Learn what what goes into an episode of Boomerang!
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A bucket-full of influences went into the conception of Boomerang! One of those was NPR's "All Things Considered", whose subject matter is all over the map. With curious kids as our audience, we too wanted our content be varied. But we wanted to go one better, and craft a different storytelling device to present each segment... to make each episode a roller coaster ride at the amusement park, with dips, rises, lulls and wild exhilaration from start to finish. For the full experience you may want to listen to an entire episode or two. But here's a taste of a ride on the Big Boomer.
In every episode, the "King of Complicated Stuff" and his sidekick from the Bureau of Big Ideas tackles some particularly complex topic and explains it to the listeners -- in their metaphor, in their language, from their perspective. Topics we have covered include the First Amendment, the building of the Great Pyramid, globalization, and nanotechnology.
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After the death of her parents, Toby and her Grandfather set out across America. Toby checks in with a pensive, diary-like narrative about the sights, and sounds, and people, which create a "sense of place."
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Two kids read a letter from listeners about silly things parents do, then offer advice and countermeasures bordering on the outrageous. (OK, OK smack dab IN outrageous territory sometimes too!)
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A selected children's book author -- Marilyn Sachs, Walt Morey -- reads from their book and answers questions.
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Imagine a kid lying on his bed, feet propped up against the wall, talking into a wadded up sock as if it's a microphone. It's our BOOMERANG! DJ broadcasting heartfelt commentary about some childhood injustice.
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Our kitchen mechanic teaches kids how to make simple recipes with the aid of a hilarious language tape masquerading as a French chef.
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Listeners learn about economics against the backdrop of Freddie Baxter's Rhubarb and Banana sandwich business. We get the goods on stock when Harold puts in $20 for supplies... banking when Billy borrows the $8 from Freddie that Harold gave him for safekeeping... depreciation when Kate returns a borrowed baseball glove that's been left out in the rain.
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Our Wonder Girl is one of those kids that would just as soon never come inside. Each issue she lets listeners in on her fanciful musings about some natural phenomenon: cicadas, raindrops, mosquitoes...
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Parents' "good ol' days" are now the 50's and 60's. Storyteller Dave Schmave explores values, ethics and feelings from the backdrop of a large mid-western family in another era.
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A humorous mystery featuring our own ace kid detective.... Complete with genre music and realistic SFX, kids love trying to figure out how Tucker solves the case.
This segment puts the story back in history as our time traveling reporter goes back to speak with important -- but not so famous -- historical figures. Our 11-year old reporter sketches out the background. Then, over cookies and milk people like Nikola Tesla, Jackie Robinson and Emily Dickinson explain decisions that altered the course of the world.
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Kids learn "vital" vocabulary words in this hilarious game show segment. I bet you didn't know that "sycomancy" is fortunetelling through the use of ripe figs...
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This comical brother act lends their natural curiosity to tearing apart, dissecting and explaining the mechanics of everyday household items such as levers, gears and vacuum cleaners. Beware of occasional diversions in conversation.
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As the punch line in a far-fetched adventure, our BOOMERANG! kids teach listeners how to count to ten in foreign languages – because you just never know...
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In one minute a child relates a personally empowering experience.
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