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May 6, 2020 by Betsy Bird

The Last Dance of the Tiger King: Kidlit Connections For Quarantine Times

May 6, 2020 by Betsy Bird   8 comments

I’ve been stuck inside too long, people. It’s bad. I can feel something stirring deep inside of me. I thought I’d buried it for good, but it’s no use. It’s coming to the surface and I just . . . can’t . . . stop it . . . .

IT’S TIME TO GET SILLY!!!!!!

Specifically, it’s time to find children’s literary connections to the times in which we live. And the times in which we live are weird. Buckle up.


Did You Like the Documentary Series, Last Dance? Well, Remember When Our Current Caldecott Winner Did Art for Michael Jordan’s Mom?

And then she kept writing more . . .
. . . and more . . . .
. . . and mo . . . hey! Where’d Kadir go?

Books We’re Looking at a Little Differently Now That We’ve Watched Tiger King

All right, you cool cats and kittens, who here can figure out what the little girl is doing wrong?
Personal space, guys. Say it with me. PERSONAL SPACE!!
And then the kid ran for governor.

Stories That Sure Look Like They Feature Sourdough Starters

Or is that just mine?

What Homeschooling Feels Like If You’re Doing It for the First Time

Lady peeling the potatoes, I feel you. I aspire to BE you.

Books Unready for Our World Right Now

Nooooooooooo!!!!!!!!
Full credit to Eric Carpenter for finding this one

Books That Know How to Social Distance

Turtle and Fox have it right, guys. Could the rest of you give them a liiiiiitle more space? Back it up.

You Want Masks? I’ll Give You Masks!!

When robbing pigs, please consider covering your nose and mouth and . . . oh, my freakin’ heck what is going ON HERE?!?

The Most Blatant Misuse of Precious Precious Toilet Paper I Could Think Of

I hope you know somewhere I can buy more of that Charmin, baby.

I Always Knew Living Without Pants Was the Better Way to Go

I mean, he just looks so happy. Why have we denied ourselves this option for so long?

And Somehow the World Started Playing the Game Animal Crossing, Which As I Understand It, Is Apparently This . . .

Plus This (Am I Wrong?)

Books in this post include, in order, the following:

  • Salt In His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream by Deloris Jordan with Roslyn M. Jordan, illustrated by Kadir Nelson
  • Michael’s Golden Rules by Deloris Jordan with Roslyn M. Jordan, illustrated by Kadir Nelson
  • Dream Big: Michael Jordan and the Pursuit of Excellence by Deloris Jordan, illustrated by Barry Root
  • The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr
  • The Tiger Prince by Chen Jiang Hong
  • It’s a Tiger! by David LaRochelle, illustrated by Jeremy Tankard
  • “Sweet Porridge” by Bobby London, found in Fairy Tale Comics: Classic Tales Told by Extraordinary Cartoonists, edited by Chris Duffy
  • It Could Always Be Worse by Margot Zemach
  • Should I Share My Ice Cream? by Mo Willems
  • I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen
  • The Amazing Bone by William Steig
  • Love You Forever by Robert Munsch, ill. Sheila McGraw
  • Bone: Out of Boneville by Jeff Smith
  • Bandits by Joanna Wright
  • Flight of the Dodo by Peter Brown

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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.

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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. Kari says

    May 6, 2020 at 11:07 am

    What about Leave Me Alone by Vera Brosgol? I feel it is the parenting book of our time. 🙂

    • Sharon Verbeten says

      May 6, 2020 at 3:04 pm

      I’m with you, Kari! LOL. Great list, Betsy; in that same Mo Willems vein, I nominate MY FRIEND IS SAD…but how can we cheer him up? LET’S GO FOR A DRIVE! 🙂

    • Elizabeth Bird says

      May 6, 2020 at 5:07 pm

      Oh man. Excellent point. It’s practically a rallying cry.

  2. Tally Deushane says

    May 6, 2020 at 3:07 pm

    Yet another reason to dislike Love You Forever…blatant toilet paper wasting!

  3. Tracy Ferguson says

    May 7, 2020 at 3:59 pm

    How about WAITING IS HARD by Mo Willems?

    • Elizabeth Bird says

      May 7, 2020 at 4:46 pm

      Ohhh…. so so perfect.

  4. Suzanne Grossman says

    May 14, 2020 at 2:18 pm

    Your blog is a highlight of my day! Thank you!

  5. Alison Morris says

    May 27, 2020 at 12:07 pm

    It’s not a funny option, but I keep thinking about the title of Rebecca Stead’s newest novel – The List of Things That Will Not Change – and wondering what items will be on the list when all this is over.

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