Fuse 8 n’ Kate
@fuse8nkate.bsky.social
Two sisters consider the wide world of picture books and deserve which should be remembered as “classics” and which ones are “crrrrrrrap!” Follow the podcast at https://m.soundcloud.com/user-745466600
Mind if we just make this the image of the current revolution? [Martin’s Big Words, 2001]
January 17, 2026 at 2:44 PM
Mind if we just make this the image of the current revolution? [Martin’s Big Words, 2001]
Um… regardless of anything else in this book, can we just get a pair of these pants? Please? Someone tell us where to find them. [Martin’s Big Words, 2001]
January 17, 2026 at 2:42 PM
Um… regardless of anything else in this book, can we just get a pair of these pants? Please? Someone tell us where to find them. [Martin’s Big Words, 2001]
We submit to the jury further proof that this is the best Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. picture book to date. Our evidence? All you gotta do is open your eyes, my friend. [Martin’s Big Words, 2001]
January 17, 2026 at 2:40 PM
We submit to the jury further proof that this is the best Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. picture book to date. Our evidence? All you gotta do is open your eyes, my friend. [Martin’s Big Words, 2001]
The thing with illustrator Bryan Collier is that when he makes a decision, it’s done with great intentionality. So that flag hanging there with the inappropriate number of stars? There’s a story there. And we’d love to know it. [Martin’s Big Words, 2001]
January 17, 2026 at 2:38 PM
The thing with illustrator Bryan Collier is that when he makes a decision, it’s done with great intentionality. So that flag hanging there with the inappropriate number of stars? There’s a story there. And we’d love to know it. [Martin’s Big Words, 2001]
What other picture book biography, we ask you, would take the time and care and attention to present such an array of stained glass windows, meant to reflect different shades of skin as its endpapers? An incredible choice to kickoff this book. [Martin’s Big Words, 2001]
January 17, 2026 at 2:34 PM
What other picture book biography, we ask you, would take the time and care and attention to present such an array of stained glass windows, meant to reflect different shades of skin as its endpapers? An incredible choice to kickoff this book. [Martin’s Big Words, 2001]
"CELEBRATE PERSON!" That's what I've always felt that this Doreen Cronin series (and their Big Face Book Jackets) says. But this book is, to my mind, the Martin Luther King book to beat all other Martin Luther King books. Agree? #kidlit 📚👍 afuse8production.slj.com/2026/01/14/f...
Fuse 8 n’ Kate: Martin’s Big Words by Doreen Rappaport, ill. Bryan Collier
afuse8production.slj.com
January 17, 2026 at 2:27 PM
"CELEBRATE PERSON!" That's what I've always felt that this Doreen Cronin series (and their Big Face Book Jackets) says. But this book is, to my mind, the Martin Luther King book to beat all other Martin Luther King books. Agree? #kidlit 📚👍 afuse8production.slj.com/2026/01/14/f...
This book may have come out in 2003 but it was way ahead of its time when it comes to backmatter. Look at these four glorious pages of it!! [Ten Mice for Tet, 2003]
January 5, 2026 at 6:43 PM
This book may have come out in 2003 but it was way ahead of its time when it comes to backmatter. Look at these four glorious pages of it!! [Ten Mice for Tet, 2003]
The limitations of Google Translate are vast. It tells us that this says “Leather Mice.” We remain skeptical. Anyone with additional and actual knowledge on the matter would be doing us a solid. [Ten Mice for Tet, 2003]
January 5, 2026 at 6:41 PM
The limitations of Google Translate are vast. It tells us that this says “Leather Mice.” We remain skeptical. Anyone with additional and actual knowledge on the matter would be doing us a solid. [Ten Mice for Tet, 2003]
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to embroider/illustrate an ENTIRE picture book AND in the course of things you need to make movement and even fruit come to life. Yeah. Good luck with all that. [Ten Mice for Tet, 2003]
January 5, 2026 at 6:39 PM
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to embroider/illustrate an ENTIRE picture book AND in the course of things you need to make movement and even fruit come to life. Yeah. Good luck with all that. [Ten Mice for Tet, 2003]
It’s always nice when you can draw such a direct line between a story’s invite list and that book’s dedication page. [Ten Mice for Tet, 2003]
January 5, 2026 at 6:37 PM
It’s always nice when you can draw such a direct line between a story’s invite list and that book’s dedication page. [Ten Mice for Tet, 2003]
Today on the podcast, since the Vietnamese new year of Tet occurs in Jan/Fe, I took that as permission to tackle this fascinating 2003 publication. We go over Tet, bananas, embroidery, and what a "leather mouse" might be. #kidlit 📚👍 afuse8production.slj.com/2026/01/05/f...
Fuse 8 n’ Kate: Ten Mice for Tet by Pegi Dietz Shea, Cynthia Weill, Tô Ngọc Trang, and Phạm Viêt Đình
Since the Vietnamese new year of Tet occurs in January/February, I took that as permission to finally tackle this fascinating 2003 publication. We go over our past predictions and resolutions, Tet, ba...
afuse8production.slj.com
January 5, 2026 at 6:10 PM
Today on the podcast, since the Vietnamese new year of Tet occurs in Jan/Fe, I took that as permission to tackle this fascinating 2003 publication. We go over Tet, bananas, embroidery, and what a "leather mouse" might be. #kidlit 📚👍 afuse8production.slj.com/2026/01/05/f...
Continuity Error Alert! Note the candles. They’re down… they’re up!! [The Trees of the Dancing Goats, 1996]
December 22, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Continuity Error Alert! Note the candles. They’re down… they’re up!! [The Trees of the Dancing Goats, 1996]
Kate’s having a real hard time with the way in which Polacco sometimes draws faces. What do you think? [The Trees of the Dancing Goats, 1996]
December 22, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Kate’s having a real hard time with the way in which Polacco sometimes draws faces. What do you think? [The Trees of the Dancing Goats, 1996]
Challenge: Sum up 2025 in one image. We’ll go first.
[The Trees of the Dancing Goats, 1996]
[The Trees of the Dancing Goats, 1996]
December 22, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Challenge: Sum up 2025 in one image. We’ll go first.
[The Trees of the Dancing Goats, 1996]
[The Trees of the Dancing Goats, 1996]
Clown Alert! Clown! This is not a drill!!!
(Can you even spot it? Kate sure did)
[The Trees of the Dancing Goats, 1996]
(Can you even spot it? Kate sure did)
[The Trees of the Dancing Goats, 1996]
December 22, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Clown Alert! Clown! This is not a drill!!!
(Can you even spot it? Kate sure did)
[The Trees of the Dancing Goats, 1996]
(Can you even spot it? Kate sure did)
[The Trees of the Dancing Goats, 1996]
It can be tricky to pin down when a story takes place where there isn’t technology at hand. Thank goodness for cars then, eh? [The Trees of the Dancing Goats, 1996]
December 22, 2025 at 2:28 PM
It can be tricky to pin down when a story takes place where there isn’t technology at hand. Thank goodness for cars then, eh? [The Trees of the Dancing Goats, 1996]
Interestingly, Polacco opted for a menorah that wasn’t kosher. Purposefully or was it a mistake? Unknown. [The Trees of the Dancing Goats, 1996]
December 22, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Interestingly, Polacco opted for a menorah that wasn’t kosher. Purposefully or was it a mistake? Unknown. [The Trees of the Dancing Goats, 1996]
On the podcast, it's a Christmas book! It's a Hanukkah book! It's a Christmas AND a Hanukkah book! But how does it stand up after all these years? afuse8production.slj.com/2025/12/22/f...
Fuse 8 n’ Kate: The Trees of the Dancing Goats by Patricia Polacco
It's a Christmas book! It's a Hanukkah book! It's a Christmas AND a Hanukkah book! But how does it stand up after all these years?
afuse8production.slj.com
December 22, 2025 at 2:17 PM
On the podcast, it's a Christmas book! It's a Hanukkah book! It's a Christmas AND a Hanukkah book! But how does it stand up after all these years? afuse8production.slj.com/2025/12/22/f...
We love this guy. All he has to do is leap. Just leap. Instead he decides to go ALL out and show us what he’s got. That’s why we love him. [The Twelve Days of Christmas, 1989]
December 15, 2025 at 6:44 PM
We love this guy. All he has to do is leap. Just leap. Instead he decides to go ALL out and show us what he’s got. That’s why we love him. [The Twelve Days of Christmas, 1989]
Okay. Fess up. What culture hangs actual gingerbread men on the tree? [The Twelve Days of Christmas, 1989]
December 15, 2025 at 6:43 PM
Okay. Fess up. What culture hangs actual gingerbread men on the tree? [The Twelve Days of Christmas, 1989]
Note Gerald. It’s his first day. Everyone else is on point. Gerald? He’s looking at the others to make sure he’s doing it right. [The Twelve Days of Christmas, 1989]
December 15, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Note Gerald. It’s his first day. Everyone else is on point. Gerald? He’s looking at the others to make sure he’s doing it right. [The Twelve Days of Christmas, 1989]
Step One: Take wife into woods.
Step Two: Take axe and… um…
[The Twelve Days of Christmas, 1989]
Step Two: Take axe and… um…
[The Twelve Days of Christmas, 1989]
December 15, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Step One: Take wife into woods.
Step Two: Take axe and… um…
[The Twelve Days of Christmas, 1989]
Step Two: Take axe and… um…
[The Twelve Days of Christmas, 1989]
We have a lot of questions about the put-wigs-and-hats-on-birds division of this song. The meaner the bird the fewer the accoutrements? [The Twelve Days of Christmas, 1989]
December 15, 2025 at 6:37 PM
We have a lot of questions about the put-wigs-and-hats-on-birds division of this song. The meaner the bird the fewer the accoutrements? [The Twelve Days of Christmas, 1989]
He’s just Ken (anywhere else he’d be a ten). And admit. If Ken knew about fox hunting (cool outfits AND horses?) this would be his look. Sorry, foxes. [The Twelve Days of Christmas, 1989]
December 15, 2025 at 6:34 PM
He’s just Ken (anywhere else he’d be a ten). And admit. If Ken knew about fox hunting (cool outfits AND horses?) this would be his look. Sorry, foxes. [The Twelve Days of Christmas, 1989]
Alert! Alert! We cannot for the life of us identify this oddity of an instrument. Where, precisely, are your fingers supposed to go? Help us figure it out! [The Twelve Days of Christmas, 1989]
December 15, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Alert! Alert! We cannot for the life of us identify this oddity of an instrument. Where, precisely, are your fingers supposed to go? Help us figure it out! [The Twelve Days of Christmas, 1989]