Wander the Wheel

April : Tricksters, Fools, & the Upside-Down World

April is the season of the trickster. The month that sends rain and sunshine at the same time, blooms flowers before the last frost, and reminds us that the most interesting things happen when the rules stop working the way they were supposed to.

This issue of Wander the Wheel follows the tricksters, the shape-shifters, the rule-breakers, and the fools who accidentally save the world. From Anansi climbing to the sky to claim all the world's stories, to the Dadaists drawing mustaches on masterpieces, to the dandelion growing cheerfully through the crack in the pavement, April teaches us that chaos is just creativity that hasn't introduced itself yet.

Designed for families, educators, and seasonal learners, this issue offers a joyful, rigorous, and deeply human exploration of spring's wildest and most playful energy.

What's Inside

Trickster mythology from West Africa, Norse tradition, Indigenous North American cultures, and the Yoruba diaspora, explored with depth, care, and cultural respect

A full storybook retelling of how Anansi won all the world's stories from the Sky God, plus a thoughtful companion page on sacred Indigenous storytelling traditions and how to honor them

Global spring folklore and traditions including April Fools' Day and Poisson d'Avril, Hilaria, Hanami, Songkran, and Qingming Festival, each explored with cultural context, then and now comparisons, and Try It Your Way activities

A full April nature study covering bird nests and eggs, spring rain and the water cycle, seeds and germination, dandelions and pollinators, milkweed and the monarch, worms and soil health, spring wildflowers, and rainbows and weather, with activities for every age

An extensive art history section exploring three movements, Dada, Surrealism, and Artists Who Ask Questions, featuring twelve artists including Marcel Duchamp, Hannah Höch, Salvador Dalí, René Magritte, Yoko Ono, El Anatsui, Banksy, M.C. Escher, Giuseppe Arcimboldo, David Shrigley, Maurizio Cattelan, and Nalini Malani

Craft Atelier projects including a Readymade Museum, Anti-Art Object, Trickster Mask, Arcimboldo Portrait, Poisson d'Avril paper fish, and Flower Crown

Four seasonal recipes including Strawberry Oat Muffins, Lavender Tea Cake, Wildflower Honey Tea, and Rainy Day Vegetable Soup

Journal and reflection pages differentiated for younger learners, elementary, middle school, and high school and adult learners

A closing seasonal ritual celebrating the spirit of the trickster season, designed for all ages and adaptable to any household

Rooted in respect. Guided by wonder. Crafted for learners of all ages.