Fuse 8 N' Kate

Fiiiiiiiiiish . . . An aquatic creature that has absolutely NOTHING to do with this week's book! So first and foremost, we are happy to announce that we now have our very own Twitter and Instagram accounts for this podcast. Woot! So tune in on Twitter @fuse_kate or on Instagram at fuse8kate. As for the podcast itself, Kate was semi-familiar with this book already. But did she remember anything about it at all? No, sir! As it turns out, we were able to really dive into some of the details. Will we determine it's a classic? Time will tell! Source Notes: - How much sugar does it take to can blueberries? The internet has many opinions on the subject but generally speaking it appears that you want to add 1/2 Cup of sugar for each quart of berries. That's not a ton of sugar. I guess Mom really worked double time while Sal was AWOL. - How fast can a little bear run? Hard to say. A grown bear can get up to 40 miles an hour. We have to assume that a baby bear just wouldn't have that kind of speed. So even if it

I think this is the clearest case of Betsy pulling out a book for Kate that is well-known amongst children's librarians and is pretty obscure when you talk to your average layperson on the street. If for no other reason, you should listen to this episode of our podcast to hear Kate's exclamation of pure confusion and tiny squeaks of bafflement when Betsy mentions how well it did on the Top 100 Picture Books Poll (it was #14). So sit back and enjoy as the sisters discuss the logistics of how exactly one would get a blue cap off of this guy, where his fingers suddenly emerge from, how exactly you pronounce, "Tsz, tsz, tsz," and why anyone, anywhere would put on a hat previously worn by a monkey. Show Notes: - Gentle listeners and readers, we really do want to know. How do you pronounce, "Tsz, tsz, tsz"? - Since this book was influenced by the work of Henri Rousseau, why not check out this picture book biography of him, The Fantastic Jungles of Henri Rousseau? http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2012/11/06/

Thanks to a listener suggestion, Kate and Betsy finally crack open the Henkes box. And when you're talking Henkes, there's only one place to start. Now I should warn you right from the start that Betsy makes an egregious error in this podcast. That's right. She makes the claim that Julius, Baby of the World was published AFTER Purple Plastic Purse. On the flipside, this podcast may be the first time anyone has ever noted the presence of Ignatz Mouse from Krazy Kat in this book. And as Kate says about the story, "It's not about the purse". Show Notes: - We believe Kevin Henkes ran into Susan Hirschman when he traipsed in as a stars-in-his-eyes teen. You can read a rather lovely remembrance of this moment in this Horn Book article Kevin Henkes - Twenty-Five Years: https://www.hbook.com/2005/07/choosing-books/horn-book-magazine/kevin-henkes-twenty-five-years/ - Betsy and Kate are happy to hear any alternate titles to this book. The two they've come up with so far are, "Mr. Slinger's Revenge" or "Lilly Undone

How do you follow up The Giving Tree? Well, that's a tricky one. We don't know why Amelia Bedelia occurred to Betsy. She's so ubiquitous that no one ever really questions her presence on classic book lists. Still, the more we thought about her, the more we wondered if she really warrants inclusion in the "canon" of children's literature (howsoever you define that). Show Notes: - Here is her fantastic statue, located at the Harvin Clarendon County Library in Manning, South Carolina. This was sculpted by James Peter Chaconas: https://scpictureproject.org/clarendon-county/amelia-bedelia-statue.html - Sometimes the best thing in the whole wide world is getting to see a group of boys reenact Amelia Bedelia without the one playing the lead feeling at all embarrassed about his awesome performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uESgbsQAlEI - Here you can find the Daily Dot piece I Accidentally Started a Wikipedia Hoax? https://www.dailydot.com/unclick/amelia-bedelia-wikipedia-hoax/ -And be sure to check out

It's very special episode day today! Kate and Betsy are celebrating their 50th episode (where does the time go?). It seemed fitting that they mark the occasion with an important book. There are so many titles that they still haven't done that could yield wonderful conversations. As such, it seems fitting that they finally do the most requested book of their podcast. In the course of things they also manage to come up with a connection between this and Harold and the Purple Crayon, discuss how this tale may be told in 3rd Tree Perspective, and introduce the world to the medical condition we like to call "Jules Feiffer feet". Source Notes: - For fun, check out the Travis Jonker interview with the photographs of Shel Silverstein. Best thing you'll read all day: http://100scopenotes.com/2017/05/12/a-conversation-with-shel-silverstein/ - Betsy wasn't wrong, by the way. Giving Tree Groot truly exists: https://geektyrant.com/news/guardians-of-the-galaxy-and-the-giving-tree-mashup - Just a plug. Wild Things: Acts

If we are to assume that the point of this podcast is to shine a light on "classic" picture books and ascertain whether or not they deserve that designation, it's a short walk to doing the same for books from other countries. What better then than to consider a picture book that is MASSIVELY successful in England, and only mildly recognized in the States? As a reminder, it was listener Rebekah Harris-Hughes who should receive full credit for suggesting today's book. So thank you, Rebekah! Source Notes: -If you follow no other links in these source notes, you MUST listen to the Deep In Bear Country: Episode 156. I have never heard such insightful discussions of bullying in children's literature: https://berenstainbearcast.wordpress.com/2018/07/14/episode-156-the-bully/ - Do check out the Dean Forest and it's rather adorable Gruffalo Trail: https://www.deanheritagecentre.com/whats-on/gruffalo-trail - Further information on checking out the Gruffalo statues at Kilmardinny Loch: http://www.glasgowwithkids.co.

This week Betsy and Kate decided that scatological was the way to go. And so, they are pleased to announce that this is honestly the first Nonfiction picture book they've done on the show. Thinking about it, this may well be the most famous Nonfiction picture book in America. We'd be interested in hearing your alternative suggestions. The sisters get to talk about all SORTS of stuff too. Square wombat poop. Poor printing jobs on the book. And then there's that mystery animal that they simply could not identify. They might need your help on that one. Source Notes: - Check out Taro Gomi's website here. It's worth a gander to see what Japan's top author/illustrator does on his own website: http://www.gomitaro.com/ - Well done, Kirkus Reviews! Best professional review of this book to this day: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/taro-gomi/everyone-poops/ For the full listing of Source Notes, please visit: http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2018/07/16/fuse-8-n-kate-everyone-poops-by-taro-gomi/

Hope you like Kathleen Turner, because in this long delayed episode Betsy is clearly doing her best rendition of her. Apologies for the gap in the episodes. Fortunately, Betsy and Kate are back in style. This week they discuss a book that has a complicated history. It would be easier if this were a more straightforward case of racism. Along the way they also discuss the Wilder Award's name change, whether people care more about animal cruelty or corporeal punishment, and the names of Kate's blisters. Source Notes: Here's the Wendy McClure thread about the Wilder Award that Betsy referenced: https://twitter.com/Wendy_Mc/status/1011625742201950209 In terms of the cormorans, this is indeed a legitimate fishing method: https://en.wi David L. Ulin wrote a very interesting piece for the L.A. Times called The Story About Ping and the Invention of Nostalgia: http://www.latimes.com/books/jacketcopy/la-et-jc-the-story-about-ping-and-the-invention-of-nostalgia-20130730-story.html If you're curious about The Good

The name of the game here is A Break From Brats. Betsy wanted to get Kate out of the realm of bratty children's book protagonists, so she thought the world's greatest friendship pair was the way to go. But before we get to that, the sisters do a rundown of the best and worst picture books they've ever looked at. As for the rest of the show, Kate writes down morals for every story in this book, and her interpretations aren't entirely canon. For Betsy's part, she gets to wax loquacious on her horizontal pupil theory of children's literature. Could you ask for anything more? Show Notes: - The Eric Carle exhibit was turned into a catalog, available for purchase. You can find Seeking a State of Grace: The Art of Arnold Lobel at the Eric Carle Museum's bookstore: https://shop.carlemuseum.org/seeking-state-grace-art-arnold-lobel - We just want to say with sadness that apparently with the publication of The Merry Spinster, The Toast no longer hosts Daniel Ortberg's magnificent Children's Books Made Horrific. So we

It's very special episode time! Very special for a number of reasons, not least of which is the fact that Kate took five hours to edit this episode down from two and a half hours to a svelte, sleek 47:41. It was also special because it features two guests from fellow podcast Go Your Own YA. So a big time thank you to Carey and Marie for taking time out of their schedules. Finally, it was special because Kate and Betsy finally got to tackle one of the big books they've been skirting around for months. That's right. Eloise is in the house and the results are priceless! Along with a bit of random Eloise trivia, I hope you're prepared for a surprise fact. The four women were actually able to locate a joke in the original book that was excised from editions printed today. And it involves dragging a fellow children's book character through the mud. See if you can guess who it is. Source Notes: - Here's a link to the Go Your Own YA podcast which you most certainly must search out: https://www.goyourownya.com/ - T

I don't think Kate and Betsy expected to get into an in-depth conversation about Miss Nelson's cosplay as Viola Swamp, and why precisely she chooses to do so, but that's the kind of podcast this is. Along the way the sisters get into what the Wicked Witch of the West might have been wearing under that dress, the fact that butterflies were angry about the gas crisis in the 70s, and whether or not Viola Swamp talks like Katharine Hepburn (special bonus: Kate and Betsy may do the worst celebrity imitations of all time). Show Notes: - Here's a link to the website that discusses James Marshall's gravestone. https://wandervogeldiary.wordpress.com/2010/11/07/james-marshall/ - Betsy and her co-writer Julie Danielson spoke about it at length at the Wild Things: Acts of Mischief in Children's Literature website here: http://wildthings.blaine.org/?p=157 - The Reading Rainbow episode is completely available here: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5laqhx -Here's the New York Times review of There's a Mystery There by

Betsy and Kate would like to offer a word of warning to their mother with this one. Somehow, this ended up being their longest episode. If she listens to this on the treadmill, she might do herself a serious injury. It's a whopping 48:17 (and that's edited down!). I guess it's not surprising when you do a book as long as SCM. And boy howdy do they come up with all kinds of stuff to discuss here. A smattering includes . . . Source Notes: - Here's the Children's Book-a-Day Almanac link from Anita Silvey that discusses The Stinky Cheese Man: http://childrensbookalmanac.com/2011/10/the-stinky-cheese-man-and-other-fairly-stupid-tales/ - This is the ridiculous Stinky Cheese Man stuffed toy. Betsy loves him so much! He is, as she suggested, from YottoY: https://www.yottoy.com/collections/the-stinky-cheese-man - And here's a video of someone making it run: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EV_7KfCt5AE - Here he is at #91 on the second Top 100 Picture Books poll: http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2012/05/16/top

When it comes to selecting books for the podcast, the sisters tend towards those books that have lots of details. And this one, as Kate was quick to learn, could go head-to-head with Where's Waldo in terms of hidden details. Alas, no clowns this week but they make up for it in other ways. Along the way they manage to identify The Ghost of Christmas Present, Chekov's plug, and the degree to which this book is like the movie Splash. Source Books: - Yeah, they never got to Kate's old blog, but it really it was one of the greatest things. It was called How To, How Hard, and How Much and on it she would find online How To's and try to do them herself. There was great stuff on there. Not the gingerbread Tartis, though. No no. Not that: http://katokula.blogspot.com/ - The Naked Cowboy wasn't actually by Adam Rex. That wasn't even the title. It was The Dirty Cowboy (which he just illustrated) written by Amy Timberlake. - The blog mentioned by listener was Don't Read This to My Kids: http://www.drttmk.com/ - It i

What does making sushi and reading Margaret Wise Brown's second most popular picture book have in common? Betsy and Kate are doing both in one night! They're trying to do a couple more ladies than they've done in the past. This week they talk about whether or not this book has Fellini aspects to it, Bunny Protective Services (the BPS), and a furthering of Kate's ghost grandma theory (which Betsy kind of loves but don't tell her). Extra Bonus: You get to hear Betsy's cute little bunny voice, which she only gets to whip out once in a while. Listen to the whole show here on Soundcloud or download it through iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or your preferred method of podcast selection. Show Notes: - You can read Monica Edinger’s telling of the Margaret Wise Brown tea here: http://medinger.wordpress.com/2010/05/24/margaret-wise-browns-100th-birthday-party/ - Read Brenda Bowen’s own telling here: http://bowenpress.blogspot.com/2010/05/margaret-wise-brown-birthday-party.html -Read the full Show Notes for this e

After promising Kate that they'd do a book by a lady, Betsy had to determine the best possible choice. Her idea was to look on her old Top 100 Picture Books Poll and see who the top women on there were. #1? Margaret Wise Brown. #2 was Judith Viorst and this book. You know, you never know which books are going to provide you with a plethora of information. This book? Kate had to edit every "um" and "uh" out of the recording to winnow the yammering down to a mere 45 minutes. Still was fun, though. Show Notes: - Betsy couldn't conjure up the name on the spot, but the Boxtrolls movie was based on Here Be Monsters by Alan Snow. - Here's the Viorst bio on Wikipedia. Betsy still finds it oddly charming: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judith_Viorst - Is Ray Cruz dead? No, but it was difficult to find that information online. If you look at the webpage dedicated to his papers at the de Grummond collection, they state that "Cruz lived in New York City until his death." http://www.lib.usm.edu/legacy/degrum/public_htm

Mother's Day isn't exactly around the corner, but this episode is basically Kate and Betsy's present to their mom. She's been bugging them to do this particular book for ages. Certainly that Caldecott Honor in the corner of the cover gives it the necessary picture book classics cred. Show Notes: - Want to see one of Paul's ties? Watch Betsy interview him in . . . um . . . quite the outfit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B31N56s7lFo - For more info on Rumpelstiltskin from Paul's p.o.v. check out this interview on SLJ: https://www.slj.com/2012/11/interviews/interview-caldecott-medal-and-honor-winner-paul-o-zelinsky-talks-with-slj/#_ - And don't forget to vote on the 100 Best Board Books Poll! http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2018/03/28/announcing-the-top-100-board-books-poll/ - For full Show Notes please visit http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2018/04/16/fuse-8-n-kate-rumpelstiltskin-by-paul-o-zelinsky

"50% of this book is just depressed donkeys." In lieu of Shrek, Betsy and Kate go with what is arguably the second most famous Steig picture book out there. You know. The one chock full of sadness and woe. Along the way they tackle grammar, fetlocks, sitting on children, and donkey boulders. Lots and lots of donkey boulders. Show Notes: - For more on Betsy's hatred of knitting needles that stick straight up, be sure to check out her previous blog post The Scourge of Upside Down Knitting: http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2014/07/17/the-scourge-of-upside-down-knitting/ - Sylvester came in at #55 on the old Picture Book Poll: http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2012/05/25/top-100-picture-books-55-sylvester-and-the-magic-pebble-by-william-steig/ - For the full Show Notes, please visit http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2018/04/09/fuse-8-n-kate-sylvester-and-the-magic-pebble-by-william-steig

Kate and Betsy celebrate their episode yet! Both had a LOT to say about this book and along the way they learn some very important lessons about themselves. Like the fact that someone with a retainer may have a very hard time saying the words "pacifist" and "pacifism". Let's all say "passive pacifism" together now three times fast! Show Notes: - We able to find the Ferdinand balloon! In Wired Magazine you can find a piece called Amazing Old Pics of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade with lots of amazing images: https://www.wired.com/2013/11/the-macys-thanksgiving-parade-was-way-cooler-in-black-and-white/ -- Here's the 1938 Disney short: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UN62cxSs5Q8 - Here's the popular song about Ferdinand as sung, in this particular case, by The Lennon Sisters: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Q1KmGMsLsk - And here was the most recent iteration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBXVM7oUPVk - On the picture book poll it showed up as #17: http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2012/06/14/top

This week Betsy and Kate face down their greatest threat yet: Laptop snafus. This episode marks one of the rare instances where the laptop stopped recording the show right before the end of the podcast. Ah well. This particular week the duo takes on Crockett Johnson's best known work (sorry, Carrot Seed) and comes up with everything from arboreal semantics to Ursula Nordstrom as a hard knocks dame to . . . well . . . Genesis. Show Notes: - What truly was Simon in the Land of Chalk Drawings? Behold!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyrDS1UvCG8 - Here is what we do believe is the earliest Harold short created. It. Is. Charming: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKhKyZgafU4 - And here is the HBO television show. You will note that everything Harold draws can move. This aligns the new Harold closer to Simon in the Land of Chalk Drawings more than anything else: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mq4KbIkqpQ - Here's the Glam Rock Opera version. Very catchy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYc-k6MjS-M - Here is w

Our latest podcast marks a first. Yes what we have here is the first time that Betsy has ever discovered that she's been mispronouncing the title of a popular children's book for years and years and years. You might ask yourself, "How the heck do you mispronounce P.D. Eastman's most classic book?" It's all in the punctuation. In fact, we doubt anyone has ever picked apart the punctuation of this book as intensely as Kate and Betsy do on this episode. As it turns out, the female hat-wearing dog's use or lack of use when it comes to exclamation points practically warrants a conspiracy theory in and of itself. Show Notes: - After looking at this particular video of the show, Betsy is pretty sure the one she saw was just a case of poor direction. This looks MUCH livelier! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_To7faUGBI - Be sure to check out the full text of The Ugly Volvo's An Open Letter to the Female Hat-Wearing Dog From "Go, Dog, Go". http://www.theuglyvolvo.com/an-open-letter-to-the-female-hat-wearing-dog-fro