Stay ConnectedTwo sisters, one in L.A. and one in NYC, both move to the Chicago area and start a podcast. The premise? Picture books and are they really that great? Join Kate and Fuse 8 (Betsy Bird) as they track down a picture book “classic” each episode and try to determine if it deserves to remain in the canon of children’s literature.
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Kate and Betsy are on a perpetual hunt for older children's books that broke new ground, and show that the history of children's book publishing could occasionally incorporate a wider variety of voices and styles. Today they take a trip back to 1973 to a book that was originally released just a year after the final Apollo missions. It has now been reprinted for the first time in years by The New York Review Children's Collection, released just last week. Think that's good? Kate points out that this is a timely choice since the first civilian mission, The Inspiration 4, just returned to Earth recently. After looking at this book, their ultimate conclusion is that this title would make for a good readaloud. They consider this "Seamless amalgam" of the hands of Leo and Diane Dillon and get to talk about Oscar the Grouch, how nerdy Betsy gets on collectionHQ, and a book called Pish-Posh, Said Hironymous Bosh (which we love as a title). Show Notes: For the full show notes please visit: https://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2021/09/27/fuse-8-n-kate-blast-off-by-linda-c-cain-and-susan-rosenbaum-ill-leo-and-diane-dillon/
Lick lick lick lick lick! Here we have a rare opportunity to examine an old book from 1979 and its 2014 update. Kate challenged Betsy to come up with a dog picture book and Betsy realized that they had never done one of the most fascinating cases in American children's literature. As is explained on the show, Steven Kellogg used to live in Sandy Hook. When the school shooting occurred he was deeply affected. And, in light of objections he'd heard regarding the burglar and his gun in his book Pinkerton, Behave! he agreed to re-illustrate. Kate and Betsy compare both versions of the book and have a LOT to discuss. Consistently they find the changes in the text to be subtle but unpredictable. Bonus: Kate's able to whip out her obedience school knowledge with this one. And, of course, defenestration abounds! Show Notes: Here is the article in Publishers Weekly : Steven Kellogg on Why He Reworked a 'Pinkerton' Scene in Response to Sandy Hook: https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/65018-steven-kellogg-on-why-he-reworked-a-pinkerton-scene-in-response-to-sandy-hook.html You can actually see a wide range of different burglars in this post Betsy wrote called Burglars, Thieves, and a Classic Picture Book Trope: https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=burglars-thieves-and-a-classic-picture-book-trope Kate Recommends: How Stella Learned to Talk by Christina Hunger: https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/stella-talking-dog-christina-hunger/2021/05/04/d20f5938-a9c3-11eb-8c1a-56f0cb4ff3b5_story.html Betsy Recommends: The Printer's Row Literary Festival: https://printersrowlitfest.org/ For the Full Show Notes Please Visit: https://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2021/09/20/fuse-8-n-kate-pinkerton-behave-by-steven-kellogg/
We all we have our pet favorite books for children. Some were the ones we loved when we ourselves were kids. Others are the ones we enjoy reading to our own children. And a few are the ones we enjoy hearing our children read when they're learning how. This book falls into that final category. And part of the reason I love it is how weird it is. Take a trip back in time with us to 1959 where Ball Boy and Stalker Sally go on a series of misadventures as his ball attempts to destroy itself in a myriad number of ways. Show Notes: We mention that SLJ did an article about this podcast and lo and behold it's online as well. Visible here: https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=celebrate-the-200-episode-of-fuse-8-n-kate This is the famous poster created by Fritz Siebel that won the contest that was judged by Eleanor Roosevelt. As we mention on the show, it apparently makes an appearance in The Spanish Prisoner: https://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/files/2021/09/SomeoneTalked.jpg And here is what may arguably be Fritz's most famous creation to this day: Mr. Clean! https://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/files/2021/09/MrClean.png Mind you, this marks the moment I went down the Mr. Clean rabbit hole. Wowzah. That is a weird rabbit hole to find yourself down. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGihrE8uxeA&feature=emb_logo Kate Recommends: Dug Days - https://disneyplusoriginals.disney.com/show/dug-days Betsy Recommends: Stuff the British Stole - https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/stuff-the-british-stole/ For the full Show Notes please visit: https://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2021/09/13/fuse-8-n-kate-stop-that-ball-by-mike-mcclintock-ill-fritz-siebel/
It's been a while since we tackled a book with that awe-inspiring, shiny Gold Caldecott medal on its cover. As such, it seemed wise to break out Paul O. Zelinsky's major award winner. Limiting our Into the Woods quotes to the bare minimum, Kate proves to be the perfect reader for this book, having only seen Tangled once, and that was while drunk and one-eyed. She's practically a clean slate! Plus, it seems appropriate to do a story on a woman attempting (and failing) to enforce chastity at a time when Texas is controlling women's bodies at an increasing rate. For the full Show Notes please visit us at: https://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2021/09/06/fuse-8-n-kate-rapunzel-by-paul-o-zelinsky/
Though today you see books about Black hair pride in a lot of the children's picture books on the market today, we credit Natasha Tarpley for creating one of the very first back in 1998. Betsy will also confess that she did consider doing Nappy Hair by Carolivia Herron, which came out in 1997, but she didn't think she was adept enough to tackle the issues that came up when that book hit the marketplace. Instead, Kate and Betsy kvell at the wonder that is E.B. Lewis, discuss realism in picture book literature, and establish that yes, this book was indeed created in the 90s. Show Notes: A great interview that allows you to recap a lot what we discuss on the show can be found in this interview between Natasha Tarpley and Shondaland called "I Love My Hair" 20 Years Later: https://www.shondaland.com/inspire/books/a22791424/i-love-my-hair-natasha-tarpley-interview/ For those of you who didn't understand Betsy's Moxy Fruvous reference, this is the song she meant: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9sYtfepRvc For the full show notes please visit: http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2021/08/30/fuse-8-n-kate-i-love-my-hair-by-natasha-anastasia-tarpley-ill-e-b-lewis/
Since we were 98% sure that we'd already done The Kissing Hand, this year's first day of school book came out 21 years ago. This book is huge with teachers and schools but isn't a book that won a lot of literary awards or anything. And with children heading back to school now, the timing could not be better. With its M. Night Shymalan-esque twist and fondness for slips and magenta clogs, this proves to be an excellent peek into the state of picture books circa 2000. Show Notes: So is it a Midwest thing for kids to go to school before Labor Day? Or are we just making this up? Betsy mentions that another book did the exact same twist in its storyline. That book was Back to School Tortoise, which came out in 2011. For the full Show Notes please visit: http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2021/08/23/fuse-8-n-kate-first-day-jitters-by-julie-danneberg-ill-judy-love/
Could you publish a book today where a sibling relationship is anything other than sunshine and roses by the story's conclusion? Betsy says no, and she says the elaborate revenge fantasy of this week's podcast topic, I'll Fix Anthony, is a healthy catharsis for some children. Kate, needless to say, disagrees. Judith Viorst (best known for Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day) and Arnold Lobel (best known for Frog and Toad) got together and created this truly original, one-of-a-kind book. But does that mean it's any good? Our skilled critics take a deep dive into its legacy today (and come up with some pretty different reactions). Show Notes: Kate Recommends: Up to Speed on Hulu: https://www.hulu.com/series/up-to-speed-31eca3f1-0b45-4e07-8e1d-be2b55feece9 Betsy Recommends: Quinta Brunson in the skit If I Won 2nd Place at the Winter Olympics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnLljVxm_0k For the full Show Notes please visit: https://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2021/08/09/fuse-8-n-kate-ill-fix-anthony-by-judith-viorst-ill-arnold-lobel/
With the thrall of the Olympics in the air, Kate and Betsy decided to do a sportsy picture book this week. And what they ended up with is arguably the most famous picture book in Canada. How famous is it? It's SO famous that a line from it has appeared on Canadian currency. It's SO famous that it has its own musical. We dodge around topics like Canada's Quiet Revolution (?), books with titles like La Guerre, Yes Sir!, Maurice "The Rocket" Richard, and Betsy mispronounces Tupac. Cause she can. Show Notes: Curious? Here's a glimpse of the musical they made of the book. We highly suspect it had a different resolution from that of the original tale: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dp3kyfjuELs Betsy Recommends: The podcasts The Plot Thickens from TCM (season 2!) and Still Buffering. Kate Recommends: Schmigadoon on Apple Plus For the full Show Notes please visit: https://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2021/08/03/fuse-8-n-kate-the-hockey-sweater-by-roch-carrier-ill-sheldon-cohen-translated-by-sheila-fischman/
With the recent death of Floyd Cooper, we were inspired to discover which picture book of his could be best considered a "classic" of the genre. It's a hard call, and we're sure you have your own favorites, but we're going with this 1994 release. Plus, it has the extra added benefit of being the first Nikki Grimes title we've done on the show! Show Notes: Here you can enjoy this interview with Nikki Grimes, which delves deep into her life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1evVHnBU5NE For the full Show Notes please visit: http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2021/07/26/fuse-8-n-kate-meet-danitra-brown-by-nikki-grimes-ill-floyd-cooper
On today's podcast we thought we might try another Audrey & Don Wood title above and beyond the already commented upon King Bidgood's In the Bathtub. It's a cumulative tale that has continued to remain in print for the last 37 years. We discuss tiny ligers, whether the mouse in this book has Toxoplasma gondii, and the likelihood of a carbon monoxide leak in this particular house. Show Notes: - At the top of the show we mention an exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry. It's called Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes. If you're in the Chicago area in late August, September, or October, buy your tickets now! https://www.msichicago.org/explore/whats-here/exhibits/marvel-universe-of-super-heroes/ - The book mentioned in the course of things is The Lore and Language of Schoolchildren by the Iona and Peter Opie. Sendak was a particular fan. You see, in the 1950s, the Opies collected schoolyard poems, riddles, and chants from some 5,000 children attending 70 schools in different parts of England, Scotland, and Wales. - Kate Recommends: Defunctland on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVo63lbKHjC04KqYhwSZ_Pg - Betsy Recommends: https://www.hbomax.com/series/urn:hbo:series:GYFE2Tg8P-76tMQEAAAAS For the full Show Notes please visit: http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2021/07/19/fuse-8-n-kate-the-napping-house-by-audrey-wood-ill-don-wood
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