SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SLJ Blog Network +
  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About/Contact
  • Fusenews
  • Reviews
  • Librarian Previews
  • Best Books
    • Top 100
    • Best Books of 2022
    • Best Books of 2021
    • Best Books of 2020
    • Best Books of 2019
    • Best Books of 2018
    • Best Books of 2017
    • Best Books of 2016
    • Best Books of 2015
    • Best Books of 2014
    • Best Books of 2013
  • Fuse 8 n’ Kate
  • Videos
  • Press Release Fun

June 3, 2019 by Betsy Bird

Fuse 8 n’ Kate: Tell Me a Mitzi by Lore Segal and Harriet Pincus

June 3, 2019 by Betsy Bird   10 comments

Let us try something a little different. Under normal circumstances, the entire premise of my podcast with Kate is that I will present her with a picture book “classic” that she has never seen before and she will read it for the first time. To change things up, she suggested that we bring a picture book that neither of us had read. At the same time, she mentioned in a previous episode that when it comes to classic Jewish picture books, the only ones we’ve ever done were Hanukkah based. Add in the fact that it’s a cult classic that came back in print two years ago, and you’ve got yourself one heckuva show.

Listen to the whole show here on Soundcloud or download it through iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, PlayerFM, or your preferred method of podcast selection.

Show Notes:

  • I keep quoting from a Marjorie Ingall article in Tablet Magazine that was called Lore Segal’s Warm and Weird ‘Tell Me a Mitzi’. I highly recommend that you seek it out.
  • Babies and kids with the 5 o’clock shadows. Nothing like ’em.
  • I implore you, gentle readers, tell us why the top of this hopscotch features the word “POTSY”.
  • Mom, getting her kids up in the morning, is looking GOOD!
  • Love those I Love Lucy / Dick Van Dyke separate beds!
  • “Elves Can Be Fun”. Can they, though? Can they?
  • Could this be an allusion to Michael diCapua? With the artist’s connection to Sendak, it’s not out of the question. I suppose there’s only one person in the world who may know, and that’s Mr. diCapua himself. Somebody ask him when you get a chance, what eh?
  • This strange side story is just fascinating to us.
  • Joni Mitchell! Alongside evidence that the pants men wear in this book are often quite remarkable.
  • It’s the President’s aides that I find absolutely fascinating.
  • Lore Segal’s family’s story was told in the Academy Award winning documentary Into the Arms of Strangers. You can see the trailer for it here:
  • In case you’re curious, the four podcasts of science I’m trying out are The Story Collider, Sawbones, 60-Second Science, and Science for the People.

Filed under: Fuse 8 n' Kate

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments
Fuse 8 n' KateHarriet PincusJewish children's booksLore SegalTell Me a Mitzi

About Betsy Bird

Betsy Bird is currently the Collection Development Manager of the Evanston Public Library system and a former Materials Specialist for New York Public Library. She has served on Newbery, written for Horn Book, and has done other lovely little things that she'd love to tell you about but that she's sure you'd find more interesting to hear of in person. Her opinions are her own and do not reflect those of EPL, SLJ, or any of the other acronyms you might be able to name. Follow her on Twitter: @fuseeight.

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

March 2023

Fuse 8 n' Kate: A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon

by Betsy Bird

March 2023

Fuse 8 n' Kate: Curious George Goes to the Hospital by Margaret & H.A. Rey

by Betsy Bird

February 2023

Fuse 8 n' Kate: The Mitten by Jan Brett

by Betsy Bird

February 2023

Fuse 8 n' Kate: A Valentine for Norman Noggs by Valiska Gregory, ill. Marsha Winborn

by Betsy Bird

February 2023

Fuse 8 n' Kate: Who's In Rabbit's House by Verna Aardema, ill. Leo and Diane Dillon

by Betsy Bird

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

100 Scope Notes

2023 Caldecott Jump

by Travis Jonker

A Fuse #8 Production

Fuse 8 n’ Kate: A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

Ben Mortara and the Thieves of the Golden Table | This Week’s Comics

by Lori Henderson

Heavy Medal

March suggestions: early Mock Newbery possibilities

by Emily Mroczek-Bayci

Teen Librarian Toolbox

Don’t Ban Them. Don’t Silence Them. The Importance of Writing About the “Tough Stuff” in Teen Fiction, a guest post by Lila Riesen

by Amanda MacGregor

The Classroom Bookshelf

The Classroom Bookshelf is Moving

by Erika Thulin Dawes

The Yarn

Newbery Medalist Amina Luqman-Dawson visits The Yarn

by Colby Sharp

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

Zines: Cut-and-Paste Publishing by and for the People

15 Short & Sweet Love Stories for Tweens and Teens

2 New Books for Beginning Readers Based on Indigenous Stories

Three Gentle Fantasy Series for 'My Father's Dragon' Fans | Read-Alikes

2 Graphic Novels About Making Friends in Middle School

About Betsy Bird

Betsy Bird is currently the Collection Development Manager of the Evanston Public Library system and a former Materials Specialist for New York Public Library. She has served on Newbery, written for Horn Book, and has done other lovely little things that she'd love to tell you about but that she's sure you'd find more interesting to hear of in person. Her opinions are her own and do not reflect those of EPL, SLJ, or any of the other acronyms you might be able to name. Follow her on Twitter: @fuseeight.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Uly says

    June 3, 2019 at 3:17 am

    Potsy is just another name for the game of hopscotch, and of course is one of many things traditionally written at the top of a hopscotch game, including (but not limited to) “home”, “heaven”, and “safe”.

    • Elizabeth Bird says

      June 3, 2019 at 9:58 am

      This is incredibly useful.

  2. leda says

    June 3, 2019 at 7:53 am

    Potsy is what we used to call the thing–stone, usually–we threw onto the court to then pick up as we hopped.

    • Elizabeth Bird says

      June 3, 2019 at 9:58 am

      I literally had no idea. Thank you!

  3. Emily Schneider says

    June 3, 2019 at 8:44 am

    I really appreciate your new looks at classics. Marjorie’s Ingall’s article brought this book back to the center of attention, even though it hadn’t really left for many of us. It is a poignant reminder that Segal was rescued in the kindertransport; there is also a book, in addition to the film, of “Into the Arms of Strangers.”
    By coincidence, I have a piece at the Jewish Book Council about Marilyn Sachs, who was an exact contemporary of Segal, and who also wrote about Jewish characters whose Jewishness was not generally predicated on religious observance.
    https://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/pb-daily/marilyn-sachs-forgotten-pioneer-in-childrens-literature
    Having said that, I agree with you that there is much more to Jewish children’s books than Chanukah or other holidays, although many of those Chanukah books are wonderful and deserve attention. Thanks for this piece!

  4. marjorie says

    June 3, 2019 at 12:18 pm

    Such a delicious piece, Betsy! Thanks for the shout-out. And yeah, gotta love those babies with five o’clock shadow. And in my experience elves are not fun but I appreciate the old lady’s open-mindedness.

  5. Misti says

    June 6, 2019 at 1:37 pm

    Wait . . . Betsy, you haven’t read “When Sophie Gets Angry”? There’s a classic you could do for the next time you want a book that neither you nor Kate have read.

    • Elizabeth Bird says

      June 6, 2019 at 10:36 pm

      Even as I said it I realized how unclear I’d been. I’ve read the first Sophie but I don’t remember the second well and got the two all twisted up. Oog. But yes. Adore that book.

  6. Yapha Mason says

    June 9, 2019 at 9:02 pm

    I haven’t listened to this episode yet, but I have to tell you — Mitzi was a family favorite growing up! I think my mom still has our original copy. I never met anyone else who had heard of it…

    • Elizabeth Bird says

      June 10, 2019 at 12:36 am

      Trust me, you are definitely not alone.

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

  • External Links

    • A Fuse #8 Production Reviews
  • Follow This Blog

    Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    Primary Sidebar

    • News & Features
    • Reviews+
    • Technology
    • School Libraries
    • Public Libraries
    • Age Level
    • Ideas
    • Blogs
    • Classroom
    • Diversity
    • People
    • Job Zone

    Reviews+

    • Book Lists
    • Best Books
    • Media
    • Reference
    • Series Made Simple
    • Tech
    • Review for SLJ
    • Review Submissions

    SLJ Blog Network

    • 100 Scope Notes
    • A Fuse #8 Production
    • Good Comics for Kids
    • Heavy Medal
    • Neverending Search
    • Teen Librarian Toolbox
    • The Classroom Bookshelf
    • The Yarn

    Resources

    • 2022 Youth Media Awards
    • The Newbery at 100: SLJ Celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Award
    • Special Report | School Libraries 2021
    • Summer Reading 2021
    • Series Made Simple Spring 2021
    • SLJ Diverse Books Survey
    • Summer Programming Survey
    • Research
    • White Papers / Case Studies
    • School Librarian of the Year
    • Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards
    • Librarian/Teacher Collaboration Award

    Events & PD

    • In-Person Events
    • Online Courses
    • Virtual Events
    • Webcasts
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Subscribe
    • Media Inquiries
    • Newsletter Sign Up
    • Content Submissions
    • Data Privacy
    • Terms of Use
    • Terms of Sale
    • FAQs
    • Diversity Policy
    • Careers at MSI


    COPYRIGHT © 2023


    COPYRIGHT © 2023