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Circle Round

Created and produced by parents of young children, WBUR's Circle Round adapts carefully selected folktales from around the world into sound- and music-rich radio plays for kids ages 3-103. Each 15 to 25-minute episode explores important issues like kindness, persistence and generosity. And each episode ends with an activity that inspires a deeper conversation between children and grown-ups.
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Episodes

Encore: Coyote's Flame

Brittany O'Grady (Little Voice, The White Lotus) stars in a Native American tale about a cunning creature who uses teamwork to bring light, sun and fire to the dark, cold world. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Dec 12, 202319 minSeason 7Ep. 29

The Secret of Success

Helen Hong (Family Switch, The Thundermans) stars in a tale with English, Welsh, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Indian roots about how imagination and effort affect supply and demand. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Dec 05, 202326 minSeason 7Ep. 28

The Valley Visitor

NPR’s Ailsa Chang (All Things Considered) headlines a Chinese tale about a mysterious guest, a raging storm, and the true fruits of kindness. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Nov 28, 202320 minSeason 7Ep. 27

Encore: The Red Leather Shoes

Aasif Mandvi (The Daily Show, Evil) and Madhur Jaffrey (Madhur Jaffrey's Curry Nation, I Feel Bad) co-star in this Indian story about a wise king, a generous shoemaker, and a priceless pair of shoes. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Nov 21, 202325 minSeason 7Ep. 26

Riches to Rags

Veteran Wait, Wait... Don't Tell Me! panelists Tom Bodett and Roxanne Roberts co-star in a Dutch tale about a treasure so precious, it's priceless, and so valuable, it's invaluable! Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Nov 14, 202323 minSeason 7Ep. 25

The Upside-Down Tree

Comedian Alonzo Bodden (Wait, Wait... Don't Tell Me!, Heavy Lightweight) headlines this African legend about how one animal’s mischief created the savanna’s most majestic, magical trees. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Nov 07, 202320 minSeason 7Ep. 24

The Four Winds

Kimberly Guerrero (Spirit Rangers, Reservation Dogs) stars in a tale from the Lakota people about one thieving fox and four wise winds. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Oct 31, 202323 minSeason 7Ep. 23

The Crowning Achievement

Faith Salie (Wait, Wait... Don't Tell Me, CBS Sunday Morning) stars in a Jewish legend about a princess who learns how to lead with her head and her heart. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Oct 24, 202325 minSeason 7Ep. 22

The Sweetest Sounds

NPR's Rachel Martin (Up First, Enlighten Me) and Ayesha Rascoe (Weekend Edition, Up First) co-star in a Hungarian tale about a violinist, a wizardess, and listening to the music of your heart. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Oct 17, 202320 minSeason 7Ep. 21

Heart and Stone

Joshua Johnson (The Night Light with Joshua Johnson, Now Tonight with Joshua Johnson) headlines this international tale about losing your heart and finding an adventure. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Oct 10, 202325 minSeason 7Ep. 20

The Stork King

Julian Lerner (The Wonder Years, Alma's Way) stars in a Ukrainian tale about how high-flying risks can pay off in the end. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Oct 03, 202329 minSeason 7Ep. 19

The Empty Barrel

Anjali Bhimani (Overwatch, Stray Gods) stars in this Moroccan Jewish tale about a woman who doesn’t view chores as a barrel of fun, until they lead to a boatload of adventure! Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Sep 26, 202325 minSeason 7Ep. 18

The Clock Bird

Byron Mann (The Modelizer) plays a preening, boastful bird in this Latin American story about learning there's no "I" in team. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Sep 19, 202318 minSeason 7Ep. 17

The Bright Side

Broadway star Liana Hunt (Back to the Future) headlines this tale with Polish and Hispanic roots about seeing the bright side, even when things get dark. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Sep 12, 202329 minSeason 7Ep. 16

Encore: The Star Fruit Tree

Oscar nominee Stephanie Hsu (Everything Everywhere All At Once, The Monkey King) headlines this magical Vietnamese tale about the sweet rewards generosity and contentment can bring. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Sep 05, 202321 minSeason 7Ep. 15

Big news from Rebecca Sheir… plus an exclusive Circle Round story!

Announcing an exciting new way for you to Circle Round with us, support public radio and get some really cool stuff — welcome to the Circle Round Club! Also check out the preview of one of our bonus bedtime stories: a tale we call “The Lighthouse of the Pampas,” from the South American country of Uruguay. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Aug 31, 20236 minSeason 7Ep. 14

The Elephant in the Room

Recorded live at Tanglewood with members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and a star-studded cast, this Chinese courtroom drama explores truth, justice, and the elephant way. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Aug 29, 202320 minSeason 7Ep. 13

The Bitter Truth

Recorded live at Tanglewood with members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and a star-studded cast, this West African tale shows why dishonesty is definitely not the best policy! Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Aug 22, 202326 minSeason 7Ep. 12

All Tied Up

Recorded live at Tanglewood with members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and a star-studded cast, this tale from Borneo features a tiny trickster who untangles a problem by tying it up in knots! Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Aug 15, 202326 minSeason 7Ep. 11

A Biscuit, A Basket

Saara Chaudry (The Muppets Mayhem, Holly Hobby) stars in this tale from India and beyond about good deeds, bad intentions, and biscuits. Lots of biscuits. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Aug 08, 202326 minSeason 7Ep. 10

The Blizzard Wizard

Vivien Lyra Blair (Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Boogeyman) headlines this story from the indigenous peoples of Sibera about a supernatural spirit with a very cold shoulder. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Aug 01, 202321 minSeason 7Ep. 9

Encore: The Great Ball Game

In this Native American and First Nations tale, William Jackson Harper (The Good Place, Love Life) portrays a tiny creature who teaches the other animals and birds to appreciate what it means to be different. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Jul 25, 202320 minSeason 7Ep. 8

Encore: A Taste of Honey

Hannah Simone (New Girl; Mira, Royal Detective) stars alongside her real-life father Naren Simone in a South Asian tale about the power of self-reliance. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Jul 18, 202321 minSeason 7Ep. 7

Encore: The Unwelcome Guest

Richard Kind (Inside Out, American Dad!) stars in this Middle Eastern folktale about a clever man who teaches his village a thing or two about the dangers of judging a book by its cover. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Jul 11, 202318 minSeason 7Ep. 6

Encore: The Lion’s Whisker

Miles Brown and Marsai Martin (Black-ish) co-star with NPR veteran Ofeiba Quist-Arcton in this Ethiopian story about courage, collaboration, patience, and sibling love. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Jul 04, 202315 minSeason 7Ep. 5

Buried Treasure - live at KCRW

Recorded live at KCRW in Santa Monica, CA, this story with international roots shows how having a soft spot for hard work can pay off -- big time! Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Jun 27, 202325 minSeason 7Ep. 4

Two Moons - live at KCRW

Recorded live at KCRW in Santa Monica, CA, this story from Thailand, Laos, and Malaysia gives a whole new meaning to "promising the moon"! Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Jun 20, 202325 minSeason 7Ep. 3

The Pot of Gold - live at Round House Theatre

Recorded live at Round House Theatre in Bethesda, MD, this tale from the Jewish tradition shows how misplacing our trust can put us in a sticky situation! Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Jun 06, 202329 minSeason 7Ep. 1

Once Upon a Flame - feat. William Mapother

Willam Mapother (Lost, On Sacred Ground) headlines this Romanian tale about a story-less man who hopes his tale will end happily ever after! Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

May 30, 202328 minSeason 6Ep. 48
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