The Fina Mendoza Mysteries

It's "The West Wing" meets "Nancy Drew" - a podcast for little girls and political junkies. Legend says whoever sees the Demon Cat of Capitol Hill is cursed. Fina Mendoza, the 10-year old daughter of a congressman, just saw it. Can she save her family from “cat”astrophe? These are the Fina Mendoza Mysteries. www.finamendozamysteries.com

State of the Union Speeches and other Squawking 05/24/2022

State of the Union Speeches and other Squawking That mysterious bird poops on the president's head during the State of the Union address and Fina and her grandmother are up in the House Gallery, watching when it happens. Papa gives the State of the Union rebuttal speech about immigration reform. The House Minority Leader gives a party. Kitty Felde is writer producer. Cast: Amy Solano - Fina Mendoza Christine Avila - Abuelita Steven Cuevas - Papa Linda Graves - Claudia Mark Bramhall - President of the United States Rosalie Huntington - Minority Leader Ian Kunithia -Michael Wenzel Jones - Waiter DeeDee Chapelle - Stage Manager Music in the party scene composed and perfomed by Kevin Pike. Andrea Felix-Cervantes is our stage manager. Our theme music is written and performed by Andrew Barkan, and our logo designer is Imelda Hinojosa. Season 2 of The Fina Mendoza Mysteries podcast is based on the book State of the Union, by Kitty Felde, published by Chesapeake Press. You can pick up a copy at your local bookstore or ask your local public library to order a copy to add to their collection. And if you want an autographed copy of State of the Union, check out the website . That’s also where you can find out more about the cast and crew of the Fina Mendoza Mysteries and also where you can find a free download of the 56-page Teacher’s Guide to the book and the podcast just by signing up for our newsletter. That newsletter highlights the facts behind the fiction in the Fina Mendoza Mysteries. This week, it’s the history of the rebuttal speech. The podcast and the book are designed to introduce civics education to elementary school students. /episode/index/show/thefinamendozamysteries/id/23142956

Pigeon Peas and Sewing Lessons 05/17/2022

Pigeon Peas and Sewing Lessons Fina decides to take the case of the mysterious Chickcharney... maybe it has a secret message for her! Amy Solano as Fina Mendoza, Tamika Katon-Donegal as Monica, Steven Cuevas as Papa, Monica Vigil as Gabby. And Steve DeVorkin is Senator Something. Andrea Felix-Cervantes is our stage manager. Our music is written and performed by Andrew Barkan, and our logo designer is Imelda Hinojosa. Download the free, 56-page Teacher's Guide at finamendozamysteries.com. /episode/index/show/thefinamendozamysteries/id/23097296

Senator Something Joins the Hunt 05/10/2022

Senator Something Joins the Hunt Fina's grandmother finally arrives in Washington, but she seems more excited about seeing a statue of her hero: Ronald Reagan. Meanwhile, Fina enlists the talents of her detecting partner, a big orange dog named Senator Something. The Fina Mendoza Mysteries are written and produced by Kitty Felde. Cast: Fina - Amy Solano Papa - Steven Cuevas Gabby - Monica Vigil Abuelita - Christine Avila Driver - Paul Cummings Becka - India Scalione Michael - Ian Kinuthia Congresswoman Mitchell - Laura Stegman John the Staffer - Steve Gamber Senator Something - Steve DeVorkin Season 2 of The Fina Mendoza Mysteries podcast is based on the book State of the Union by Kitty Felde, published by Chesapeake Press. You can pick up a copy at your local bookstore or ask your public library to add it to their collection. Autographed copies and a free 65 page Teacher's Guide to the series available at chesapeakepress.org. It’s a great way to introduce civics to kids. More info about cast and crew of The Fina Mendoza Mysteries at www.chesapeakepress.org. /episode/index/show/thefinamendozamysteries/id/22861526

NEW SEASON Episode 1:The Bird with the Lizard Tail 05/03/2022

NEW SEASON Episode 1:The Bird with the Lizard Tail It's season 2 of The Fina Mendoza Mysteries and Fina has a new case: find the mysterious Chickcharney, a mythical bird from the Caribbean, for her friend Monica who works in the snack bar. The Fina Mendoza Mysteries are written and produced by Kitty Felde. Cast: Fina - Amy Solano Papa - Steven Cuevas Monica - Tamika Katon-Donegal Claudia - Linda Graves John the Staffer - Steve Gamber Season 2 of The Fina Mendoza Mysteries podcast is based on the book State of the Union by Kitty Felde, published by Chesapeake Press. You can pick up a copy at your local bookstore or ask your public library to add it to their collection. Autographed copies and a free 65 page Teacher's Guide to the series available at chesapeakepress.org. It’s a great way to introduce civics to kids. More info about cast and crew of The Fina Mendoza Mysteries at www.chesapeakepress.org. /episode/index/show/thefinamendozamysteries/id/22860941

Snow 101 for Californians 04/26/2022

Snow 101 for Californians Season 2 begins Tuesday, May 3rd. But we have one more sneak preview for you. It's an introduction to snow to those who live in places where snow is a rare event. Our California heroines Fina and her older Sister Gabby try to figure out how you prepare for a blizzard. /episode/index/show/thefinamendozamysteries/id/22903553

Bird Poop 04/19/2022

Bird Poop Hey! Somebody stole our plot! Last week, social media went crazy over a bit of corn chaff that fell on President Biden's lapel. It looked like bird poop. Which is exactly what happens in Season Two of The Fina Mendoza Mysteries podcast. And in the book State of the Union: A Fina Mendoza Mystery by Kitty Felde. Give a listen to this sneak preview of "the morning after" scene. Season Two of The Fina Mendoza Mysteries launches May 3rd. /episode/index/show/thefinamendozamysteries/id/22831040

Foxes and Birds and Other Animals on Capitol Hill 04/12/2022

Foxes and Birds and Other Animals on Capitol Hill There are more animals on Capitol Hill than you might think. Last week, a fox bit more than half a dozen people outside the U.S. Capitol - including a U.S. Congressman. On this week's sneak preview of Season 2 of The Fina Mendoza Mysteries, we learn about the Bald Eagle's relationship to Capitol Hill. There's a free 56-page Teacher's Guide to The Fina Mendoza Mysteries that you can download by signing up for our newsletter at . It's also available for purchase at Amazon. Season 2 begins on May 3rd. /episode/index/show/thefinamendozamysteries/id/22760759

P is for Political Pundits 04/05/2022

P is for Political Pundits You can't do a political show in Washington DC without a political pundit. We have two of them on State of the Union: Season 2 of The Fina Mendoza Mysteries podcast. One of them is real: the host of Ken Rudin's Political Junkie, public radio's Ken Rudin. He's joined by actor Garrett M. Brown (Sisters) as his partner in punditry. Ken and Garrett were asked to riff on the events at the State of the Union address. Their conversation becomes the background of one of Season 2's episodes. But we thought it would be fun to hear the entire conversation. As a sneak preview of Season 2, we're sharing their punditry. Season 2 launches on May 3. /episode/index/show/thefinamendozamysteries/id/22678787

The Mendoza Sisters: Gabby and Fina 03/29/2022

The Mendoza Sisters: Gabby and Fina Sometimes Fina and her older sister Gabby are not crabbing at each other. Sometimes. Here's a short scene from Season 2 with our favorite Mendoza sisters. /episode/index/show/thefinamendozamysteries/id/22534922

Meet the Dogs of The Fina Mendoza Mysteries 03/22/2022

Meet the Dogs of The Fina Mendoza Mysteries We respond to Olivia Lily, who comments on The Fina Mendoza Mysteries podcast with a complaint about the way we treat cats. We also introduce you to yet ANOTHER dog in Season 2! /episode/index/show/thefinamendozamysteries/id/22521914

Snowmageddon! 03/17/2022

Snowmageddon! Season 2 begins in May, but we're having so much fun finishing up the show, we wanted to share some sneak previews of State of the Union. Season 2 is based on book 2 in The Fina Mendoza Mysteries series of books, called State of the Union, by Kitty Felde, published by Chesapeake Press. Can't wait for the podcast to begin? Order a copy of the book at your local library or bookstore. /episode/index/show/thefinamendozamysteries/id/22474640

Losing is Democratic Part Two Bonus Episode 01/04/2022

Losing is Democratic Part Two Bonus Episode How do you explain the events of January 6th to children? This special is designed to help talk to young people about the attack on the U.S. Capitol. /episode/index/show/thefinamendozamysteries/id/21591287

Losing is Democratic Part One Bonus Episode 01/03/2022

Losing is Democratic Part One Bonus Episode How do you explain the events of January 6th to children? This special is designed to help talk to young people about the attack on the U.S. Capitol. /episode/index/show/thefinamendozamysteries/id/21591947

A Bonus Holiday Episode 12/17/2021

A Bonus Holiday Episode Every family celebrates the holidays in their own special way. This year, we spend time with the Mendoza family during their first December in Washington, D.C. as they remember past celebrations and experience new traditions. /episode/index/show/thefinamendozamysteries/id/21488747

Happy Thanksgiving from the Mendoza Family 11/22/2021

Happy Thanksgiving from the Mendoza Family To thank you this Thanksgiving week, we're reprising our Thanksgiving episode of The Fina Mendoza Mysteries podcast. Thank you for listening. Season two begins in late January. /episode/index/show/thefinamendozamysteries/id/21249653

Dia de los Muertos - Day of the Dead 10/16/2021

Dia de los Muertos - Day of the Dead Halloween isn't the only holiday celebrated at this time of year. In the Mexican Catholic tradition, families celebrate Dia de los Muertos - Day of the Dead - on All Saints and All Souls day with sugar skulls and picnics at the cemetery. /episode/index/show/thefinamendozamysteries/id/20666696

A Preview of Season Two: State of the Union 08/13/2021

A Preview of Season Two: State of the Union We know you're impatient for more Fina Mendoza Mysteries. We're working hard on Season Two, but we wanted to share a sneak preview of the coming season called State of the Union. It's based on The Fina Mendoza Mysteries series of novels published by Chesapeake Press. "State of the Union" is available NOW at your local indie bookstore, Barnes & Noble or Amazon, or you can ask your local public library to order the book. Autographed bookplates & bookmarks: info at chesapeakepress.org. /episode/index/show/thefinamendozamysteries/id/20125100

Losing is Democratic Part Two 02/25/2021

Losing is Democratic Part Two Fina Mendoza has a mystery to solve: who sent her classmates pizza? Her teacher has a challenge of her own: how to teach her 4th grade students about the attack on the U.S. Capitol. She looks to John Adams for inspiration. /episode/index/show/thefinamendozamysteries/id/18004235

Losing is Democratic (Part One) 02/18/2021

Losing is Democratic (Part One) Fina Mendoza, the ten-year-old daughter of a congressman, solves mysteries on Capitol Hill. Her 4th grade class is competing with 5th graders in a reading competition to see who can read the most pages. The prize: free pizza. Her class loses the contest. But pizza mysteriously appears anyway at the front door of all the fourth graders. How? /episode/index/show/thefinamendozamysteries/id/17993195

Christmas Traditions with the Mendoza Family 11/27/2020

Christmas Traditions with the Mendoza Family In this year of upended traditions, we check in with the Mendoza family as they remember their own favorite Christmas past. And we celebrate a Capitol Hill tradition: the lighting of the Capitol Christmas tree. /episode/index/show/thefinamendozamysteries/id/16924247

Thanksgiving with the Mendoza Family 11/20/2020

Thanksgiving with the Mendoza Family I’ll bet you didn’t get to ride in a parade or spend Thanksgiving with your congressman dad answering questions at a Veteran’s hall. That’s how Fina's spending her Thanksgiving on a return visit to California. /episode/index/show/thefinamendozamysteries/id/16831289

Bonus Episode: Dia de los Muertos 10/27/2020

Bonus Episode: Dia de los Muertos The first and second of November are the Mexican holiday known as Dia de los Muertos – the Day of the Dead. It’s a celebration we include in The Fina Mendoza Mysteries as Fina and her older sister Gabby try to come to terms the death of their mom. /episode/index/show/thefinamendozamysteries/id/16555109

Let Kids Vote (part two) 10/13/2020

Let Kids Vote (part two) It’s another school year of distance learning for Fina where she's researching voting. Specifically, letting kids younger than 18 cast a ballot. /episode/index/show/thefinamendozamysteries/id/16206563

Let Kids Vote! (part one) 10/06/2020

Let Kids Vote! (part one) It’s another school year of distance learning for Fina where she's researching voting. Specifically, letting kids younger than 18 cast a ballot. /episode/index/show/thefinamendozamysteries/id/16205711

Let Kids Vote! 09/29/2020

Let Kids Vote! A mysterious break-in, a congressional lobbying effort, and a sneaky way to get kids excited about the upcoming election...without the nastiness of politics. /episode/index/show/thefinamendozamysteries/id/16160318

Fina's Coronavirus Diary 04/24/2020

Fina's Coronavirus Diary Fina Mendoza, the 10-year-old detective who lives on Capitol Hill, is stuck at home. Her class assignment: keep an audio diary as a primary source for future historians, recording what it's like to live through the coronavirus pandemic. Fina checks in with her favorite dog Senator Something and solves the mystery of the missing TV remote. We also learn about what Congress is doing. /episode/index/show/thefinamendozamysteries/id/14010488

Behind the Scenes of The Fina Mendoza Mysteries Podcast 03/20/2020

Behind the Scenes of The Fina Mendoza Mysteries Podcast Journalist Susan Valot interviews writer/producer Kitty Felde about the creative choices behind THE FINA MENDOZA MYSTERIES. /episode/index/show/thefinamendozamysteries/id/13621553

Meet the Cast of The Fina Mendoza Mysteries 02/04/2020

Meet the Cast of The Fina Mendoza Mysteries We asked the cast of The Fina Mendoza Mysteries podcast to tell us a little more about their characters. /episode/index/show/thefinamendozamysteries/id/13016936

Episode 8 - Case Closed! 12/13/2019

Episode 8 - Case Closed! Fina ties up loose ends in the case of the mystery of the Demon Cat of Capitol Hill and experiences her first Christmas in Washington, DC. /episode/index/show/thefinamendozamysteries/id/11997059

Episode 7 - Thanksgiving in California 12/06/2019

Episode 7 - Thanksgiving in California The Mendoza family heads to Los Angeles to celebrate Thanksgiving. Fina worries that the curse of the Demon Cat will follow them to California. /episode/index/show/thefinamendozamysteries/id/11937011

The Fina Mendoza Mysteries

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