Bear King & Bobo Chico Stories for Kids

Bear King & Bobo Chico Stories is an ad-free children’s podcast series narrated by author Bob Hastings. Episodes are about kindness, friendship, and overcoming uncertainty. Bear King is a friendly, knowledgeable talking bear who likes spending time and sharing gifts with his family and young friends. Bobo Chico is a talking river otter who is Bear King’s lovable, highly enthusiastic best friend. While on their adventures, Bear King and Bobo Chico meet many interesting people who help them overcome challenges and learn important, positive life lessons. Each story invites the listener to experience the familiar and also use their imagination. The series is set in the Pacific Northwest, specifically Portland, Oregon, home of the author and his family. Each story was inspired by his children and his grandsons, for whom the stories were originally written. His grand-nieces make appearances in later episodes. Author/Storyteller: Bob Hastings. Producer/Sound Engineer: Scott Whitney of PodWorx, Inc. Program Manager: Vicky Hastings. Musician: Scott Whitney. Artist: Jennifer Reynolds.

Host

Bob Hastings

When Bob's children Andrew Wood and Erin Katherine were young, Bob made up "Woody and Katie Stories" based on their middle names. Fast forward a few decades and Drew's son Arlo asked "Bear King" (the name he calls Bob) to tell him a "wind story." That prompted Bob to create this podcast series, drawing on the arc of the adventure books he loved as a kid and continuing the tradition of naming characters loosely on children's names. Grandsons Arlo is "Loar" and Oren is "Roen." Grandnieces Aurora, Delaney and Allessandra are featured, too. They visit neighborhoods where family members live.

Before he retired from the TriMet transit agency, Bob oversaw the architectural design of the Tilikum Crossing Bridge of the People over the Willamette River. He also managed the agency's alternative energy projects. Today, Bob lives in a Portland high-rise "sky cave" condo tower by the river, bridge and Ross Island. He and his wife "Bear Queen" drive an all-electric car.