A British book just snuck into the pack. When Betsy picked it up from the library for Kate to read, she was positive that what they had on their hands was an American title through and through. Not as such. Mary Hoffman, a white British woman, wrote this back in 1991. It was also a Kate Greenaway Honor book when it was released, which is impressive. This book is not without its controversial elements, but in Betsy's library the only edition available was the reprinted 2015 edition. And, as you will see, that is probably for the best.

Show Notes:

- For a fun time, Google "Pantomimes about Aladdin" sometime. You will subsequently be taken to a wide world of very British holiday oddities.

I love this kid with his hand only partly up. Like he wasn't paying attention and isn't sure what everyone's volunteering for, but he doesn't want to be left out.

As mentioned, back in 2015 Amazing Grace was re-released, but the American editions (not the British editions?) quietly excised the illustration of Grace as Hiawatha. No announcement was made at the time. On her blog, Debbie Reese has the complete rundown and history of the controversy surrounding the image and the silence that accompanied its change. Mind you, this change might have appeared earlier. As Roger Sutton says in the comment section of Debbie's piece, "The U.S. edition of Amazing Grace has always been Dial. But what i don't know is whether the elimination of the Hiawatha picture happened with this anniversary edition or if the (American) publisher had removed it before--it's a book that's been through many years and printings, so this change might not be new. I just don't know." https://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/2015/10/big-news-about-hoffmans-amazing-grace.html

The book that's a lot like this one that's out this year is Not Quite Snow White by Ashley Franklin, illustrated by Ebony Glenn. When Betsy saw it this year she wondered if Amazing Grace had just been completely forgotten.

If you would like to hear what a Neanderthal sounds like, check out the RadioLab episode Asking for a Friend: https://www.wnycstudios.org/story/asking-friend

For the full Show Notes please visit: http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2019/09/02/fuse-8-n-kate-amazing-grace-by-mary-hoffman-ill-caroline-binch/