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

August 23, 2021 by Betsy Bird

Fuse 8 n’ Kate: First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg, ill. Judy Love

August 23, 2021 by Betsy Bird   1 comments

Since I was 98% sure that we’d already done The Kissing Hand, when Kate asked to do a first day of school book I discovered that today’s book was perfect as it came out in 2000. This book is huge with teachers and schools but isn’t a book that won a lot of literary awards or anything. My kids go back to school on Wednesday of this week, so the timing could not be better. With its M. Night Shyamalan-esque twist and fondness for slips and magenta clogs, this proves to be an excellent peek into the state of picture books circa 2000.

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

Show Notes:

So is it a Midwest thing for kids to go to school before Labor Day? Or am I just making this up?

Kate thinks this lunchbox was uncool but that’s just because she didn’t remember mine. Compare: Which is less cool?

I argue that this book foreshadows its twist by showing how clean it is under this bed. No child would have that amount of floor space available, am I right?

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Kate claims that this is her . . .

And this is her Penguinologist . . .

Dead giveaway. A slip. A doggone slip.

Who wore it better? Me as a child? Or “Sarah Jane Hartwell”?

(For the record, that’s Kate in the red dress in front of me.)

Please take a moment to thoroughly appreciate friggin’ magenta Dutch CLOGS with the blue tights and purple skirt that this girl is PULLING OFF! Kate declares her a queen.

But why are all these kids wearing hats? Is this Newsies?

I mention that another book did the exact same twist in its storyline. That book was Back to School Tortoise, which came out in 2011.

Betsy Recommends: Ted Lasso, streaming on Apple TV+.

Kate Recommends: The podcast Dark History

Filed under: Fuse 8 n' Kate

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments
First Day JittersFuse 8 n' KateJudy LoveJulie Danneberg

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

Gallery: The Art of the Picture Book Barcode 2022

by Travis Jonker

A Fuse #8 Production

Press Release: Picture Book Summit Line-Up Confirmed

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

Banana Fox and The Gummy Monster Mess | Review

by J. Caleb Mozzocco

Heavy Medal

Continuing the Mock Newbery Process: Time for July Suggestions

by Steven Engelfried

Teen Librarian Toolbox

Writing of Ghosts when the World is Grieving, a guest post by author Helene Dunbar

by Karen Jensen, MLS

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

2 Contemporary Retellings of 'Pride and Prejudice'

12 Graphic Novel Series Updates for Young Readers

Five Titles For Young Readers Enjoying Olympic Figure Skating

14 Nonfiction Titles for Dinosaur Lovers of All Ages

Time to Refresh the Canon: Here Are Our Picks

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. Monica says

    August 30, 2021 at 10:53 pm

    I have to say, when I first read this book, that slip just made me set it in the late 80s. My mom made me wear slips under dresses and skirts and I haaaaaated them. And first day of school was when the extra fancy outfits came out.

    Also, I was convinced that this was a new kid situation and they’d just moved in, so I never noticed the clean room as clean — I just thought they hadn’t unpacked yet!

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