Spooky, October-Infused Fuse 8 n’ Kate: Outside Over There by Maurice Sendak

BOO!

Happy October, everybody! In keeping with the season I’ve decided that this month of Fuse 8 n’ Kate we should go spooky. I’m talking Werewolf Bar Mitzvah spooky (Kate didn’t get the reference either, don’t worry). With that in mind I wanted to find a book that might not have been meant to be spooky when it was originally published, but came off that way anyway. It’s a bit of a cheat to do another Sendak quite so soon, but them’s the breaks.  The happy news (that I fail to mention on the podcast) is that we are now officially on Stitcher and Google Play. Hooray!  So if those are your preferred methods of listening, off you go.

Listen to this episode in full here.

Show Notes:

• Anyone who puts together a picture book cover involving Jim, the chicken, and the old lady from Good Night Moon for Kate wins my everlasting love.
• Ode to Stephen Gammell. The great man behind Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.  I highly recommend The 15 Most Disturbing Illustrations From “Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark if your memory needs a jog.
• This is what I meant when I referenced Rebel Without a Cause:

• Kate would like me to credit the horn playing in the music behind Kate’s reading of the plot to Louis Armstrong performing “Summertime”.
• I was SO right about it being Jawas. But let’s compare and contrast:

Goblins:

Jawas:

Ewoks:

I mean YOU TELL ME?  Who’s right?  Eh?

• Ice Ice Baby

• The change in the window.

• As you can see, the man liked his Mozart.

• Apparently the German Shepherd featured in this book was modeled after Sendak’s dog Max. He would later adopt a different German Shepherd named Melville.
• Curious about The Dionne Quintuplets?  Here’s some background information.
• Was this your favorite picture book as a child? Tell us now!
• I really don’t like Bumble-Ardy.
• Kate acknowledged after the fact that “You Are Not Alone” came out in the 90s. I’m two for two!
• LifeSource: Information on donating blood.
• Here is a link to Eddie Izzard’s latest book. And, for the record, he was magnificent in person.

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