28 Coffee05:55 A Hero's Journey13:00 About the Author13:59 Understanding Z's Identity15:07 WTF Moments17:43 Final Thoughts About the Show: Board Book Breakdown is the hilarious, slightly NSFW podcast where two overstimulated parents dissect the children’s books our toddlers demand and ask the question that matters: why is this a thing? We read over a thousand kids’ books a year. Some are sweet, some are cardboard fever dreams from the nightmare collection… and of course, those are the kids’ favorites. Every week, we go down a quick author rabbit hole, share our what the— moments, ask what would a toddler say? If bedtime stories are breaking your brain, come laugh with us. New episodes every week—subscribe and follow.Feedback: What book should we review next? What coffee should we try? Please follow or subscribe and connect at: [email protected] and @Boardbookbreakdown on Instagram.