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River Reads

River Reads

By: River Wilde
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Canadian Radio Awards 2023 Winner Best Podcast-Small Market. River Reads is a program for all ages to escape into creative commons fairy tales and stories, as narrated by host River Wilde. Enjoy tales, both new and old, but mostly old and at times macabre, or silly, or even perhaps a little confusing as written in old english and the host fumbles words; or those classic stories that have aged poorly. Featuring ‘River Rambles’, ‘Gender Blender’, and ‘River Reads’ Rating System’. The River Reads show is "not a kids show but not not a kids show." Listener discretion advised. Originally airs on CICK 93.9 FM Smithers Community Radio @ smithersradio.com.

River Reads Rating System:

  • MON: Maybe Offensive but the Narrator can not quite put their finger on why, it just feels weird.
  • QM: Questionable Message; for those easily offended, or who do not want to engage in a possible involved discussion with your child.
  • AHD: Animal May be Harmed or Die.
  • PGD: Possible Gore and/or Death (“gore” is subjective)
  • GGD: Gross Gore and/or Death (Wilde's favorite kind of stories)
© 2026 River Reads
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Episodes
  • Ep 42 - Stranger Danger
    May 23 2026

    This week on River Reads Episode 42- Stranger Danger features one longer tale from the collection The Blue Fairy Book by Andrew Lang, called, A Voyage to Lilliput.

    River Reads is a program where those of all ages can escape into fairy tales and strange stories; both new and old, but mostly old and at times macabre, or silly, or even perhaps a little confusing as written in old english and the host fumbles words, and then there’s those stories whose premises have perhaps not aged as well over the years. Let’s face it you can’t be too picky when you’re dependent upon free material available to you through creative commons.

    River Reads is not a kids show but not not a kids show and may contain content suitable for a mature audience. Listener discretion is advised.

    River Reads has won Best Podcast in the Small Market category at 2023 Broadcast Dialogue's Canadian Radio Award. All music is composed and produced by Wilde.

    This episode's fairy tales are:

    1. A Voyage to Lilliput. The Blue Fairy Book. Andrew Lang. Longmans, Green and Co. 1889. This edition, printed in Great Britain by Cambridge University Press. 2003 Printing.


    Remember to Tune in weekly for our Gender Blender segment, where we flip and play with traditional gender roles, reimagining classic fairy tales. Only revealing which tale is our Gender Blender tale at the end of each episode.

    Support the show

    River Reads: Fairytales and Stories
    Host, Producer, Composer, Narrator: River Wilde
    Cover Art: River Wilde

    The River Reads Show - "Not a kids show but not not a kids show"

    Catch River Reads on air, Saturdays at 10am -11am PST and Sundays at 9am - 11am PST on smithersradio.com

    Access additional River Reads episodes directly at smithersradio.com/program/river-reads

    Contact the host - TheRiverReadsShow@gmail.com

    Show More Show Less
    58 mins
  • Ep 41 - Flesh & Bones
    May 9 2026

    This week on River Reads Episode 41- Flesh & Bones, featuring four tales from the collection Fairy Tales as retold by Bridget Hadaway, called Jack the Giant-Killer, The Firebird, Cinderella, and Blackbeard.

    River Reads is a program where those of all ages can escape into fairy tales and strange stories; both new and old, but mostly old and at times macabre, or silly, or even perhaps a little confusing as written in old english and the host fumbles words, and then there’s those stories whose premises have perhaps not aged as well over the years. Let’s face it you can’t be too picky when you’re dependent upon free material available to you through creative commons.

    River Reads is not a kids show but not not a kids show and may contain content suitable for a mature audience. Listener discretion is advised.

    River Reads has won Best Podcast in the Small Market category at 2023 Broadcast Dialogue's Canadian Radio Award.

    This episode's fairy tales are:

    1. Jack the Giant-Killer. Fairy Tales. Hadaway, B. London: Octopus Books, 1974.
    2. The Firebird. Fairy Tales. Hadaway, B. London: Octopus Books, 1974.
    3. Cinderella . Fairy Tales. Hadaway, B. London: Octopus Books, 1974.
    4. Blackbeard. Fairy Tales. Hadaway, B. London: Octopus Books, 1974.

    Remember to Tune in weekly for our Gender Blender segment, where we flip and play with traditional gender roles, reimagining classic fairy tales. Only revealing which tale is our Gender Blender tale at the end of each episode.


    Support the show

    River Reads: Fairytales and Stories
    Host, Producer, Composer, Narrator: River Wilde
    Cover Art: River Wilde

    The River Reads Show - "Not a kids show but not not a kids show"

    Catch River Reads on air, Saturdays at 10am -11am PST and Sundays at 9am - 11am PST on smithersradio.com

    Access additional River Reads episodes directly at smithersradio.com/program/river-reads

    Contact the host - TheRiverReadsShow@gmail.com

    Show More Show Less
    58 mins
  • Ep 40 - They Change
    Apr 25 2026

    This week on River Reads we enter Season Five with Episode 40- They Change, featuring five tales from the collection Fairy Tales as retold by Bridget Hadaway, called The Adventures of Pinocchio, The Straw, the Coal, and the Bean, The Elves and the Shoemaker, The Princess & the Pea, and The Swan Maiden.

    River Reads is a program where those of all ages can escape into fairy tales and strange stories; both new and old, but mostly old and at times macabre, or silly, or even perhaps a little confusing as written in old english and the host fumbles words, and then there’s those stories whose premises have perhaps not aged as well over the years. Let’s face it you can’t be too picky when you’re dependent upon free material available to you through creative commons.

    River Reads is not a kids show but not not a kids show and may contain content suitable for a mature audience. Listener discretion is advised.

    River Reads has won Best Podcast in the Small Market category at 2023 Broadcast Dialogue's Canadian Radio Award

    This episode's fairy tales are:

    1. The Adventures of Pinocchio. Fairy Tales. Hadaway, B. London: Octopus Books, 1974.
    2. The Straw, the Coal, and the Bean. Fairy Tales. Hadaway, B. London: Octopus Books, 1974.
    3. The Elves and the Shoemaker. Fairy Tales. Hadaway, B. London: Octopus Books, 1974.
    4. The Princess & the Pea. Fairy Tales. Hadaway, B. London: Octopus Books, 1974.
    5. The Swan Maiden. Fairy Tales. Hadaway, B. London: Octopus Books, 1974.

    Remember to Tune in weekly for our Gender Blender segment, where we flip and play with traditional gender roles, reimagining classic fairy tales. Only revealing which tale is our Gender Blender tale at the end of each episode.

    Support the show

    River Reads: Fairytales and Stories
    Host, Producer, Composer, Narrator: River Wilde
    Cover Art: River Wilde

    The River Reads Show - "Not a kids show but not not a kids show"

    Catch River Reads on air, Saturdays at 10am -11am PST and Sundays at 9am - 11am PST on smithersradio.com

    Access additional River Reads episodes directly at smithersradio.com/program/river-reads

    Contact the host - TheRiverReadsShow@gmail.com

    Show More Show Less
    58 mins
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