WBUR Podcasts, Boston.

Think about a time you felt cold.

Did your body shiver?

Did your teeth chatter?

Did your skin prickle up with goosebumps?

Now ask yourself, what if you felt that way every single day?

Because that's what it's like for the characters in our story,

until a heroic canine figures out how to bring on the heat.

I'm Rebecca Shear, and welcome to Circle Round, where story time happens all the time.

Today, our story is called Stealing Summer.

We found versions of this tale from many Native American peoples, including the Shoshone, Shasta, and Hoopa.

Some really great people came together to bring you our version of this folktale, including

Mina Harris, best-selling author of five children's books, including Kamala and Maya's Big Idea,

and Maya's Big Question, coming out March 3,

2026.

So circle around everyone for stealing summer.

It was summertime, and the animals were chilled to the bone.

Yes, you heard right, they were chilled to the bone in summer.

Why?

Well, usually at this time of year, they were basking in sunshine,

enjoying long, glorious days of cloudless skies and balmy temperatures.

But this year, for reasons the animals simply could not fathom, summer never came.

...