Fuse 8 n' Kate

Hat tip to author/artist Jerrold Connors for realizing, long before we did, that Arnie the Doughnut would hit its 20th anniversary here in 2023. At last we can tackle the story of a sentient pastry and his longing for meaning in a cold, hungry world. Since its initial publication, the book has managed to create sequels, a musical, graphic novel/early chapter books, and more. But will it stand up to Kate's scrutiny? Betsy rants about New York City doughnuts and why they suck, how Arnie both thinks too much and not enough, and roads made of Oklahoma maps.

Show Notes:

I failed to mention it on the show, but Arnie the Doughnut actually appeared as #90 on the Top 100 Picture Books Poll I conducted back in 2012: https://afuse8production.slj.com/2012/05/18/top-100-picture-books-90-arnie-the-doughnut-by-laurie-keller/

For the full Show Notes please visit: https://afuse8production.slj.com/2023/01/23/fuse-8-n-kate-arnie-the-doughnut-by-laurie-keller/

It's that time of the year again! A week from today we'll see what books have officially won Caldecotts, Newberys, and other sundry awards at the ALA YMA announcements (visible here). Betsy will also be doing a Pre-Game announcement of all kinds of possible wins. But before that, we've an annual tradition here at Fuse 8 n' Kate where Betsy presents Kate three potential winners and she considers which ones have the best chance. This year Kate feels that there is one clear cut winner . . . and a book that can only be called a complete and utter loser in comparison. Which is which? You're just going to have to listen for yourself to see.

Show Notes:

The Randolph Caldecott music video, music by the Effin' G's, is still out there. And here, one and all, is the video today, after a good 13 year hiatus. Starring . . . both Kate AND Betsy as well as a slew of famous names. If you'd like to see Yuyi Morales, Christopher Myers, Matthew Holm, Sean Qualls, Peter Brown, Marla Frazee, John Rocco, and so many more from over a decade ago . . . you're gonna enjoy this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMIjWQQavcY

Here is the post that I wrote that was inspired by a listener's comments about coconut meat and milk: https://afuse8production.slj.com/2023/01/12/the-top-ten-most-disappointing-edibles-and-potables-of-childrens-literature/

Kate's "Meh" Recommendation: The Harry Potter Magic at Play - https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjJ-Me9ksv8AhUlkmoFHcxCC-UQFnoECA4QAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fharrypottermagicatplay.com%2Fchicago%2F&usg=AOvVaw0JKKT3QmUK4HxbiUejm7w5

Betsy's "Meh" Recommendation: White Noise - https://www.netflix.com/title/81317320

For the full Show Notes please visit: https://afuse8production.slj.com/2023/01/16/fuse-8-n-kate-2023-caldecott-contenders/(opens in a new tab)

KPOM!

It was a storytime staple for Betsy back when she was a children's librarian. But how has this 1988 picture book stood up over the intervening years? Today it's time to accompany our previous spider-filled picture book The Spider and the Fly with another eight-legged potential classic. We've done one other Eric A. Kimmel book on the podcast before (remember Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins?). In spite of the sheer number of times I've read this book, Kate finds PLENTY of details in Janet Stevens's art that I missed entirely over the years. We talk spiky hippo elbows, the empowerment of clever female animals, cultural appropriation, Neil Gaiman, and more.

Show Notes:

Please, if you get a chance, please check out the 100 Scope Notes piece Enter the World of Incredibly Specific Children's Literature Accounts. It's one of the best things we've seen in a long time: https://100scopenotes.com/2023/01/05/enter-the-world-of-incredibly-specific-childrens-literature-instagram-accounts/

For the full Show Notes please visit: https://afuse8production.slj.com/2023/01/09/fuse-8-n-kate-anansi-and-the-moss-covered-rick-retold-by-eric-a-kimmel-ill-janet-stevens/

While we acknowledge that the year 2023 has arrived, we could resist considering one last 2002 title. As you know, we've a cap on considering any book younger than 20 years old, and as of 2022 this Wilson/Chapman collab fit the bill. It's cold outside and a story of FOMO and snuggly bear caves seemed to fit the bill. We consider the book that launched a thousand other Bear books. Anyone who can rhyme "lair" with "bear" has earned our trust.

Show Notes:

If you'd like to read the interview with Karma Wilson that I reference, take a trip over to Read. Learn. Repeat: https://readlearnrepeat.blog/2018/04/22/interview-with-author-karma-wilson/

For the full Show Notes be sure to visit: https://afuse8production.slj.com/2023/01/03/fuse-8-n-kate-bear-snores-on-by-karma-wilson-ill-jane-chapman/

We may already be past Christmas technically, but what a day or two delay? Thanks to the recent winter storms we got a tad delayed in releasing this episode, but better late than never. Today we return, once again, to the world of Tasha Tudor. Last time we considered one of her books we were examining her A Time to Keep (a favorite of Betsy's, Kate ... not so much). There are many different iterations of Clement C. Moore's classic poem, but how many take the man at his word and decide to depict Santa as a tiny, pointy eared elf? Just one that we know of, and that's today's book. So take a trip down memory lane together and look at a version of Santa we'll ne'er see the like of again.

Show Notes: For the full show notes please visit https://afuse8production.slj.com/2022/12/27/fuse-8-n-kate-the-night-before-christmas-illustrated-by-tasha-tudor/

Betsy actually went out and purchased a copy of today's book a year ago and has been holding onto it just for this time of year. Granted, it's not Hanukkah for a couple weeks now, but our schedule is a little sporadic this month so no time like the present! This week we consider what, in some ways, might be the flipside of another Hanukkah book we did a number of years ago, The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming. Screaming or laughing, the real question here is this: Do you put applesauce or sour cream on your latkes? We tackle this very deep, very serious debate firsthand. Just wanted to let you know what you're getting into with this episode.

Show Notes:

For the full Show Notes please visit: https://afuse8production.slj.com/2022/12/12/fuse-8-n-kate-laughing-latkes-by-m-b-goffstein/

It's not every podcast episode where Kate is capable of turning me around, 360 degrees, on a title that I thought I had an opinion on. On paper a book by the guys that brought us Viola Swamp and that uses the term "Stupid" to great effect should be one of my favorite titles. What I didn't understand was that in spite of appearing on ALA's Banned List for a long time, it actually has a great number of problems. It's possible it really hasn't aged well... and not in the ways you might expect.

For the full Show Notes please visit: https://afuse8production.slj.com/2022/12/05/fuse-8-n-kate-the-stupids-step-out-by-harry-allard-ill-james-marshall/

It's our 250th Episode!!

You know, when we first started this podcast we didn't really have a plan in terms of how long it might go. Nor did I lay out a carefully considered explanation from the start of which books we would do, and in what order. All we had was the premise, a catchy theme song, and an unending supply of titles to choose from. Case In Point: We have never done a Richard Scarry book before. Can you believe it? It's true though. You see Richard Scarry's best known books are (how shall I put this) incredibly long. We're talking, Moby Dick-long equivalent tomes. But 250 is a special number so we're dedicating it to a very special guy. Come for the turkey. Stay for the odd changes made between different editions of this book.

Show Notes:

For full Show Notes please visit: https://afuse8production.slj.com/2022/11/21/fuse-8-n-kate-our-250th-episode-richard-scarrys-best-word-book-ever/

If you looked at the title of this week's podcast book and thought to yourself, "I've never even heard of that one before" then you may know what time it is . . . IT'S CULT CLASSIC TIME! With periodic regularity Kate and Betsy will discuss on Fuse 8 n' Kate those picture books that are, as they like to call them, "cult classics". That means that they are popular with some segment of the audience, if not the entire world. Today that "segment of the audience is" [checks notes] Germany. Yup. Germany once again. We've already talked about illustrator Wolf Erlbruch in our episode on Death, Duck and the Tulip. Germans aren't afraid to tackle death in picture books. Nor are they afraid of excrement. This book is ample proof of that (though it's the English that are the true fans). Bonus: By the end, we discover the International Rule of Anuses in Picture Books. It's the line the Europeans will not cross! Listen to find out why!

Show Notes:

And now, two videos that may be of particular note in this case.

First, a bit of animation of the book: https://youtu.be/oG0KzxVoTI8

Second, a bit of what can happen when schools get creative: https://youtu.be/6gOwDmpxvnU

For the full Show Notes please visit: https://afuse8production.slj.com/2022/11/14/fuse-8-n-kate-the-story-of-the-little-mole-who-went-in-search-of-whodunit-by-werner-holzwarth-ill-wolf-erlbruch/

We heard the call and we have responded! It was noted by more than one reader that we've done very few nonfiction picture books on our podcast. We did do So You Want to Be President earlier this year back in February but that was pretty much it. So today, we consider a book produced back in 2001. We know that the standards to which we hold nonfiction picture books has changed in the intervening 21 years. So how does this particular title stand up today? Spoiler Alert: Surprisingly well!

Betsy told the story of the goose puppet and Brian Selznick on her blog here back in 2011: https://afuse8production.slj.com/2011/05/18/saracen-selznick-and-the-goose-that-almost-wasnt/

And you can find information on the upcoming celebration at The Rabbit Hole in Kansas City on November 18th here: https://www.rabbitholekc.org/thisisnotarabbit

For the full Show Notes please visit: https://afuse8production.slj.com/2022/11/07/fuse-8-n-kate-the-dinosaurs-of-waterhouse-hawkins-by-barbara-kerley-ill-brian-selznick/