Talking with your friends in the school cafeteria is always something to look forward to. Join a group of teens, tweens, and adults as they gather around a virtual lunch table for a weekly discussion. If you like books, TV, movies, and games that skew toward the YA crowd, then this is the show you’ve been waiting for.

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2022/1/17/3/93d71977-299d-4729-9ab5-e8f6880a72cd_lr069_-_encanto.mp3

The animated Disney musical Encanto tells the story of the Madrigal family, who are all blessed with a special, magical gift. All except for Mirabel, that is. But when their magical house begins to crumble and her sibling&#39;s gifts start to fade, it is up to Mirabel to find out why and save the family.

Encanto

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2022/1/10/3/c7a52d38-b217-4afc-836b-8a896b18b862_lr068_-_happy_little_accidents.mp3

Happy Little Accidents is a game inspired by one of the sayings of famed painter Bob Ross. In this party game for 3-6 players, it is your job to start with a doodle and turn it into a masterpiece in 30 seconds. On this episode, we play a round, talk about what we might change about the game, and also discuss our usual pop-culture news tidbits.

Happy Little Accidents

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2022/1/3/3/2a790f4a-d701-43e7-b9ee-3cbbc93938bc_lr067_-_nimona.mp3

The graphic novel Nimona was published by HarperCollins in 2015. It was created by writer and artist Noelle Stevenson, and tells the story of the young shape-shifting girl Nimona and her escapades with Ballister Blackheart, the kingdom&#39;s resident villain. Also on this episode: Boba Fett, Hilda, Betty White, and fortune cookies.

Nimona

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/12/27/2/3d4c0df8-9dce-43fa-9cbd-10e9fcb516b3_lr066_-_here_to_slay.mp3

Here to Slay is a strategic fantasy card game where you try to collect heroes and slay monsters. But watch out! Your fellow players are trying to do the same thing as you, and will stop you at every turn if given the chance. Find out our thoughts on the game, plus our weekly pop-culture news tidbits and fortune cookie readings.

Here to Slay

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/12/20/3/d10c6705-5e5e-4c8b-b0e4-74c8b7604033__-_kipo_and_the_age_of_wonderbeasts__season_2_.mp3

Way back on episode 8 of Lunchbox Reaction, we discussed the first season of one of our favorite animated shows, Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts. This week, we return to our favorite mute-filled, postapocalyptic world and check up on what Kipo and her friends are up to in season 2 of this awesome show.

Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts (Season 2)

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/12/13/3/f5334c2d-df23-48b7-b148-836e32eecd6e_lr064_-_the_flight_before_christmas.mp3

Here&#39;s a holiday special we can get behind! Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas is a new animated 30-minute special from Aardman Animations. You can stream it on Netflix, and we can&#39;t recommend it enough. It&#39;s packed full of fun, mayhem, and Christmas cheer. Check it out!

Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/12/6/3/e540298a-716e-411a-8652-6576e03fdfbf_lr063_-_azul.mp3

Just in time for the holiday season, we play and review the tile game Azul, a strategy game in which you &#34;draft&#34; sets of colored tiles to fill patterns on your board. The rules feel complicated at first glance, but once you learn the basics, it&#39;s a very straightforward game that requires a good amount of strategy. We play a sample round (which may or may not be that entertaining, as it is a very visual game), and fill out the episode with our usual pop-culture news and fortune cookie readings.

Azul

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/11/29/3/5d353644-a96e-4f96-be93-e1f283ff75f0_lr062_-_robin_robin.mp3

Aardman Animations new short film Robin Robin was just released on Netflix. It&#39;s a holiday story of a young bird living with a family of mice and trying her best to fit in. On this episode we give a quick review of the show, and talk a little about what makes something a musical, versus a story that happens to have songs. In addition, we also learn that when you watch the annual Thanksgiving Day Parade, make sure you&#39;re watching the parade from the correct year! All this, plus fortune cookies.

Robin Robin

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/11/22/2/23eea666-547b-47e4-bebe-d425e13f8e98_lr061_-_shang_chi.mp3

Evan planned and hosted our discussion of Marvel&#39;s latest movie, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. We talk about our favorite characters, plus the fact that there are (finally!) no floating sky cities. All that, plus our pop-culture news and fortune cookies.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/11/15/3/8041ae39-87a9-4c30-8ccc-8b52affabe36_lr060_-_the_parent_trap.mp3

It&#39;s our 60th episode, so what better to cover than the 1961 Disney comedy The Parent Trap, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary! Brian remembers watching this movie in his elementary school library on actual film. Does the movie hold up for Linnea and Evan? Find out on today&#39;s show.

The Parent Trap

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/11/8/1/9a794490-1ef2-4c0b-a591-7779f7106a52_lr059_-_lego_masters.mp3

Linnea is busy this week, so co-hosts Evan and Brian use this week to discuss the Fox reality series Lego Masters. Specifically, they talk about the most recent season of 12 episodes, who their favorite building team was, and what they thought of host Will Arnet.

Lego Masters

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/11/1/2/7ecac475-cbb5-4e26-8e15-1974759b7ac1_lr058_-_the_nightmare_before_christmas.mp3

In celebration of Halloween, we watched the 1993 stop-motion animated film The Nightmare Before Christmas. Is it a Halloween movie or a Christmas movie? That&#39;s just one of the questions we discussed this week.

The Nightmare Before Christmas

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/10/25/4/87cd554f-7bea-4f3d-81f2-08bc745f1104_lr057_-_my_hero_academia__season_2.mp3

We return to UA High this week, and talk about season 2 of the anime My Hero Academia. Was it better than the first season? Yes! Is it easy for animators to draw invisible characters? We think so! All that, plus our usual pop-culture news and fortune cookies.We reviewed the <a href="https://lunchboxreaction.net/2021/07/26/my-hero-academia/" rel="nofollow">first season of My Hero Academia</a> in July, 2021 on episode 44.

My Hero Academia, Season 2

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/10/18/0/891682a3-3115-4fe3-a59a-61b7a3a88ce8_lr056_-_blokus.mp3

Time for another game review! This week we talk about Blokus, a strategy game where you try to place all your uniquely shaped pieces on the game board, while simultaneously keeping your opponents from doing the same. It&#39;s easy to learn, and a lot of fun.

Blokus

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/10/11/1/80e64cdd-c16e-47c7-9e05-0abc23ecbc43_lr055_-_black_widow.mp3

Marvel&#39;s Black Widow is now available to all Disney+ subscribers, so we decided to watch it for this week&#39;s show. We also discussed the idea of whether there are movies that need to be seen in the theater, or if story matters more than spectacle.

Black Widow

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/10/4/2/a614553a-b3d4-4cd3-8ea1-f2ad6b92da71_lr054_-_she-ra.mp3

The 2018 Netflix animated series She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is a reboot of the similarly titled Filmation series from 1985. The show follows the adventures of Adora, a teenage girl who has the power to transform into the legendary heroine She-Ra. This week, we discuss the first season of the show, and talk about some of the characters. Also this week, our usual pop-culture news and fortune cookies.

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/9/27/0/2d775371-a9e9-493d-9297-433fb71dc8c0_lr053_-_my_neighbor_totoro.mp3

It&#39;s time to discuss another Studio Ghibli movie, and what better movie to discuss than the 1988 anime classic My Neighbor Totoro, a movie that appears on many lists of top movies of all time. It&#39;s the gentle story of two young girls in post-war rural Japan, and their unlikely adventures and interactions with a number of friendly forest spirits. Also on the show - our pop-culture news, and fortune cookies.

My Neighbor Totoro

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/9/20/2/cadf1fdc-7164-42b4-b7b2-a3cb45d10d02_lr052_-_anniversary.mp3

This week marks the one year anniversary of Lunchbox Reaction. On this episode, we take a look back at our first year of podcasting, and highlight some of our favorite moments.

One year anniversary!

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/9/13/2/ff879eb8-4b6b-4493-9b4c-7bdd66d38783_lr051_-_dug_days.mp3

If you enjoyed Dug, the talking dog from Pixar&#39;s hit movie Up, then you should definitely check out Dug Days - a series of 5 new animated shorts on Disney+. The series follows the adventures of Dug as he navigates his new life in the suburbs with his owner Carl. Also on this episode - some pop-culture news, and Evan receives an epic fortune!

Dug Days

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/9/6/2/efb329f5-1790-4abf-8f24-49392926da2f_lr050_-_the_loud_house_movie.mp3

It&#39;s our 50th episode, and this week we take a look at The Loud House Movie on Netflix. The movie is based on the hit Nickelodeon animated TV series The Loud House, and follows the adventures of Lincoln, his parents, and his 10 sisters as they travel to Scotland. Also on this episode, we talk about the new Marvel movie Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, a new Star Wars anime series, and the passing of Ed Asner.

The Loud House Movie

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/8/30/3/2077336d-cc14-4af9-9663-db762f387da4_lr049_-_the_map_of_tiny_perfect_things.mp3

The Map of Tiny Perfect Things is a movie that has a little something for everyone. It&#39;s a teen romantic drama that also has elements of sci-fi and humor. Like the movie Groundhog Day, the protagonists are stuck in a time loop. As they relive each day, they decide to track down and make a map of all the perfect moments that occur throughout their town. Listen in as we discuss the movie, and whether we&#39;ve experienced some of our own perfect moments.We&#39;re coming up on the 1-year anniversary of the show, and we&#39;d love to hear from you! Do you have a favorite moment or episode? Something you agree or disagree with? Have an idea of a movie or book we should check out? If so, please visit our <a href="https://lunchboxreaction.net/contact/" rel="nofollow">contact</a> page and send us a note that we can read on the show.

The Map of Tiny Perfect Things

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/8/22/23/c5eb6f18-1b56-4175-b7a7-3a8a9e6d1c4e_lr048_-_schmigadoon_.mp3

Find your best bow-tie, grab yourself a bowl of corn puddin&#39;, and head on over the magical town of Schmigadoon, where every day is a musical, and true love might be just around the corner. Schmigadoon!, a 6-episode American musical comedy, premiered on Apple TV+ in June 2021, and stars an ensemble cast that includes Cecily Strong, Keegan-Michael Key, Fred Armisen, Dove Cameron, Kristin Chenoweth, Alan Cumming, Jane Krakowski, and Martin Short. This week we review the show, talk about our favorite songs, and per usual, also talk about some pop-culture news and read fortune cookies.

Schmigadoon!

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/8/16/3/3a8ee8df-4d3c-4dbe-aacf-1f26ceac332b_lr047_-_the_bad_batch.mp3

Disney&#39;s relentless release of all things Star Wars continues with The Bad Batch, a 16-episode animated series that just finished its first season. Is worth watching? Depends on your level of fandom. We enjoyed parts of it, but felt overall it was lacking in story. Tune in to our discussion, and see if you agree.We&#39;re also coming up on the 1-year anniversary of the show, and we&#39;d love to hear from you! Do you have a favorite moment or episode? Something you agree or disagree with? Have an idea of a movie or book we should check out? If so, please visit our <a href="https://lunchboxreaction.net/contact/" rel="nofollow">contact</a> page and send us a note that we can read on the show.

The Bad Batch

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/8/9/2/8115b69e-2a00-426b-b108-7adc55478414_lr046_-_the_wild_robot_escapes.mp3

Time for another book review! On this episode, Evan leads us in a discussion of The Wild Robot Escapes by author and illustrator Peter Brown. This book is a sequel to The Wild Robot, which we reviewed in January. Also on this episode, our weekly news updates and fortune cookie readings.

The Wild Robot Escapes

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/8/2/5/865dbf13-504f-4e99-aa1d-f5170560c7c9_lr045_-_in_the_heights.mp3

The movie In The Heights is a musical drama based on Lin-Manuel Miranda&#39;s hit broadway musical of the same name. The story follows the lives of a number of residents of Washington Heights, a community in New York City that is undergoing change. We also talk about the PBS Kids show Arthur, a game about pets on Roblox, and Suni Lee winning Gold at the Summer Olympics. Oh yeah - and fortune cookies!

In The Heights (Movie)

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/7/26/3/b7805bbc-6210-4ffb-85e0-9feecc51fe62_lr044_-_my_hero_academia.mp3

This week the podcast comes to you from a lake resort, so the audio quality is not the best, but the show has to go on, right? Right! Our topic this week is the first season of the popular anime series My Hero Academia.

My Hero Academia

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/7/18/22/3111d31f-5f10-4da5-a947-2bc1e611c8a5_lr043_-_loki.mp3

Marvel&#39;s new TV series Loki just finished its 6 episode run on Disney+. Linnea, Evan, and Brian give their impressions of the series, along with their weekly pop-culture news and fortune cookie readings.

Loki

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/7/12/3/2798ae98-eb39-4f72-9d22-a42d024a8917_lr042_-_summer_camp.mp3

It&#39;s time to pack your sleeping bag, apply some sunscreen, and head off to camp! This week, Linnea and Evan talk about what it was like to attend summer camp, and how this year was different compared to previous years due to COVID precautions.

Summer Camp

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/7/5/4/350783c0-ad3f-4bbb-8e97-382410161b50_lr041_-_the_magic_fish.mp3

Trung Le Nguyen&#39;s award-winning debut graphic novel The Magic Fish is a heartfelt and beautifully illustrated story about a boy and his mother, the language barrier between them, and how fairy tales can bring us together. The book was named one of the best books of the year by the New York Public Library, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, and Publishers Weekly. Also on this episode - our pop-culture news of the week, and fortune cookies!

The Magic Fish

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/6/28/2/ce90d633-80cc-407e-8037-f821d78689f5_lr040_-_luca.mp3

If you haven&#39;t already, check out Luca, the new Disney/Pixar animated movie on Disney+. It&#39;s a fun show for the whole family, and this week we give our non-spoiler review of this this fish-out-of water story.

Luca

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/6/20/23/0f897210-fbba-4af2-b1cc-0eaa7df0bad2_lr039_-_raya_and_the_last_dragon.mp3

Disney&#39;s animated movie Raya and the Last Dragon premiered in March 2021. It boasts a wonderful voice cast and received great reviews for its story, action, and score. This week we talk about the movie, discuss the main characters, and whether they should make a sequel.

Raya and the Last Dragon

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/6/12/10/2700db16-9d80-4dd0-911d-ff5f02746925_lr038_-_school_is_out_.mp3

The Covid-19 pandemic forced many schools to switch to distance learning over the past year. How did the education process work? What did the students think? This week, at the end of the school year, Linnea and Evan talk about their experience with distance learning.

School is Out!

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/6/7/0/7ac97e66-17f8-4c47-a213-f5240da100e7_lr037_-_hunt_for_the_wilderpeople.mp3

We watched the 2016 movie Hunt for the Wilderpeople back in March, but kept our discussion in reserve as a backup episode. Well, this week, we&#39;re pulling it out since Linnea got her 2nd COVID-19 shot and is feeling a bit under the weather.In addition to our review of the movie (which, to be honest, is mostly Brian gushing over how much he loved it) we also talked about Minecraft, an upcoming game called Palia, and read fortune cookies.

Hunt for the Wilderpeople

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/5/29/12/0a70abd4-0b15-4d28-91c1-ae8c5dea624f_lr036_-_the_mitchells_vs._the_machines.mp3

A cross-country family trip goes awry when a technology company inadvertently unleashes robots bent on taking over the world. Can the Mitchell family save humanity? Find out on this newly released animated show on Netflix. Plus, we talk about two games, Miitopia and My Hero Academia, and the new season of Lego Masters.

The Mitchells vs. The Machines

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/5/24/2/ed43ec61-0f4b-40ec-9752-c7af03464655_lr035_-_cat_stax.mp3

Time for another game review! This week we talk about Cat Stax, a puzzle game that will test your skill at fitting a myriad of uniquely shaped cat pieces into 1- and 2-dimensional patterns. Think Tetris, but with no stress and no timer. Plus, our usual pop-culture news and fortune cookie readings.

Cat Stax

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/5/17/4/66f68536-bcb2-41ae-9e14-72e5a3efd5d8_lr034_-_how_to_train_your_dragon__movie_.mp3

As promised, this week we discuss the 2010 movie How To Train Your Dragon from Dreamworks Animation. It&#39;s our longest episode ever, since Linnea and Brian adore this movie and can&#39;t stop geeking out about it. Also this week - some pop-culture news and the usual ritual of reading fortunes.

How to Train Your Dragon (Movie)

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/5/10/3/1ebfbc9d-86de-4179-846f-3962e047ff09_lr033_-_how_to_train_your_dragon__book_.mp3

This week, Evan leads us in a discussion of Cressida Cowell&#39;s 2004 book How to Train Your Dragon, which launched a series of highly successful movies. We also discuss the new teaser trailer for Stranger Things, the SN15 Starship test flight, and the new Star Wars animated show titled The Bad Batch.

How to Train Your Dragon (Book)

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/5/2/22/ff5c39eb-ea6b-403e-a468-518d1d66c051_lr032_-_the_oscars.mp3

This week we discuss the results of two categories from the 2021 Academy Awards - Best Animated Film and Best Animated Short Film. We were able to see 7 of the 10 films that were nominated, and give our quick impression of each.Also this week: the director for Marvel&#39;s upcoming movie The Eternals, the release of Pokémon Snap, and World Laughter Day. Plus fortune cookies!

The Oscars - Animated Shorts and Movies

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/4/26/3/a1808bbd-0bac-4fb1-ad74-7742e3f78ea6_lr031_-_the_falcon_and_the_winter_soldier.mp3

The Disney+/Marvel series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier just finished its six episode run. Find out what we thought of the show, and how we think it stacks up against WandaVision. Also on this episode: our weekly look at a few items in the news, another round of fortune cookies, and, if you listen very carefully, a special appearance by our cat Jack.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/4/19/2/6e5da43f-a1f3-49cd-be80-f382f589de9f_lr030_-_national_treasure.mp3

There are two movies in the National Treasure series, and we talk about them both this week. Plus some pop-culture news about Roblox, Powerpuff Girls, Piñata Day, and our weekly fortune cookies.

National Treasure

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/4/11/23/5a908dd9-e599-4c09-8ad1-7c62b58f48a1_lr029_-_teen_titans_go_to_the_movies.mp3

If you&#39;re looking for an irreverent, silly, musical super-hero movie, check out Teen Titans GO! To The Movies, the 2018 animated film from Warner Animation Group. The movie pits Robin, Beast Boy, Cyborg, Starfire, and Raven (The Teen Titans) against the evil Slade, who is out to take over the world.Also this week, we talk about the new series Loki, coming soon to Disney+, a kickstarter campaign for MST3K, and national pet day. Plus fortune cookies!

Teen Titans GO! To the Movies

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/4/5/2/53c8b8a1-ee6f-4bc2-84f6-ad0f6874d833_lr028_-_poetry_for_neanderthals.mp3

This week we review Poetry for Neanderthals, a game where you try to get your teammates to correctly guess a word or phrase with one catch - you are a caveman and can only use one syllable words. It&#39;s a fun game, made even better by whacking people with a large inflatable club when they make a mistake! We also discuss the new season of My Hero Academia, a new map in the game Among Us, sequels to the movie Knives Out, and once again crack open some fortune cookies to see what is in store for the coming week.

Poetry for Neanderthals

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/3/29/2/e807e61b-4b71-4668-a240-3d80fbb17802_lr027_-_rango.mp3

This week we discuss Rango, an animated film from 2011 that stars Johnny Depp as a chameleon who accidentally ends up in an old west desert town. We also talk about food on a stick, new Nintendo consoles and games, plus our weekly fortunes.

Rango

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/3/22/2/7af94c38-3a31-44df-98c6-2522618eca11_lr026_-_the_owl_house.mp3

Disney&#39;s animated series The Owl House follows the adventures of Luz, a girl who travels through a magical doorway to an enchanted land called the Boiling Isles. There, she makes new friends, faces challenges, and learns her own kind of magic. What do we think of the series so far? Find out on this week&#39;s episode.

The Owl House

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/3/15/3/e8fab7e1-0204-4371-afb1-e9e664a87ab2_lr025_-_the_lion__the_witch_and_the_wardrobe.mp3

It&#39;s our 25th episode, and we celebrate by discussing the 1950 classic C.S Lewis story The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Also this week: Evan looks forward to Marvel&#39;s Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Brian mentions Roblox&#39;s recent IPO, and Linnea is excited for Pi day. In addition -- does Linnea continue her streak of getting the best fortunes? Find out!

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/3/8/4/aa4e95be-74b8-44e4-9b87-c623092dfbfe_lr024_-_wandavision.mp3

The season finale of Marvel&#39;s WandaVision just aired, so what better time to talk about it! Also on the podcast - find out why we refer to the show as Long Division, our pop-culture shout-outs of the week, and trying to make sense out of Evan&#39;s fortune cookie.

WandaVision

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/3/1/2/7432efcc-0e6b-4765-8537-f66b8ec59e80_lr023_-_flora_and_ulysses.mp3

Flora and Ulysses is a new movie available on Disney+, and is based on the book Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo. This week, we talk about where the movie works and where it falls short. In addition, we learn that Linnea doesn&#39;t like blood draws, Evan loves Pokémon, and Dr. Seuss would have been 117 this week.

Flora and Ulysses

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/2/22/3/c29e0995-756f-4d82-8584-61a16506f480_lr022_-_hilda.mp3

The Netflix animated series Hilda follows the adventures of a girl growing up in a world that is at once both familiar and magical. It is a world inhabited by elves, giants, trolls, nisse (house guardians) and other creatures from Scandinavian folklore. The show has had two seasons (26 episodes total), and has received much critical acclaim. On this episode, was talk about a few of the characters, and why we like the show.

Hilda

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/2/15/3/662df7ae-d832-4e00-82dc-2e02577b06d9_lr021_-_qbitz.mp3

We&#39;re mixing things up a little bit this week! We open the show with a few pop-culture highlights from the news. Following that, we review the game Q•bitz, a challenging game of pattern matching. Finally, each of us open a fortune cookie to see what we can expect in the coming week.

Q•bitz

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/2/7/21/2da53a59-c7bf-41e1-82e3-50b0c8b05084_lr020_-_one_crazy_summer.mp3

One Crazy Summer, a book by Rita Williams-Garcia, tells the story of three girls who travel to Oakland California in 1968 in search of the mother who abandoned them. It is a story about sisterhood, motherhood, and relationships, set amid the turbulence of the late 60&#39;s and the rise of the Black Panther movement.

One Crazy Summer

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/1/31/22/25d20fab-9d65-40b6-8886-a15ad5a9c582_lr019_-_groundhog_day.mp3

This week we celebrate Groundhog Day by watching the 1993 movie of the same name. Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell starred in this comedy/fantasy/romance movie about a man stuck in a time loop, living the same day over and over again.

Groundhog Day

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/1/25/4/9c0e216d-c2ca-4e64-a862-e88046036979_lr018_-_pixar_shorts.mp3

Pixar Popcorn, a series of 10 mini-shorts, debuted late January 2021 on Disney+. These quick, 2 minute episodes feature many of Pixar&#39;s beloved characters going about their daily routines. This week on the show, we talk about this new crop of animation, and delve into a number of the studio&#39;s previous shorts, many of which we had never seen. In addition, Linnea and Evan try to convince Brian that every Pixar movie is interconnected and exists in the same universe.

Pixar Shorts

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/1/18/2/4ca4496c-3541-4cb1-bacc-40a24b3c5202_lr017_-_imhotep.mp3

Imhotep is an award-winning strategy game for 2 to 4 players ages 10 and up. The object of the game is to transport stone blocks from your quarry to the building site, and create monuments that rival those of the great Egyptian architect Imhotep himself! Linnea hosts our discussion of the game, and as always, we play a sample round so you can get an idea of the game mechanics.

Imhotep

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/1/10/23/bcbf431c-b1a0-4b0d-a823-bdf56c0ddbb7_lr016_-_the_wild_robot.mp3

This week on Lunchbox Reaction, we review the 2016 book The Wild Robot, by Peter Brown. It&#39;s the story of Roz, a robot who is stranded on a remote island and must learn to adapt and survive. The book was a New York Times bestseller, and won numerous awards, including Best Children&#39;s Book of the Year from both the Washington Post and Parents magazine. It&#39;s a great read for late elementary to early middle schoolers, and is even better to read together out loud as a family.

The Wild Robot

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/1/4/4/5ac3b71d-db3d-4ae6-9772-af1fea60c79b_lr015_-_exploding_kittens.mp3

If you are you looking for a sudden-death style card game that is fun for the whole family, look no further than Exploding Kittens! The game is for 2 to 5 players ages 7 and up, and takes only a few minutes to learn. It&#39;s fast, strategic, and is filled with belly rubs and laser pointers to keep those exploding kittens at bay. Do you have what it takes to outlast your opponents? Find out as Evan hosts this week&#39;s show.

Exploding Kittens

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2020/12/28/3/d812db88-0fbc-499f-b9b4-874a93c1af4c_lr014_-_soul.mp3

The Disney Pixar animated movie Soul debuted on December 25th, 2020. Soul is the story of high-school music teacher Joe Gardner, who dreams of making it big in the jazz world. He gets his shot, but an unforeseen event sends him on a fabulous journey through the great beyond. In this episode, Linnea, Evan, and Brian discuss the movie, and how they think it compares to some of Pixar&#39;s previous stories.

Soul

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2020/12/21/4/eda4fec9-9911-436f-bbde-a3e5f40eb3ff_lr013_-_wolfwalkers.mp3

Wolfwalkers, a new animated fantasy movie set in Ireland in 1650, is a visual feast. It has won numerous awards, including Best Animated Film from both the New York Film Critics Circle and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. Produced by the same animation house that created such classics as The Secret of Kells and Song of the Sea, this movie follows the adventures of Robyn, a girl who stumbles into a world of mystery and enchantment.

Wolfwalkers

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2020/12/14/4/257bb612-919f-4231-8cad-018e06345c0a_lr012_-_elf.mp3

&#34;The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.&#34; So says Buddy the Elf in the movie Elf from 2003. Watching this movie every year is a tradition in our family, and this week we talk about what makes a movie a holiday classic, some of our favorite scenes, and what we would think of Buddy if we met him in real life.

Holiday Special: Elf - The Movie

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2020/12/7/3/9c220afa-f2ef-4074-9afa-717c99d5ad57_lr011_-_steven_universe.mp3

Steven Universe is an animated series created by Rebecca Sugar that aired on Cartoon Network from 2013 to 2020. The show follows the adventures of a young boy named Steven who lives with a group of beings called the Crystal Gems. The gems are ageless alien warriors with magical abilities who protect earth from monsters and other threats.The show has a wonderful cast of colorful characters, is full of musical numbers, and was a critical success, coming in at #61 in the 2019 TV Guide top 100 contemporary television series, among other numerous awards.Listen in as Evan hosts a discussion of season 1 of this fan-favorite show.

Steven Universe (Season 1)

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2020/11/30/2/4083f3bd-75eb-438c-951f-9984a341f3ac_lr010_-_telestrations.mp3

Get out your white-board markers for a game of Telestrations! This week Linnea hosts an example play session of a game that is a cross between Pictionary and the old party game Telephone.

Telestrations

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2020/11/23/5/51cb9098-968a-48ba-a3fd-eeb0dcd5f4bb_lr009_-_snapdragon.mp3

Kat Leyh&#39;s Snapdragon is a magical realist graphic novel about a young girl who befriends her town&#39;s witch and discovers the strange magic within herself. Evan, Linnea, and Brian discuss the story, a few of the main characters, and how this story has something for everyone.

Snapdragon

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2020/11/15/17/9a2beac4-956e-46c7-b35f-4783c4200b7a_lr008_-_kipo.mp3

Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts is an animated series that premiered on Netflix in January 2020. In this episode of Lunchbox Reaction, Linnea, Evan and Brian discuss the first 10 episodes (Season 1) of Kipo, and why you should check out this amazing show.

Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts (Season 1)

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2020/11/9/5/db60f2d9-faf6-4f2f-bb62-492f77f3b9b1_lr007_-_virtual_house_tour.mp3

A 3D house tour recently became a viral internet sensation when people made a game out of navigating their way from the living room to the bathtub. Sound easy? It was anything but! Join Brian, Evan, and Linnea as they discuss the crazy Kentucky house. Visit <a href="http://lunchboxreaction.net/" rel="nofollow">lunchboxreaction.net</a> for links to photos of the property.

Virtual House Tour

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2020/11/2/3/def2c11a-7d95-4fd8-8098-48029ab0c021_lr006_-_superfight.mp3

Can an exploding marching band win in a fight against a demon possessed car? It&#39;s up to you to determine the winner when you play the game Superfight! This week, Linnea, Evan, and Brian discuss the card game of ridiculous fights, play a few example rounds, and settle the age old question of whether pacifists with super-glue guns can beat antique-throwing high-school students.

Superfight

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2020/10/26/3/3435e5a2-d258-49c7-bdfe-d2f1752d89cf_lr005_-_amulet.mp3

We discovered Kazu Kibuishi&#39;s Amulet series of graphic novels a few years ago while walking through our local library. The story follows siblings Emily and Navin, who venture into another world to save their mother with the help of a magical amulet. This week, Evan, Linnea, and Brian discuss the first 2 books of series, The Stonekeeper and The Stonekeeper&#39;s Curse.

Amulet (Volumes 1 and 2)

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2020/10/19/3/bafffbef-4b71-483c-87a8-bef46732e850_lr004_-_ivan.mp3

The Newberry Award-winning novel The One and Only Ivan, by Katherine Applegate, was recently made into a movie. This week, we discuss the Disney+ feature, how it is similar or different than the book, and what we thought about the adaptation.

The One and Only Ivan

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2020/10/11/18/8d5ef7f3-e613-46fa-844a-69cdbf71156e_lr003_-_blank_slate.mp3

This week we discuss <a href="https://theop.games/products/game/blank-slate/" rel="nofollow">Blank Slate</a>, a board game published by USAopoly.

Blank Slate

Pop-culture cafeteria talk for the YA crowd