Welcome to Past and Pen!
Hosted by: Rosie Talley, Author of Linus the Troll
Produced by: Sweet Meadowlark Stories
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📧 Email: ⁠[email protected]⁠

Old Fashioned Summer Shenanigans
In this episode of Past and Pen, we’re cranking up the nostalgia and heading back to summers long before smartphones and A/C. From penny ice cream to sticky pie-eating contests and itchy wool swimsuits, we’re diving into the surprising, silly, and sometimes unfair history of summertime fun.

You’ll discover how kids cooled off, how pie became the centerpiece of chaotic contests, and why the first swimming pools weren’t built for play. Spoiler: it all gets a little gooey.

So grab your towel, maybe a popsicle, and get ready to splash into the past with us!

Reading List:
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Ice Cream: The Full Scoop by Gail Gibbons

Food Fight! by Tanya Steel

The Boy Who Invented the Popsicle by Anne Renaud

The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies

444+ Fun Facts for Sports Kids: Swimming Edition by Dr. Rabea Hadi

Judy Moody and the NOT Bummer Summer by Megan McDonald

The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale by Jeanne Birdsall

Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls

Writing Prompt:
Imagine you’re a kid in the 1920s spending a summer day at the town fair. You kick things off with a messy pie-eating contest, then cool off in a new public pool—wearing a wool swimsuit that feels like a soggy sweater. Write a journal entry or short story from that kid’s point of view. What’s fun? What’s frustrating? What would surprise a kid from today?

Share your stories, drawings, or ideas with me at [email protected] — I’d love to see what you create!

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Question of the Month:If you could interview any historical figure or book character, who would you choose—and what would you ask them first?

P.S. If you want even more summer reading fun, check out my new summer reading program Wander and Wonder. It’s a parent/child book club with options for kids ages 4 to 12. You’ll get kitchen classroom recipes inspired by the books we read, a printable PDF journal with drawing or writing prompts, and hands-on activities to bring each story to life.

Sources for This Episode:

Smithsonian Magazine – How the Ice Cream Truck Made Summer Cool

Ice Cream Nation - Ice Cream in Ancient Times

Chamoy City Limits- History of Ice Cream Trucks in America

Popsicle Official Site- Our Story

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Stay curious, and keep writing your story.