Welcome to Kent District Library’s Stump the Librarian Podcast where your friendly neighborhood librarians put their research skills to the test answering questions from you, the listener! Jill and Liz every other Wednesday to learn new and exciting information. Think you have a question that can stump us? Visit www.kdl.org/stump to submit a question of your own!
Episodes
Wednesday Feb 18, 2026
Wednesday Feb 18, 2026
Join Liz and Jill as we answer the questions “What year was the first phone invented?” and “What noise does a seahorse make?” We have a fact about buying books for the library and a road trip novel that you are sure to love! To submit your own question, go to KDL.org/Stump. We can’t wait to hear from you!
Regarding telephones...
https://school.eb.com/levels/high/article/telephone/110260
"Alexander Graham Bell." Britannica School, Encyclopædia Britannica, 19 May. 2025. school.eb.com/levels/high/article/Alexander-Graham-Bell/15220. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
Regarding Seahorses...
Seahorses by Melissa Gish: https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S174C921475
Sea horse. (2024). Salem Press Primary Encyclopedia.
https://www.livescience.com/46718-seahorses-growl.html
https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/animals/sea-life/seahorse-facts/
https://ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/invertebrates/seahorses-make-racket
www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/blog/seahorse-fact-sheet
https://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/fishkeeping-news/seahorses-growl-when-theyre-stressed/
https://www.theseahorsetrust.org/seahorse-facts/
Pygmy seahorse camouflage: https://youtu.be/Q3CtGoqz3ww?si=uspCBEInzoqShwKr
Wednesday Feb 04, 2026
Wednesday Feb 04, 2026
In this episode we answer the questions “How do skunks produce that stinky substance?” and “Which came first, Yeti or Bigfoot?” and “Is Bigfoot real?” We also share a turtle fact of the day from Librarian Laura and Liz recommends a heartwarming chapter book about a very important bear. To submit your own question, go to KDL.org/Stump. We can’t wait to hear from you!
Laura’s fact of the day: The Book of Turtles by Sy Montgomery
https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S174C922118
Liz’s book recommendation: Pocket Bear by Katherine Applegate
https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S174C1192274
Concerning skunks:
"skunk." Britannica School, Encyclopædia Britannica, 13 Jun. 2022. school.eb.com/levels/middle/article/skunk/68133. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.
https://www.discovermagazine.com/10-facts-about-the-striped-polecat-and-no-its-not-a-skunk-46050
https://www.ourherald.com/articles/a-story-to-hang-onto-the-ultimate-skunk-remedy
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/nature/chemistry-skunk.html
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/ask-smithsonian-what-makes-skunk-spray-smell-so-terrible-180955553/
Science of skunk spray: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-4xNQuqZ1k
Concerning Bigfoot & the Yeti:
https://www.history.com/articles/bigfoot-legend-newspaper
https://mil.wa.gov/the-legend-of-bigfoot
https://www.livescience.com/24598-bigfoot.html
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/why-so-many-people-still-believe-in-bigfoot-180970045/
https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20220720-the-true-origin-of-sasquatch
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patterson%E2%80%93Gimlin_film#
Wednesday Jan 21, 2026
Wednesday Jan 21, 2026
Join Liz and Jill as we answer the questions “Are Maine Coons the largest cat?” and “Do orangutans eat oranges?” We have a fact about animal jobs and an adventure novel that you are sure to love! To submit your own question, go to KDL.org/Stump. We can’t wait to hear from you!
Regarding Maine Coons...
https://school.eb.com/levels/high/article/Why-Are-Maine-Coon-Cats-So-Big/648427
https://school.eb.com/levels/high/article/Longhair-Cat-Breeds/649275#421786.toc
https://school.eb.com/levels/high/article/Maine-coon-cat/472805
https://a-z-animals.com/animals/maine-coon/#single-animal-text
https://www.petmd.com/cat/general-health/big-cat-breeds
https://school.eb.com/levels/high/article/cat/106124
https://web.archive.org/web/20150714021608/http://www.tica.org/index.php
Regarding Orangutans...
"Orangutan." World Book Kids, 2025,
www.worldbookonline.com/kids/article?id=ar831672. Accessed 17 Dec. 2025.
https://www.orangutan.org.uk/blog/orangutan-stories-the-art-of-nest-building
https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/orangutan/
Nest-building: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAz26FGACZc
Orangutans by Nicki Clausen-Grace: https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S174C911137
Orangutans by Mara Grunbaum: https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S174C588337
Wednesday Jan 07, 2026
Wednesday Jan 07, 2026
In this episode we answer the questions “Can you hear bamboo grow?” and “How do you find out a tree’s age?” We also share a fact of the day from Data Coordinator Sheri and Liz recommends a chapter book about an octopus rescue with a lot of heart. To submit your own question, go to KDL.org/Stump. We can’t wait to hear from you!
Liz’s book recommendation: Three Blue Hearts by Lynne Kelly
https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S174C1235498
Concerning bamboo:
https://www.guaduabamboo.com/blog/where-does-bamboo-grow
https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/giant-panda
https://onetreeplanted.org/blogs/stories/bamboo
https://school.eb.com/levels/middle/article/bamboo/273085
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamboo
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_panda
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhizome
Bamboo forest sounds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Vky3vEL6Dc
Concerning dendrochronology:
https://www.nps.gov/grba/learn/historyculture/the-prometheus-story.htm
https://www.nist.gov/how-do-you-measure-it/how-do-you-measure-age-tree
https://school.eb.com/levels/high/article/dendrochronology/29924
"tree." Britannica School, Encyclopædia Britannica, 13 Nov. 2025. school.eb.com/levels/middle/article/tree/277422#main-ada. Accessed 19 Dec. 2025.
chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://redbuttegarden.org/media/documents/calculate-tree-age-activity.pdf
https://youtu.be/MwNJC-IRgPE?si=bifxTMjO-J8U8kLG
https://www.environmentalscience.org/dendrochronology-tree-rings-tell-us
https://ltrr.arizona.edu/about/treerings
Wednesday Dec 17, 2025
Wednesday Dec 17, 2025
Join Liz and Jill as we answer the questions “Can kangaroos hop backwards?” and “How hot is lava?” We have a fact about satellites and a dragon graphic novel that you are sure to love! To submit your own question, go to KDL.org/Stump. We can’t wait to hear from you!
Regarding kangaroos...
https://www.billabongsanctuary.com.au/red-kangaroo/
https://www.bushheritage.org.au/species/kangaroos
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangaroo
"kangaroo." Britannica School, Encyclopædia Britannica, 27 Oct. 2025. school.eb.com/levels/middle/article/kangaroo/275222. Accessed 17 Nov. 2025.
https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/big-red-roos-the-roo-files/2415/
https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/tree-kangaroo/
Kangaroos by Nicki Clausen-Grace: https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S174C911135
Kangaroos: Amazing Jumpers by Lisa M. Harrington: https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S174C721420
Regarding lava...
"lava." Britannica School, Encyclopædia Britannica, 12 Oct. 2023. school.eb.com/levels/high/article/lava/47378. Accessed 18 Nov. 2025.
https://www.usgs.gov/programs/VHP/lava-flows-destroy-everything-their-path
“Eruption! The Story of Volcanoes.” Ganeri, Anita. DK Readers, 2015.
Wednesday Dec 03, 2025
Wednesday Dec 03, 2025
In this episode we answer the questions “Did George Washington eat pretzels?” and “How are hurricanes named & who names them?” We also share a fact of the day from Manager Karen and Jill recommends a captivating chapter book about a school for crime fighters. To submit your own question, go to KDL.org/Stump. We can’t wait to hear from you!
Karen’s Fact of the Day: Dung for Dinner by Christine Virnig
https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S174C755338
Jill’s book recommendation: The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls by Judith Rossell
https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S174C1197812
Concerning George Washington's pretzels:
https://www.thespruceeats.com/german-pretzel-history-4796280
"pretzel." Britannica School, Encyclopædia Britannica, 26 Jul. 2021. school.eb.com/levels/high/article/pretzel/61315#main-ada. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.
"George Washington." Britannica School, Encyclopædia Britannica, 12 Feb. 2025. school.eb.com/levels/high/article/George-Washington/108779. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
https://www.foodandwine.com/lifestyle/religious-history-pretzels
https://www.history.com/articles/the-pretzel-a-twisted-history
https://youtu.be/3whRvgEK8ZI?si=u5_q9qdDDXJ7ixig
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pretzel
Concerning hurricanes:
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/hurricane
https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutnames_history.shtml
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_cyclone
https://wmo.int/resources/wmo-fact-sheets/tropical-cyclone-naming
"Hurricane." World Book Kids, 2025,
www.worldbookonline.com/kids/article?id=ar830933. Accessed 05 Nov. 2025.
Rafferty, John P.. "How Do Hurricanes Get Their Names?". Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 Aug. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/story/how-are-hurricanes-named. Accessed 5 November 2025.
All About Hurricanes by Cody Crane: https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S174C847225
Wednesday Nov 19, 2025
Wednesday Nov 19, 2025
Join Liz and Jill as we answer the questions “how does mold grow on food?” and “Is a tater tot protein? What is a carbohydrate?” We have a fact about an African animal and a graphic novel that you are sure to love! To submit your own question, go to KDL.org/Stump. We can’t wait to hear from you!
Regarding mold...
https://www.exploratorium.edu/explore/science/activity/mold
https://extension.umn.edu/preserving-and-preparing/are-molds-foods-dangerous
https://www.foodandwine.com/lifestyle/why-dont-we-get-sick-when-we-eat-moldy-blue-cheese
https://greencitizen.com/blog/mold-in-compost/
https://www.sciencing.com/why-does-mold-grow-food-4966797/
https://www.webmd.com/diet/what-to-know-mold-food
"Mold." World Book Kids, 2025,
www.worldbookonline.com/kids/article?id=ar831547. Accessed 16 Oct.
"penicillin." Britannica School, Encyclopædia Britannica, 11 Jun. 2025. school.eb.com/levels/middle/article/penicillin/390831. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
Regarding nutrients...
https://school.eb.com/levels/high/article/carbohydrate/399389
https://school.eb.com/levels/elementary/article/food-and-nutrition/353140#311021-toc
https://school.eb.com/levels/middle/article/food-and-nutrition/274373
https://youtu.be/Q29F4a61J7k?si=Ak1ysGVk7GbjfZ3C
Wednesday Nov 05, 2025
Wednesday Nov 05, 2025
Gardens Galore!
In this episode we answer the questions “How did Meijer Gardens begin?” and “What is the difference between moths and butterflies?” We also share a fact of the day from Ada Librarian Ally and Jill recommends a beginning chapter book about two funny friends. To submit your own question, go to KDL.org/Stump. We can’t wait to hear from you!
Ally’s Fact of the Day: Everything Awesome About Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Beasts! by Mike Lowery
https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S174C703808
Jill’s book recommendation: Bink and Gollie by Kate DiCamillo
https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S174C128693
Concerning Meijer Gardens:
https://www.meijergardens.org/thirty/
https://www.meijergardens.org/thirty/#uael-video-gallery-0b5e916-1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botanical_garden
Concerning butterflies & moths:
https://australianbutterflies.com/8-differences-between-butterflies-and-moths/
https://butterfly-conservation.org/moths-matter-campaign/moth-facts
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_butterflies_and_moths
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/caterpillar-butterfly-metamorphosis-explainer/
Butterflies & Moths by John Feltwell: https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S174C580472
What’s in chrysalis? https://youtu.be/uK_iZZ4Bx2o
Breaking down differences video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWU7nefFkto
Wednesday Oct 22, 2025
Wednesday Oct 22, 2025
Join Jill and Liz as they answer the questions “How do landfills work?” and “How many teeth do whales have?” We also have a fact about Pokémon and a great book recommendation you are sure to love! To submit your own question, go to KDL.org/Stump. We can’t wait to hear from you!
Regarding landfills...
https://www.epa.gov/landfills/municipal-solid-waste-landfills
https://recyclops.com/how-long-does-it-take-to-decompose/
https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/landfill.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landfills_in_the_United_States#Statistics
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fresno_Municipal_Sanitary_Landfill
Regarding whales...
https://www.nathab.com/blog/fascinating-wildlife-facts-five-humpback-whale-feeding-strategies
"Humpback whale." World Book Kids, 2025,
www.worldbookonline.com/kids/article?id=ar833434. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
Humpback Whale by Dr. Asha De Vos https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S174C873521
Clip of whales feeding: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glxULceEEjA
Wednesday Oct 08, 2025
Wednesday Oct 08, 2025
That Dog Has a Job!
In this episode we answer the questions “Why are there rocks around train trachs?” and “What is the difference between service dogs and therapy dogs?” We also share a fact of the day from Kentwood Librarian Hatka and Jill recommends an exciting chapter book about kids stuck in an airport. To submit your own question, go to KDL.org/Stump. We can’t wait to hear from you!
Hatka’s fact of day: Sensational Sharks by Emma Flannery
https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S174C1199269
Jill’s book recommendation: Grounded by Aisha Saeed
https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S174C947179
Concerning ballast:
https://adortech.com/blog/everything-about-railway-ballast
https://blogs.loc.gov/law/2024/11/whose-time-is-it-anyway-a-brief-history-of-standardized-time-zones-in-the-united-states/
https://www.cargo-partner.com/es/trendletter/issue-49/why-do-railway-tracks-have-stones-underneath
https://www.strasburgrailroad.com/blog/caboose-facts/
https://www.train-museum.org/2023/03/19/why-are-there-rocks-under-the-tracks/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_rail_transportation_in_the_United_States
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Train_noise
On Track by Tom Adams: https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S174C1161062
Video on laying train tracks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ET7W43NVggw&t=32s
Concerning dogs with jobs:
https://school.eb.com/levels/high/article/How-Service-Animals-Help-Humans-Live-Fuller-Lives/648742
https://pawswithacause.org/assistance-dogs-101/
https://www.ada.gov/topics/service-animals/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Therapy_dog