Ryers Readers - The Panda Problem

Episode Date: April 10, 2024

Every story needs a problem. But, Panda doesn’t have a problem. Maybe, Panda IS the problem!

Let's do this! Thank you so much for tuning into today's story. Don't forget to rate and follow, so you never miss out on all the Ryers' readers fun. Before we get into the story, do you want to know a fun fact? Did you know that an adult giant panda can eat around 26 to 84 pounds of bamboo each day? Their diet consists almost entirely of bamboo, and they spend a big portion of their day eating bamboo to have enough energy to eat more bamboo. Pretty cool, huh? Okay, story time. Today, we are going to read The Panda Problem by Deborah Underwood. Once upon a time, there was a time.

a panda who lived in a beautiful bamboo grove but the panda had a big problem nope excuse me I don't have any problems lovely view lots of bamboo to eat sunny day what could be better doory I'm the narrator and you are the main character the main character that sounds in It is, but you need a problem. Why? So you can solve the problem. That's how stories work. So what's your problem? Do you want to go somewhere? Nope. Are you afraid of spiders? Nope. Do you need a friend? Nope. Do you wish you could fly? Nope. Do you wish you were green? Nope. Is your paw sore? Oh, let me check. Uh, nope. How am I supposed to tell a story if you don't have a problem?

I don't know. Looks like you're the one with the problem, buddy. Hey, maybe you are the main character, and I'm your problem. What? That's ridiculous. You're right. How could a sweet little panda like me? be a problem unless I start playing a banjo really badly. Hey, where did you get that? And what if I hung upside down and sang the bamboo burp song? Bamboo brap, bamboo brap. You are definitely starting to feel like a problem. Great! And what if it started raining jelly beans? Now there's a problem for you. How will you explain that? Next time I'm going to narrate a book about rocks. Nice, quiet rocks. And what if a bunch of aliens landed? How could you possibly tell a story about a burping panda and jelly bean rain and...

aliens. Aliens? There's no such thing as high aliens. And what if we built a boat and sailed to Antarctica? But the setting for this story is a bamboo grove. There are no penguins in bamboo groves. Okay. We've got a main character, you. And a problem, me. So what happens next? Well, sometimes the problem gets worse, but that won't happen now because things can't get any worse. Oh, can't they? What if suddenly there were two panda?

Wow, I'm tired and hungry. Very hungry. I think we have a problem. Finally, what is it? We're very hungry, and there's no bamboo in Antarctica. Well, well, that is a problem. How will you solve it? I don't know. I'm too hungry to think straight.

Glippity gork? Hey, great idea, alien. Okay, narrator. If you get us home, we will stop making problems and help you tell your panda story. No banjos, no burping, no penguins. Really? Well, all right. Together, the pandas and aliens came up with a great plan.

The pandas and aliens spelled out help with jelly beans. The alien ship scooped everyone up in its tractor beam and dropped them safely back in the bamboo grove where everyone settled down to a bamboo and jelly bean feast. What a satisfying ending! I'm really sleepy. Wake up! We need to help the narrator tell a story. We promised!

That's okay. Let's try again tomorrow. I'm sleepy too. Hey, why don't you tell me a bedtime story? Sure, we are story experts now. Once upon a time, there was a narrator, but the narrator had a big problem. Nope. The end. Don't forget to stick around. to see if you can answer today's paying attention question. Before you go, do you think you can answer today's paying attention question? How did the pandas leave Antarctica and return back to the bamboo grove?

If your answer was, in an alien spaceship? You did it! Great job! You sure were paying attention. I hope you enjoyed that story. I wonder what we're going to read next.