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

May 18, 2020 by Betsy Bird

Fuse 8 n’ Kate: Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg

May 18, 2020 by Betsy Bird   Leave a Comment

Today’s 1981 classic turned out to be a surprise to Kate. Turns out she, like many people in America, had no idea that Jumanji was a picture book before it was a movie (or two, or three). Thanks to her read, a lot of questions about this book were cleared up for me. For example, there is the fact that the parents must be going to a matinee (which explains why the kids eat dinner after their return later). And did you know that the two kids at the end of this book are the ones in the sequel Zathura? But here’s the crazy thing. Kate actually managed to find a continuity error in the art. Don’t believe me? Check it out.

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:

On the one hand I grant Kate the idea that this story takes place in the 1950s. On the other hand, Peter has SUCH shaggy hair!

Sure, there’s a lion on top of the piano but WHAT is this sheet music? Kate desperately wants to know, so if anyone wants to give it a shot and tell us what it might be, knock yourselves out and give us the results!

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

I think Kate might be right. This kid looks as unconcerned as Pierre to be in a room with a man-eating tiger. I dare say he even looks pleased!

Chris Van Allsburg gets extra points for giving these monkeys tails. He DID know the different between monkeys and apes! And, as I say in this episode, “even though he looks like he just took devil chimpanzees and slapped tails on them, I’m gonna give it to him!”

It would be pertinent to mention that the monkeys do have an investment in this game. This is part of what I love about Van Allsburg’s art. I never noticed them in the rainy living room before!

I have a very firm belief that the role of this guide is played by John Cleese. “Those elbows are SUPER John Cleese-y!”

So Kate found a strange continuity error. Check out the clocks in the book. These three appear in a row. I’m willing to believe that clock #2 is allowed to be inaccurate since it’s being trampled by rhinos, but Kate is less forgiving.

Filed under: Fuse 8 n' Kate

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments
Chris Van AllsburgFuse 8 n' KateJumanji

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

July 2022

Fuse 8 n' Kate: The Amazing Bone by William Steig

by Betsy Bird

June 2022

Fuse 8 n' Kate: Black Misery by Langston Hughes, ill. Arouni

by Betsy Bird

June 2022

Fuse 8 n' Kate: Special Guest Ursula Murray Husted (!!) Presents Lulu and the Flying Babies by Posy Simmonds

by Betsy Bird

June 2022

Fuse 8 n' Kate: Yo! Yes? by Chris Raschka

by Betsy Bird

May 2022

Fuse 8 n' Kate: Harlem by Walter Dean Myers, ill. Christopher Myers

by Betsy Bird

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

100 Scope Notes

Read Aloud Hall of Fame #8: LET ME FINISH! by Minh Lê and Isabel Roxas

by Travis Jonker

A Fuse #8 Production

Review of the Day: My Parents Won’t Stop Talking! by Emma Hunsinger and Tillie Walden

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

Casagrandes | This Week’s Comics

by Lori Henderson

Heavy Medal

Continuing the Mock Newbery Process: Time for July Suggestions

by Steven Engelfried

Teen Librarian Toolbox

An Ode to Summer, a guest post by Ellen Hagan

by Amanda MacGregor

The Classroom Bookshelf

The Classroom Bookshelf is Moving

by Erika Thulin Dawes

The Yarn

Shark Week, Vanilla Ice Cream, and the Honda CRV: Bob Shea and Brian Won Team Up for ADURABLE

by Travis Jonker

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

21 Middle Grade and YA Novels in Verse for National Poetry Month

14 Nonfiction Titles for Dinosaur Lovers of All Ages

Summertime Stories: 8 YA Rom-Coms, Thrillers, and Other Beach Reads

20 Books for Fans of Unicorns, Dragons, and Other Fantastical Creatures

9 High Stakes Survival Stories for Readers of 'Hatchet'

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.

Commenting for all posts is disabled after 30 days.

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 © 2022


    COPYRIGHT © 2022