Additional points for this horribly accurate visual of how to trip on your own ribbons. [Fancy Nancy, 2005]

Need a top hat and cane? We’re oddly impressed with Nancy’s wherewithal when it comes to plundering old magic kits for clothing. Extra points for the blouse of the bunny in the top hat when it rips. [Fancy Nancy, 2005]

Sneaky Robin! Looks like this illustrator put an actual bookstore into this book. Can you think of anyone who’s done the same before? We’re stumped. [Fancy Nancy, 2005]

Betsy has two theories surrounding this book. First, that this family probably employs a housekeeper who cleans Nancy’s room exclusively. Second, that the two employees featured in this shot are based on people in the real world. Let us know if you have info on the latter. [Fancy Nancy, 2005]

Just in time for her 20th anniversary, Kate & I tackle the fanciest nanciest gal in picture bookdom on the podcast. WILL Kate think she's a brat? IS this the first book we've done with glitter on the cover? Find out! #kidlit 📚👍 afuse8production.slj.com/2025/09/22/f...

Don’t know who this person is, what their deal is, or why they’re in this book. We just want to be them. [Max’s Dragon Shirt, 1991]

Okay. Gotta lotta thoughts about this “teenager” in this Max & Ruby book. First off, the positioning of the earrings gave us a lot to talk about. We suppose goth teens would have a lot more places to pierce. Next, the oversized t-shirt/dress. Fire. No notes.[Max’s Dragon Shirt, 1991]

And then once in a while there’s an ancient cash register on the counter that looks like something out of It’s a Wonderful Life. [Max’s Dragon Shirt, 1991]

What are the odds that a guy wearing a houndstooth coat could wander into a store and happen to find a matching deerstalker cap? It’s a mall miracle! [Max’s Dragon Shirt, 1991]

Look, lady, I don’t wanna tell you how to do your job, but maybe when selecting a pram to push beside a bus, don’t go with the one completely and utterly lacking in, uh, handles. [Max’s Dragon Shirt, 1991]

Pickles AND roses on a single dress?!? Rosemary Wells have you been reading our dream journal? How dare this book call it ugly! This slays. [Max’s Dragon Shirt, 1991]

Plenty of shoes for sale in this mall. Yup. Kind of odd, though, since not a single one of the bunnies in this book wears them (look for yourself if you don’t believe us!). [Max’s Dragon Shirt, 1991]

Our first Rosemary Wells on the podcast? How is this even possible? We meet Max & Ruby for the first time and have a LOT to say on the matter. Particularly about 1980s malls. #kidlit 📚👍 afuse8production.slj.com/2025/09/15/f...

Sometimes, as an adult, you can just tell which sequences in a book would have appealed to you as a child. Loads of cake slices? Mini Betsy would have been in heaven. [Mr. Lunch Takes a Plane Ride, 1993]

How have picture books changed since the 90s. Well, we’re happy to report that the likelihood of seeing an all-white audience on the page has decreased precipitously (though it still happens from time to time). [Mr. Lunch Takes a Plane Ride, 1993]

Though this book isn’t exactly a picture perfect snapshot of 1993, if you’ve a travel savvy youngster to read this to, play the game where you point out all the things that have changed about airplane travel in the interim. [Mr. Lunch Takes a Plane Ride, 1993]

The best name here is Joe, obviously. After all, Joe is just an inherently funny moniker. [Mr. Lunch Takes a Plane Ride, 1993]

Jeff Kinney owes his style to no one but himself, but we still enjoying seeing the similarities between a Seibold man and Greg Heffley. [Mr. Lunch Takes a Plane Ride, 1993]

A cult classic picture book with a distinctly 1993 bent is the focus of our discussion on the @fuse8nkate.bsky.social podcast today. How has Mr. Lunch aged in the intervening 32 years? We aim to find out. #kidlit 📚👍 afuse8production.slj.com/2025/05/19/f...

While the art of this book doesn’t tend to garner a lot of attention, you have to appreciate the repeated visual beat of the guard in sunglasses and, later, the pitcher. [Baseball Saved Us, 1993]

This title is definitely our first Lee & Low book on the podcast, and after its publication would spurr on many other historical titles for kids to come. #kidlit 📚👍 afuse8production.slj.com/2025/05/12/f...

The key to discovering the precise year this book takes place may lay in the hockey jersey that Spirin’s son sports here. Any guesses? [Martha, 2005]

Who wore it better? Spirin v. Hodor. [Martha, 2005]

The kindest killer we’ve seen on a picture book page in a while. Mind that syringe!! [Martha, 2005]

There’s a story here… [Martha, 2005]

This scene reminded Betsy of a Russian 1980s Norman Rockwell tableau. Care to agree? [Martha, 2005]

Get yourself a man who draws you the way Gennady Spirin draws his wife. [Martha, 2005]

Kirkus declared today's book to be one of the Best Picture Books of the 21st Century (So Far) but neither Kate nor myself had ever read it. We correct that error on the podcast today! #kidlit 📚👍 afuse8production.slj.com/2025/04/28/f...

Yup. Technically this should be an “opossum”. But as it turns out, both pronouncing that “O” and not pronouncing it are equally valid. [It’s Not Easy Being a Bunny, 1983]

100% this moose call is Betsy’s favorite part of the book. Just imagine doing a storytime with this title in a room full of kids and then throwing your head back to utter a massive, “MOOOK!” Glorious. [It’s Not Easy Being a Bunny, 1983]

Kate took one look at these dudes and immediately thought of them speaking with the voice of Eeyore. “Live with us. Don’t live with us. It doesn’t matter. Living doesn’t matter.” [It’s Not Easy Being a Bunny, 1983]

That, my friends, is either the world’s largest bunny or, quite possibly, the world’s smallest bear. And both possibilities are appealing. [It’s Not Easy Being a Bunny, 1983]

No good running away story is complete unless the protagonist has, at some point, a bindle in hand, wouldn’t you agree? [It’s Not Easy Being a Bunny, 1983]

Repeatedly a bestseller around Easter-time, Kate and I tackle this 1983 beginner book on the podcast and attempt to figure out why it's become so popular this late in the game. #kidlit 📚👍 afuse8production.slj.com/2025/04/21/f...

And suddenly the vertical format makes perfect sense. Such an interesting choice to make yellow text on a pink background. [Leonardo the Terrible Monster, 2005]

“BLAAAGLE BLAGGLE,” sounds rather similar to Knuffle Bunny’s “AAGLE BLAGGLE,” don’t you agree? Snurp. [Leonardo the Terrible Monster, 2005]

We’re stumped. Anyone want to guess where exactly Leonardo is doing his scaredy kid research? What are those books? Extra points to anyone who noticed the Nokia phone sitting on the ground. Just in case you needed some proof that 20 years was a long time ago. [Leonardo the Terrible Monster, 2005]

Eleanor’s ankle bracelet may scream “2005!” but full credit to her for not only painting her front facing claws but the backwards ones as well. [Leonardo the Terrible Monster, 2005]

Before you ask, yes, Kate did count the teeth. There are 148, to be precise. Which means that there are rows upon rows inside those mouths *shudder*. And we love that one of them is gold. [Leonardo the Terrible Monster, 2005]

Aside from the man here looking awfully like a blue-haired Mo, don’t you love how clearly the woman is conveying the sense of, “Aww. Will you look at the little guy over there.” [Leonardo the Terrible Monster, 2005]

Kate took one look at this little guy and immediately pegged as a slightly more anemic, toddler-sized version of one of the Wild Things from Sendak’s eponymous book. Hard not to see it. [Leonardo the Terrible Monster, 2005]

Today on the podcast we discuss our future picture book "Steampunk Monster", how Sam's got sass, baby Wild Things, and more. #kidlit 📚👍 afuse8production.slj.com/2025/04/14/f...

We may need some input on this. Child’s style can be a bit on the loose side. As such, Kate finds the lace of Lola’s cuff to look insidiously close to a second hand. Are you of a similar mindset or is this just plain old lace to you? [I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato, 2000]

Typography and good design are the hallmarks for Lauren Child’s picture book. Check out the different fonts. Where she places her text. It’s all so expertly done. [I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato, 2000]

Under normal circumstances, Betsy abhors peas (much like Lola). And can you blame her? Look at that adorable little punim. Who could eat that guy? [I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato, 2000]

It's our very first Lauren Child is on the @fuse8nkate.bsky.social podcast! We talk picky eating, weird Girl Scouts, and how Charlie and Lola were the Bluey of their day. #kidlit 📚👍 afuse8production.slj.com/2025/04/07/f...

Ah, the Talky Tina part of the book. When at long last the stuffie actually smiles! [Llama Llama Red Pajama, 2005]

A landline corded phone in 2005? No wonder baby llama looks so unnerved. We’re betting this was considered a bit old even when it was first painted. [Llama Llama Red Pajama, 2005]

It’s hard for us to resist mildly traumatized stuffies. Something about the way those unblinking eyes stare into horrors only they can see. [Llama Llama Red Pajama, 2005]

"Honoring the hearts and minds of little people." It is our infinite honor on the podcast to host the daughters of Anna Dewdney to tell us some stories about their mom and about the book itself. #kidlit 📚👍 afuse8production.slj.com/2025/03/31/f...