Fuse 8 n’ Kate: A Small Miracle by Peter Collington

Ah! At last! The chance to combine three of my favorite types of books on this podcast: Holiday Books, Wordless Books, and Cult Classics. In trying to find a new Christmas classic to do with Kate, it occurred to me that we had never done this particular book. It first came to my attention years ago thanks in large part to Alison Morris (now working at First Book). It was she who brought it to my attention and (spoiler alert) I fell instantly in love with it. It’s like I say in the podcast. I like a book that leans into its weirdness.

A small note: This episode runs a bit “hot” in terms of the sound. Apologies. We will have our sound man / penguinologist look into it.

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:

Here is the gift Kate bestowed upon me. Since receiving them I have discovered that they are, without a doubt, the sweetest substance known to the human tongue. I like sweet things but baby these take it to a WHOLE other level.

This is an inadvisable housing situation. Aside from the hole in the floor, there’s the fact that she has to climb up and down a stool to get in and out of bed. It wasn’t the first thing I noticed, so I was glad that Kate did.

If I don’t miss my guess, this was the picture that caused Kate to compare the old woman to the Supreme Leader of the First Order. There may be a hint of Smoke there, but just a hint.

On this next point, however, no judgement. It is awful hard to get up the energy to shave your legs in the winter, let alone when your caravan lacks in running water.

A clever method of showing the passage of time. Keep your eye on the shop’s sign:

Old lady powers, ACTIVATE!

“This is where it gets all Wolf in the Snow for me.” I am SO PROUD of Kate right now for making that connection.

How do they lift her up? “THIS is the small miracle, right here!”

Then they go to the shopping market . . . where, clearly, they can only buy the stuff on the bottom shelf. No name brand cereal for you, m’dear.

The cashier woman is the only person who seems to think that this is weird. But hey, their money’s good, y’know?

There is a whole side story with this shepherd that we will never know. Here he is returning triumphantly with the old woman’s money box. Now what PRECISELY did he do to get it back? In the Christmassy spirit, I’m going to say that he just asked very very nicely.

Will you guys please tell Kate that that ornament on the far left isn’t a clown?

See, this is why I like Kate. I never noticed the teeny tiny footprints at the end. I feel better for knowing about them now.

Filed under: Fuse 8 n' Kate