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 Breakdown

02:52 What the Kids Say

04:34 Coffee

06:25 Plot Breakdown

07:10 Plot Breakdown

09:55 Heros Journey 

13:45 Author and Influences

16:54 WTF Moments

18:12 Cocoon vs Chrysalis

22:12 Alternate Endings 23:57 Adult Food Lessons

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.

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 Breakdown

01:12 What the Kids Say 

02:56 Coffee

04:33 Plot Breakdown

08:21 Why the Controversy

11:43  Author and Influences

16:19 WTF Moments

22:13 Alternate Endings

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 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 Breakdown

02:20 What the Kids Say 

03:58 Coffee

05:48 Plot Breakdown

08:15 Hero’s Journey 

11:29 Author and Influences

15:34 WTF Moments

18:36 Alternate Endings

21:37Final 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 Breakdown

01:42 What the Kids Say 

03:30 Coffee

05:33 Plot Breakdown

08:35 Hero’s Journey 

12:09 Author and Influences

14:51 Rabbit And Pebble

15:31 Random High Kick Demise

19:07 One Bunny Mystery

20:15 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 Breakdown

01:35 What the Kids Say

04:31 Coffee

07:50 Plot Breakdown Chew and Swallow

11:33 About the Author

12:54 Grandpa In the Story

13:43 US Divorce Rates

14:45 Where Is Dad

16:36 Lower Intestine Street

18:46 Worst Food Debate

19:58 Lessons And Logic Gaps

22:06 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 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 Breakdown

02:19 What the Kids Say

04:08 Coffee

06:21 A Hero's Journey

11:31 Dark Fairy Tales

14:14 About the Author

16:57 WTF Moments

22:27 Alternate Endings

24:33 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 Breakdown

01:16 Valentine's Day Preparations

02:26 What the Kids Say

04:28 Coffee

05:55 A Hero's Journey

13:00 About the Author

13:59 Understanding Z's Identity

15:07 WTF Moments

17:43 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.

In this episode of the Board Book Breakdown, KC and Eric discuss the beloved children's book 'Rainbow Fish' by Marcus Pfister. They analyze its themes, the graphic design choices, and the psychological wisdom of Dr. Lady Octopus that's shaped generations since 1992. 

Timestamps: 

00:41 Welcome to the Board Book Breakdown

01:06 The Rainbow Fish

02:21 Coffee Talk (HEB Cafe Ole- Houston)

03:51 Rainbow Fish History and Influence 

06:12 Psychological Analysis of Rainbow Fish

09:40 Socialism in the Reef

14:15 Goodnight

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.

Meet Board Book Breakdown: the hilarious, slightly-not-suitable-for-work podcast where two overstimulated parents dissect the children’s books our toddlers demand on repeat and ask the question we’re all thinking: why is this a thing? 

In this trailer, you’ll get a taste of our weekly chaos: quick author rabbit holes, “what the—” moments, and Alternate Endings (because kids never stop asking “what if?”). 

If bedtime stories are breaking your brain, come laugh with us—new episodes every week. Subscribe and follow.