PJ Library Presents: Afternoons With Mimi

A challenging project has Kiddo and his friends frustrated. They need to construct something that can protect an egg for their school’s Egg Drop event, but each friend has tried their own ideas without success. Mimi reads the book Five Brave Knights vs. the Dreadful Dragon, a story about kids facing similar, though fire-breathing, frustration. What can we do when our individual efforts aren’t enough?In Hebrew, the word for “together” (yachad) shares the same root as the word for “individual” (yachid), illustrating how every group is made up of individuals. Your uniqueness is a superpower, but it can be combined with others’ to achieve big shared goals.

The book Mimi reads in this episode, Five Brave Knights vs. the Dreadful Dragon, was written by Netalie Gvirtz and illustrated by Menahem Halberstadt, and published by PJ Publishing.

Episode Cast and Credits:

Afternoons With Mimi is a production of PJ Library.

Production: Executive Producer, Alli Thresher, Associate Producer, Elizabeth Korelitz

Writers and Story Editor: Alli Thresher

Audio editing, mixing, mastering, and score: Peter Moore, Palace of Purpose Studios in Malden, MA

Opening Theme Song: Lyrics by Alli Thresher, composed and arranged by Hovav Paller Performed by Deirdre Wade

Cast:

Kiddo: Percy Blythe

Mimi: Deirdre Wade

While searching for a game in Mimi’s closet, he finds a trunk full of funny costumes, plus flyers and other memorabilia from old comedy shows. Mimi explains that his great uncle Levi used to be a comedy performer, part of a long line of laughter in the Jewish tradition of finding happiness even in hard times. She shares a few famous names, telling Kiddo about Jewish comedians she’s enjoyed, like Gilda Radner, Mel Brooks, and others.

 

Episode Cast and Credits:

Afternoons With Mimi is a production of PJ Library.

Production: Executive Producer, Alli Thresher, Associate Producer, Elizabeth Korelitz

Writer: Emma Carlson Berne

Story Editor: Alli Thresher

Audio editing, mixing, mastering, and score: Peter Moore, Palace of Purpose Studios in Malden, MA

Opening Theme Song: Lyrics by Alli Thresher, composed and arranged by Hovav Paller Performed by Deirdre Wade

Jewish Comedy Historian: Brently Heilbron

Cast:

Kiddo: Percy Blythe

Mimi: Deirdre Wade

Sure, Kiddo calls his little brother “Zee,” but what is his full name and where does it come from? What makes names so important anyway? Kiddo learns about the Jewish value of Lekol ish yesh shem, the significance of names.

 

Episode Cast and Credits

Production

Cast

Kiddo wants to go to his friend Noam’s birthday party at the trampoline park, but it’s at the same time as his cousins’ play, and cousin Emilia could really use Kiddo there to calm her nerves. Mimi reads the book Rosie Saves the World which highlights the Jewish value of mutual responsibility. Kiddo knows the trampolines would be a blast, but can he find a bounce in his step from the mitzvah of helping family first?

 

The book Rosie Saves the World was written by Debbie Herman, illustrated by Tammie Lyon, and is used with permission from Kar-Ben Publishing, a division of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.

 

Episode Cast and Credits:

 

Afternoons With Mimi is a production of PJ Library.

Production: Executive Producer, Alli Thresher, Associate Producer, Elizabeth Korelitz

Writers and Story Editor: Alli Thresher

Audio editing, mixing, mastering, and score: Peter Moore, Palace of Purpose Studios in Malden, MA

Opening Theme Song: Lyrics by Alli Thresher, composed and arranged by Hovav Paller Performed by Deirdre Wade 

Cast:

Kiddo: Percy Blythe

Mimi: Deirdre Wade

Kiddo arrives to find Mimi sewing. She explains that Ms. Jenn left her coat behind when visiting, so Mimi’s giving it some needed repairs. Kiddo is eager to start playing and wants to know why they don’t just bring the coat to Ms. Jenn. Mimi shares a modern version of a classic Jewish story about the importance of not only returning lost items, but caring for them too.

 

Episode Cast and Credits:

 

Note: The version of The Lost Chickens folktale in this episode was adapted by Alli Thresher for Radio Chitaika.

 

Afternoons With Mimi is a production of PJ Library.

Production: Executive Producer, Alli Thresher, Associate Producer, Elizabeth Korelitz

Writers and Story Editor: Alli Thresher

Audio editing, mixing, mastering, and score: Peter Moore, Palace of Purpose Studios in Malden, MA

Opening Theme Song: Lyrics by Alli Thresher, composed and arranged by Hovav Paller Performed by Deirdre Wade 

Cast:

Kiddo: Percy Blythe

Mimi: Deirdre Wade

It’s challah-baking time, but when Kiddo tries to braid the dough, it keeps ending up in a big tangled blob. Mimi knows the power of a good story, so she reads the book An Egg for Shabbat. It’s about a young boy trying to go fetch an egg for his mother. He keeps accidentally breaking egg after egg in different ways, but eventually shows us all that these aren’t failures, just learning steps on the way to success.

 

The book An Egg for Shabbat was written by Mirik Snir, illustrated by Eleyor Snir, and is used with permission from Kar-Ben Publishing, a division of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.

 

Episode Cast and Credits:

Afternoons With Mimi is a production of PJ Library.

Production: Executive Producer, Alli Thresher, Associate Producer, Elizabeth Korelitz

Writer: Emma Carlson Berne

Story Editor: Alli Thresher

Audio editing, mixing, mastering, and score: Peter Moore, Palace of Purpose Studios in Malden, MA

Opening Theme Song: Lyrics by Alli Thresher, composed and arranged by Hovav Paller Performed by Deirdre Wade 

Cast:

Kiddo: Percy Blythe

Mimi: Deirdre Wade

Kiddo needs more space to race!! He really REALLY wants a huge playroom so he can build a giant racetrack for his toy cars. He’ll never be satisfied trying to fit a track on Mimi’s kitchen table. Mimi recounts a Jewish folk tale about a man who really REALLY wishes he had as big a home as his neighbor. A rabbi gives advice that seems totally unhelpful at first, but surprisingly helps the man move to a happier space – without even changing his location. Hopefully Kiddo can shift into that same gear and be on track with appreciating what’s already here.

 

 

Episode Cast and Credits:

Afternoons With Mimi is a production of PJ Library.

Production: Executive Producer, Alli Thresher, Associate Producer, Elizabeth Korelitz

Writer and Story Editor: Alli Thresher

Audio editing, mixing, mastering, and score: Peter Moore, Palace of Purpose Studios in Malden, MA

Opening Theme Song: Lyrics by Alli Thresher, composed and arranged by Hovav Paller Performed by Deirdre Wade 

Cast:

Kiddo: Percy Blythe

Mimi: Deirdre Wade

This episode features the book, The Rabbi Slurps Spaghetti, written by Leslie Kimmelman and illustrated by Sharon Davey. It is used with permission from Behrman House, Inc.

 

Kiddo is pretending to be a grownup, doing what he thinks adults do at work. Inspired by Mimi’s reading of The Rabbi Slurps Spaghetti, Kiddo learns that curiosity is an important Jewish value.

 

Episode Cast and Credits:

Afternoons With Mimi is a production of PJ Library.

Production: Executive Producer, Alli Thresher, Associate Producer, Elizabeth Korelitz

Writer: Emma Carlson Berne

Story Editor: Alli Thresher

Audio editing, mixing, mastering, and score: Peter Moore, Palace of Purpose Studios in Malden, MA

Opening Theme Song: Lyrics by Alli Thresher, composed and arranged by Hovav Paller Performed by Deirdre Wade 

Cast:

Kiddo: Percy Blythe

Mimi: Deirdre Wade

Kiddo tells Mimi of a rumor that the creepy old house in their neighborhood is occupied by a wizard who has his whole yard booby-trapped! Mimi decides to dispel the myth by bringing Kiddo to the house to meet its owner, her friend, Mr. Johansen. The man is very kind and very much not a wizard. In fact, the only magic comes from Mimi, who transports us all with a new spin on a traditional Jewish folktale about the dangers of lashon hara, Hebrew for evil language or gossip.

 

Meeting Mimi's friend helps Kiddo learn not to judge people by their appearance. And the tale Mimi tells can remind us all of the difference between sharing some interesting info and spreading something that could be hurtful. To learn more, visit our website, www.pjlibrary.org/values.

 

Episode Cast and Credits:

Afternoons With Mimi is a production of PJ Library.

Production: Executive Producer, Alli Thresher, Associate Producer, Elizabeth Korelitz

Writers and Story Editor: Alli Thresher

Audio editing, mixing, mastering, and score: Peter Moore, Palace of Purpose Studios in Malden, MA

Opening Theme Song: Lyrics by Alli Thresher, composed and arranged by Hovav Paller Performed by Deirdre Wade 

Cast:

Kiddo: Percy Blythe

Mimi: Deirdre Wade

Mr. Johansen: Ryan Abedi

Jake Johansen: Ryan Abedi