It just seemed to make sense to do a book this week that could kill two birds with one stone. Betsy and Kate haven't done any picture books by Muslim-American (or, in this case, Muslim-Canadian) authors. So Betsy took a look at New York Public Library's 100 Children's Books, 100 Years list and selected Big Red Lollipop. And who did the illustrations? The latest double Caldecott Award winner, Sophie Blackall. Of course, this is a sister book. Betsy is the older sister. Kate is the little sister. So how exactly are they going to take this book of younger sister brattiness? The two also consider what ungodly suburban mom came up with the idea of goodie bags in the first place, Betsy gets to yell, "REVENGE!!!" several times, and Kate keeps bringing up Ariana Grande.

Show Notes:

- Correct us if we're wrong, Canadians. Are your goodie bags called "loot bags". And when, gentle readers, did gift bags become a standard presence at birthday parties?

- This the video of Rukhsana Khan telling this story from her (the little sister's) point of view. You have to watch this. Heck, skip listening to this podcast and just view this instead. Then let's find places for her to speak publicly here in the States, because we want to see her talk NOW. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8UQWdhhy8s

- Betsy believed that her mother said that the odd board game she remembered from my youth was called Count Your Chickens. We have since discovered that this is not true. It was actually called (and you can understand why none of us remembered the name) A Chicken in Every Plot. It was sold by a company called Animal Town which specialized in these odd little games that had names like "Madison Avenue", "Dam Builders", and "Save the Whales". Remember, this is why we invented the internet, people.

- A cookie to anyone who can name me a villainous elephant in a children's book. Go!

- For the complete Show Notes please visit: http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2019/02/05/fuse-8-n-kate-big-red-lollipop-by-rukhsana-khan