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 Nov 13, 2024
Wednesday Nov 13, 2024
Join Jill and Liz as they answer the questions “How do we know what stars are made of?” and “Why does my stomach growl when I’m hungry?” We also have a fact about a megaldon shark and a 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!
Hannah’s Fact of the Day: https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S174C1018270
Liz’s Book Recommendation: https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S174C947178
Regarding stars...
https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/research/science-field/stellar-astronomy
https://science.nasa.gov/universe/stars/
https://science.nasa.gov/universe/exoplanets/symphony-of-stars-the-science-of-stellar-sound-waves/
"Star." World Book Kids, 2024,
www.worldbookonline.com/kids/article?id=ar831371. Accessed 15 Oct. 2024.
The Fire of Stars by Kirsten W. Larson
Regarding Stomachs...
https://research.ebsco.com/c/sbdrh4/viewer/html/7uqk6tomrj
https://research.ebsco.com/c/sbdrh4/viewer/html/23uhqty5gf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqwTeM9h-Rc
school.eb.com/levels/elementary/article/digestive-system/353054
Wednesday Oct 30, 2024
Wednesday Oct 30, 2024
In this episode we answer the questions, “How do animals that live underground know where they’re going?” and “Why can’t I tickle myself?” We learn a fact of the day from an East Grand Rapids librarian and share a realistic fiction chapter book that would be a great family readaloud. To submit your own question, go to KDL.org/Stump. We can’t wait to hear from you!
Jenny’s Fact of the Day: Why? Encyclopedia: Brilliant Answers to Baffling Questions:
https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S174C1124549
Jill’s Book Recommendation: The Turtle of Michigan by Naomi Shahib Nye
https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S980C6329781
Concerning underground animals:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIaawmwyFvQ
https://research-ebsco-com.kdl.idm.oclc.org/c/qctlkj/viewer/pdf/n6agbt7wgv
https://research.ebsco.com/c/5h4gt5/viewer/html/53sgntcegb
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fossorial
Concerning being ticklish:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knismesis_and_gargalesis
https://www.livescience.com/33378-ticklish-animals.html
https://www.britannica.com/story/why-cant-you-tickle-yourself
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-cant-a-person-tickle/
Evolutionary protection via tickling: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqzCr7J7YW8
Rat tickle video: https://youtu.be/78PfGQbL-g0
Wednesday Oct 16, 2024
Wednesday Oct 16, 2024
Join Jill and Liz as they answer the questions, “Why are Dalmatians associated with fire trucks?” and “How do hamsters fit so much stuff in their cheeks?” We also share a fun fact of the day about the Artic Birds and a graphic novel about DND playing dogs. To submit your own question, go to KDL.org/Stump or email us at stumpthelibrarian@kdl.org We can’t wait to hear from you!
Concerning Dalmatians:
https://school.eb.com/levels/high/article/Dalmatian/28606
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/dalmatian/
https://www.livescience.com/33293-dalmatians-official-firehouse-dogs.html
https://www.rd.com/article/why-firehouse-dogs-usually-dalmatians/
Concerning Hamsters:
Curious About Hamsters: https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S174C913386
Homemade for Hamsters: https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S174C486355
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheek_pouch
https://www.ifaw.org/animals/wild-hamsters
Hamster stuck in candle jar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkZ6gzyg7yY
Hamster makes a U-turn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWzuNr0ulUY
Wednesday Oct 02, 2024
Wednesday Oct 02, 2024
Jill and Liz are BACK for season 5. As always, we are here to answer your questions! Follow us to get a new episode every other Wednesday afternoon.
In this episode we answer the questions “Why are some people left-handed?” and “Are all mosquitoes that bite female?” We also share a fact of the day from a Rockford librarian and share a historical fiction book with adventure and spy stuff! To submit your own question, go to KDL.org/Stump. We can’t wait to hear from you!
Shannon’s Fact of the Day: Yes? No! Maybe So… by Julie Beer
https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S174C1124562
Jill’s book recommendation: Max in the House of Spies by Adam Gidwitz
https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S174C990059
Concerning left-handedness:
https://www.apa.org/monitor/2009/01/brain#:~:text=But%20handedness%20has%20its%20roots,in%20language%20and%20speech%20areas.
https://www.dictionary.com/e/sinister-dexter-left-right-word-origin-history/
https://www.history.com/news/why-are-left-handers-called-southpaws
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-37423-8
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3258574/
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-causes-some-people-t/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handedness
Concerning mosquitoes:
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/mosquito
school.eb.com/levels/high/article/mosquito/53915.
https://www.cdc.gov/mosquitoes/index.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK585164/
Wednesday Jun 26, 2024
Wednesday Jun 26, 2024
Join Jill and Liz as they answer the questions “How do bees make honey?” and “How does a possum play dead?” You can send us your question at KDL.org/stump or email us at Stumpthelibrarian@kdl.org. We look forward to hearing from you!
Regarding Bees...
Sarah Ridley. Bee to Honey. Crabtree Publishing Company, 2018. EBSCOhost, research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=0ef16ae6-cda2-3e2d-8ecc-36897af19cb9.
https://www.manawahoney.co.nz/blog/the-wonder-of-how-bees-make-honey/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honey_bee
The Secret Life of Bees by Moira Butterfield
https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S174C808599
You Wouldn’t Want to Live Without Bees! By Alex Woolf https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S174C486864
Regarding Possums...
https://school.eb.com/levels/high/article/opossum/57213
https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/opossum
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/opossum
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apparent_death
Wednesday Jun 12, 2024
Wednesday Jun 12, 2024
Feeling Queasy
Join Jill and Liz as they answer the questions, “Why is there a metric system and an imperial system?” and “Why do people get seasick?” We also share a fact of the day about fast airplanes and recommend a library mystery novel. To submit your own question, go to KDL.org/Stump. We can’t wait to hear from you!
Liz’s Fact of the Day: 1,000 Amazing World Facts
https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S174C1018270
Jill’s Book Recommendation: The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead
https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S174C943273
Concerning the metric system:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtKbq_zAr-A
https://usma.org/origin-of-the-metric-system#
"Metric system." Britannica School, Encyclopædia Britannica, 19 Nov. 2018. school.eb.com/levels/high/article/metric-system/52355. Accessed 15 May. 2024.
https://school.eb.com/levels/high/article/measurement-system/108505
Concerning motion sickness:
https://www.asha.org/public/hearing/dizziness-and-balance/
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fncir.2023.1150233/full
https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/motion-sickness/#causes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patricia_S._Cowings
Do astronauts get motion sickness? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCBXiOvdCF4
Wednesday May 29, 2024
Wednesday May 29, 2024
Join Jill and Liz as they answer the questions “Why doesn’t gravity work on balloons?” and “How do you make money when I don’t pay the library?” You can send us your question at KDL.org/stump or email us at Stumpthelibrarian@kdl.org. We look forward to hearing from you!
Regarding Balloons...
Up & Away! How Two Brothers Invented the Hot-Air Ballon by Jason Henry https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S174C612205
"Balloon." World Book Kids, 2024,
www.worldbookonline.com/kids/article?id=ar830355. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_air_balloon
https://howthingsfly.si.edu/gravity-air/buoyancy
https://www.omnicalculator.com/everyday-life/helium-balloons
https://stratocat.com.ar/indexe.html
Regarding libraries...
https://school.eb.com/levels/high/article/library/106477
https://www.ala.org/aboutala/before-1876
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_library
https://www.milibraries.org/penal-fines
Wednesday May 15, 2024
Wednesday May 15, 2024
Potty Training for Astronauts
Join Jill and Liz as they answer the questions, “How do astronauts go to the bathroom in space?” and “What causes thunder and lightning?” We also share a fact of the day about diamonds and an awesome graphic novel recommendation. To submit your own question, go to KDL.org/Stump. We can’t wait to hear from you!
Liz’s Fact of the Day: 513 Weird Facts Every Kid Should Know by Thomas Canavan
https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S174C1000498
Jill’s Book Recommendation: Frizzy by Claribel A. Ortega
https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S174C895871
Concerning space toilets:
The Astronaut’s Guide to Leaving the Planet by Terry Virts
https://science.howstuffworks.com/bathroom-in-space
https://www.nasa.gov/international-space-station/
https://www.nasa.gov/podcasts/houston-we-have-a-podcast/space-hygiene/
Concerning thunder & lightning:
https://school.eb.com/levels/high/article/thunder/72323
https://school.eb.com/levels/high/article/lightning/48228
https://www.weather.gov/media/pah/WeatherEducation/lightningsafety.pdf
https://www.nssl.noaa.gov/education/svrwx101/lightning/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEiVi9TB_RQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUNEFefftt8
Wednesday May 01, 2024
Wednesday May 01, 2024
Join Jill and Liz as they answer the questions “Do animals make friends?” and “How do bubbles work? Why are they always round?” You can send us your question at KDL.org/stump or email us at Stumpthelibrarian@kdl.org. We look forward to hearing from you!
Regarding Animal BFFS...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interspecies_friendship
"Animal social behaviour." Britannica School, Encyclopædia Britannica, 3 Mar. 2017. school.eb.com/levels/high/article/animal-social-behaviour/110427. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/animal-behavior
"Charles Scott." Dictionary of American Biography, Charles Scribner's Sons, 1936. Gale In Context: U.S. History, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/BT2310003891/UHIC?u=madi17239&sid=UHIC&xid=cccdcb74. Accessed 7 Nov. 2020.
Regarding Bubbles....
https://www.cmosc.org/category/resources/
https://exetersciencecentre.org/projects/nibbles/bubbles/
https://science.howstuffworks.com/why-do-bubbles-pop.htm
Make a square bubble: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12UIOlzai5M
Wednesday Apr 17, 2024
Wednesday Apr 17, 2024
Join Jill and Liz as they answer the questions, “Why are ladybugs and four-leaf clovers lucky?” and “Why do some foods taste salty and some taste sweet?” We also share a fact of the day about mapmaking and several heartwarming book recommendations. To submit your own question, go to KDL.org/Stump. We can’t wait to hear from you!
Liz’s Fact of the Day: The Maps Book by Joanne Bourne
https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S174C972130
Jill’s Book Recommendations: A Day with No Words by Tiffany Hammond
https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S174C935518
The Fire, the Water, and Maudie McGinn by Sally J. Pla
https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S174C978558
Good Different by Meg Eden Kuyatt
https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S174C951435
Concerning ladybugs & four-leaf clovers:
https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/ladybug
https://school.eb.com/levels/high/article/ladybug/46799/related#nodeId=websites&page=1
https://www.celticbug.com/Legends/Lore.html
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/facts/ladybug
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8261899/
https://www.woodlandsonline.com/npps/story.cfm?nppage=69552
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four-leaf_clover
Concerning tastebuds:
https://kidshealth.org/en/kids/taste-buds.html
https://school.eb.com/levels/middle/article/tongue/72870
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/24684-taste-buds