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

October 12, 2020 by Betsy Bird

Fuse 8 n’ Kate: Special Guest Christian McKay Heidicker and The Spooky Old Tree by the Berenstains

October 12, 2020 by Betsy Bird   Leave a Comment

Not long ago I ran across an article in the Deseret News that was called How a breakup led to winning a Newbery Honor for this Utah author. It’s all about Newbery Honor winning writer Christian McKay Heidicker (who created Scary Stories for Young Foxes and this year’s Thieves of Weirdwood by “William Shivering”). In the course of the article it mentions that Mr. Heidicker has been and continues to be a huge fan of The Spooky Old Tree by Stan and Jan Berenstain. And, naturally, since I always try to find spooky classics for Kate during the month of October, this sounded like a perfect opportunity to invite Christian to the podcast. If you’d like to hear the true origin story of Scary Stories for Young Foxes, this podcast is a must-listen. As for Kate, she has her own take on things. “She’s letting her kids go out in the middle of the night . . . to die?!?”

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 are Kate’s freaky deaky ghosts, visible on my Instagram page. They are quite . . . the thing.

The Berenstain Bears parallel universe theory. Would I make this stuff up?

Herein lies the twig/stick conspiracy. Is it inconsistent in its size? As I say, it’s an extendo-stick.

Kate’s tattoo? This dazed mouse. Quoth Mr. Heidicker about her purely hypothetical tattoos: “Don’t be weirded out when I actually get that.”

So many theories about this guy. Christian says that the clothed bear/naked bear idea slots into the Goofy/Pluto paradigm. Kate’s convinced that this is the bear’s home. I’m not so sure.

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Is this the shield’s design or are there holes in it, allowing creatures to peek through?

My 6-year-old really appreciated the video game aspects of this two-page spread. And as Christian said, ” ‘Up a ladder… Through the floor. Down a slide… And out a door!’ might be the only deus ex machina that I’ve ever not hated.”

Even Kate had to admit that this was better than The Berenstain Bears and the Bully. Listen to our episode on that book here.

You absolutely must check out the cassette recording for this book, available to hear here. The theremin alone is worth the price of admission.

You can find the Berenstain Bears podcast Deep In Bear Country. Still going strong! Check out their episode The Spooky Old Tree Game as well as early Episode 17.

Kate’s suggestion was VERY funny. I enjoyed it heartily. I agree with her that I wouldn’t necessarily show it to younger kids but the older ones would find it a stitch. This is Gavin discovering that Star Wars takes places long long ago in a galaxy far far away.

Filed under: Fuse 8 n' Kate

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments
Christian McKay HeidickerFuse 8 n' KateThe Spooky Old Tree

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: Gerald McBoing Boing by Dr. Seuss

by Betsy Bird

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

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

100 Scope Notes

BLUE FLOATS AWAY Turns Two!

by Travis Jonker

A Fuse #8 Production

Review of the Day – Bear and Bird: The Picnic and Other Stories by Jarvis

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

Review: Swim Team

by Esther Keller

Heavy Medal

March suggestions: early Mock Newbery possibilities

by Emily Mroczek-Bayci

Teen Librarian Toolbox

Write What You Know. Read What You Don’t, a guest post by Lauren Thoman

by Amanda MacGregor

The Classroom Bookshelf

The Classroom Bookshelf is Moving

by Erika Thulin Dawes

The Yarn

Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey Try Something New

by Travis Jonker

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

Old Hate, Renewed Response: Resources to curb antisemitism in school, in person, and online

Be Afraid (but not too afraid) | The Year in SLJ Covers

ALA Report Shows Record Number of Book Challenges

Hiveclass Makes Youth Sports Training More Accessible for Everyone

SPONSORED

SLJ Top Stories of 2022

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 © 2023


    COPYRIGHT © 2023