Podcast
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
Episodes
Dia de los Muertos - Day of the Dead
Oct 16 2021
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. Join Fina and Gabby Mendoza and their grandmother as they remember their late mom. Curriculum available at the website www.finamendoza.com.
A Preview of Season Two: State of the Union
Aug 13 2021
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. Book 2 in the series 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. FYI, Book 1 in the series Welcome to Washington Fina Mendo...more
Losing is Democratic Part Two
Feb 25 2021
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. Free curriculum available at the website finamendozamysteries.com
Losing is Democratic (Part One)
Feb 18 2021
Fina Mendoza, the ten-year-old daughter of a congressman from California, solves mysteries on Capitol Hill. Fina has a new mystery on her hands. Her entire fourth grade is competing with fifth graders in a reading competition to see who can read the most pages. The prize: free pizza. Unfortunately, her class loses the contest. But pizza mysteriously appears anyway at the front door of all the fourth graders. How did that happen? Meanwhile, Fina’s father and the parents of nearly everybody else i...more
Christmas Traditions with the Mendoza Family
Nov 27 2020
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. Here's a link to the 2020 Capitol Christmas Tree celebration.
Thanksgiving with the Mendoza Family
Nov 20 2020
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. www.finamendozamysteries.com
Bonus Episode: Dia de los Muertos
Oct 27 2020
This Sunday and Monday, 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 with moving across the country from California to Washington after the death of their mom. To honor all of our moms and other loved ones who are no longer with us on this earth, we’re sharing this short scene from the podcast. By the way, we have a cu...more
Let Kids Vote (part two)
Oct 13 2020
It’s a new school year for Fina Mendoza, another year of distance learning. Her teacher assigns a Genius Project, letting students pick the topic they’d like to research and present to the class. Since it's an election year and Fina’s congressman father is back in California campaigning for re-election, Fina decides to research voting. Specifically, letting kids younger than 18 cast a ballot. Real-life Congressman Mark Takano of Riverside, California zooms with the class to answer questions abo...more
Let Kids Vote! (part one)
Oct 06 2020
It’s a new school year for Fina Mendoza, another year of distance learning. Her teacher assigns a Genius Project, letting students pick the topic they’d like to research and present to the class. Since it's an election year and Fina’s congressman father is back in California campaigning for re-election, Fina decides to research voting. Specifically, letting kids younger than 18 cast a ballot. Real-life Congressman Mark Takano of Riverside, California zooms with the class to answer questions abo...more
Let Kids Vote!
Sep 29 2020
A mysterious break-in, a congressional lobbying effort about voting, and a sneaky way to get kids excited about the upcoming election...without the nastiness of politics. In this special bonus episode of THE FINA MENDOZA MYSTERIES, our young detective is attending classes via Zoom. She and her classmates take on a genius project, researching a recent amendment that would allow 16 and 17 year olds to vote. She and her classmates ask, "Why stop at 16? Why not let them vote?" They put the questio...more
Fina's Coronavirus Diary
Apr 24 2020
Fina Mendoza, the 10-year-old detective who lives on Capitol Hill, is stuck at home with her older sister Gabby and her father, a U.S. Congessman. Fina's class assignment is to keep an audio diary as a primary source for future historians, recording what it was like to live through the coronavirus pandemic. Fina checks in by phone with her favorite dog Senator Something and solves the mystery of the missing TV remote control. We also learn about what Congress is doing. Free curriculum and a do...more
Behind the Scenes of The Fina Mendoza Mysteries Podcast
Mar 20 2020
Journalist Susan Valot interviews writer/producer Kitty Felde about the creative choices behind THE FINA MENDOZA MYSTERIES. The podcast is based on the award winning book "Welcome to Washington, Fina Mendoza" by Kitty Felde. More information at the website finamendozamysteries.com.
Meet the Cast of The Fina Mendoza Mysteries
Feb 04 2020
We asked the cast of The Fina Mendoza Mysteries podcast to tell us a little more about their characters. The podcast is based on the award-winning book "Welcome to Washington, Fina Mendoza" by Kitty Felde. More information at the website finamendozamysteries.com.
Episode 8 - Case Closed!
Dec 13 2019
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. The podcast is based on the award winning book "Welcome to Washington, Fina Mendoza" by Kitty Felde. More details at the website finamendozamysteries.com.
Episode 7 - Thanksgiving in California
Dec 06 2019
The Mendoza family heads to Los Angeles to celebrate Thanksgiving. Fina worries that the curse of the Demon Cat will follow them to California. Writer/Producer - Kitty Felde Our cast includes: Amy Solano - Fina Mendoza Monica Vigil - Gabby Raul Garza - Papa Christine Avila - Abuelita Imelda Hinojosa - Tia Catalina Rachel Desztich - Tia Margarita Brian Bland - Veteran Steve DeVorkin - Senator Something Associate Producer - Hannah Matzecki Associate Sound Designer - Hunter Felde Music ...more
Episode 6 - "Cat"astrophe!
Nov 29 2019
Fina continues to investigate the history of cats in the U.S. Capitol. Papa returns to Washington for a family meal. But then catastrophe strikes. Can the Demon Cat be to blame? The Fina Mendoza Mysteries podcast is written and produced by Kitty Felde Our cast includes: Amy Solano - Fina Mendoza Monica Vigil - Gabby Raul Garza - Papa Mat Kaplan - House Historian Steve Gamber - John the Staffer Brian Bland - Capitol Tour Guide Rosalie Fox - Veterinarian Steve DeVorkin - Senator Something Our tou...more
Episode 5: You Guys Need to Get Out of the House
Nov 22 2019
Fina and Gabby join Claudia at the National Zoo where Fina gathers clues. The Mendoza sisters also celebrate Dia de los Muertos - the Day of the Dead. And Fina comes up with a plan. The Fina Mendoza Mysteries podcast is written and produced by Kitty Felde Our cast includes: Amy Solano as Fina Mendoza Monica Vigil as Gabby Linda Graves as Claudia Christine Avila as Abuelita And Steve DeVorkin as Senator Something Associate Producer - Hannah Matzecki Associate Sound Designer - Hunter Felde Musi...more
Episode 4: We Need Brownies
Nov 15 2019
Fina and Gabby get ready for Halloween without Papa and Abuelita. Fina discovers some of the backstory of the Demon Cat of Capitol Hill. The Fina Mendoza Mysteries podcast is written and produced by Kitty Felde. Our cast includes: Amy Solano - Fina Mendoza Monica Vigil - Gabby Christine Avila - Abuelita Raul Garza – Papa Elizabeth Logun - Librarian Imelda Hinojosa - Tia Catalina Associate Producer - Hannah Matzecki Associate Sound Designer - Hunter Felde Music Composed and Performed -...more
Episode 3: The Curse of the Demon Cat of Capitol Hill
Nov 08 2019
Bad luck seems to haunt the Mendoza family. Fina is convinced that the mythical Demon Cat of Capitol Hill is to blame. Fina starts detecting and discovers an important clue. Writer/Producer - Kitty Felde Our cast includes: Amy Solano - Fina Mendoza Monica Vigil - Gabby Raul Garza - Papa Susan Valot - Ms. Greenwood Linda Graves - Claudia India Scaglione - Becka William Beemer - Michael Susan Valot - Ms. Greenwood Steve Gamber - John the Staffer Steve DeVorkin - Senator Something As...more
Episode 2: If You Want a Friend in Washington
Nov 01 2019
Fina meets a new friend and gets a new job and a new identity: lady detective. Writer/Producer - Kitty Felde Our cast includes: Amy Solano - Fina Mendoza Monica Vigil - Gabby Raul Garza - Papa Linda Graves - Claudia India Scaglione - Becka William Beemer - Michael Susan Valot - Ms. Greenwood Steve Gamber - John the Staffer Steve DeVorkin - Senator Something Associate Producer - Hannah Matzecki Associate Sound Designer - Hunter Felde Music Composed and Performed - Andrew Barkan ...more
Episode 1: Welcome to Washington Fina Mendoza
Oct 25 2019
Meet Fina Mendoza. She spends her after school hours in the U.S. Capitol where her father is a congressman. While hunting down a lost sweatshirt in the Capitol Crypt, Fina stumbles over a mysterious creature. Is it the ghost of George Washington? Or perhaps the Demon Cat of Capitol Hill? The Fina Mendoza Mysteries podcast is written and produced by Kitty Felde. Our cast includes: Amy Solano - Fina Mendoza Raul Garza – Papa Christine Avila - Abuelita Linda Graves - Claudia Melanie MacQueen...more
A Preview of "The Fina Mendoza Mysteries"
Oct 01 2019
There’s a legend in Washington, D.C. Anyone who sees the Demon Cat of Capitol Hill will be cursed. Fina Mendoza, the daughter of a congressman, just saw it. Can she save her family from “cat”astrophe? These are the Fina Mendoza Mysteries. Season One is based on the award-winning book "Welcome to Washington Fina Mendoza" by Kitty Felde, published by Chesapeake Press. There is a 32 page Teacher's Guide to the book and podcast at Amazon. www.finamendozamysteries.com