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 23, 2022 by Betsy Bird

Fuse 8 n’ Kate: There’s a Nightmare in My Closet by Mercer Mayer

May 23, 2022 by Betsy Bird   2 comments

Folks, I am shocked and appalled that none of you have ever yelled at me for never having done a Mercer Mayer book on this podcast. We’re onto episode #227 and in all this time, Mr. Mayer has never once graced our eyeballs. Today, we correct this longstanding ill. Take a listen to this if you would like to hear my off-the-cuff recounting of all the Mercer Mayer books that we haven’t done. I also go into tangents on the awfulness of feet in early 80s footie pajamas while Kate engages in The Great Tissue Box Theory.

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:

Here, I kid you not, is the entirely edible cake that Aunt Kate created for my son. Is It Cake?

Not sure how much credence to give to the working theory that this book is referenced in Alice Cooper’s Welcome to My Nightmare. It’s a great idea, but the monsters in this don’t really resemble the one in the book. Just my two cents:

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Whereas this video of the book is most certainly narrated by Michael J. Fox. So that’s all good:

I love that Kate is far more creeped out by the missing mirror on the cover than the monster itself.

Kate: This is an unrealistic children’s bedroom.

Betsy: Why do you say it’s unrealistic?

Kate: What do you see under that child’s bed, Betsy?

Betsy: I don’t see anything.

Kate: EXACTLY!

In spite of its 1968 publication date, these toys indeed are “something the Brontes could have played with”.

The Great Tissue Box Theory involves WHY this child’s bedroom has a wastepaper basket FULL to the brim. “My theory is that this isn’t the first monster this kid has made cry.”

Anti-war messaging this does not have:

Aaaaaand apparently Kate has created this entire alternate theory in which this guy is the monster’s disapproving father.

Filed under: Fuse 8 n' Kate

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments
Fuse 8 n' KateMercer MayerThere's a Nightmare in My Closet

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

September 2023

Fuse 8 n' Kate: The Tenth Good Thing About Barney by Judith Viorst, ill. Erik Blegvad

by Betsy Bird

September 2023

Fuse 8 n' Kate: How Babies Are Made by Andrew C. Andry and Steven Schepp, ill. Blake Hampton

by Betsy Bird

September 2023

Fuse 8 n' Kate: Drummer Hoff by Barbara Emberley, ill. Ed Emberley

by Betsy Bird

August 2023

Fuse 8 n' Kate: John Henry by Julius Lester, ill. Jerry Pinkney

by Betsy Bird

August 2023

Fuse 8 n' Kate: Lovable Lyle by Bernard Waber

by Betsy Bird

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

100 Scope Notes

A JUST ONE FLAKE Preorder Secret

by Travis Jonker

A Fuse #8 Production

Apply for the Bechtel Fellowship, You Clever Librarians Out There!

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

Nell Of Gumbling | This Week’s Comics

by Lori Henderson

Heavy Medal

Newbery Possibilities on the National Book Award Longlist

by Steven Engelfried

Teen Librarian Toolbox

Book Review: The Labors of Hercules Beal by Gary D. Schmidt

by Amanda MacGregor

The Classroom Bookshelf

The Classroom Bookshelf is Moving

by Erika Thulin Dawes

The Yarn

Peter Brown Visits The Yarn to talk about The Wild Robot Protects

by Colby Sharp

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

Oppenheimer–Related Reading for Students

14 YA Series Installments Featuring Fae, Monsters, and More | Series Update

Three Tween Ghost Stories for 'Haunted Mansion' Fans | Read-Alikes

Q&A with Maria Russo and Emily Jenkins: Grown-Ups in Picture Books and The Kitten Story: A Mostly True Tale

SPONSORED

11 Family Music Albums to Get Kids Moving

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. Jerrold Connors says

    May 26, 2022 at 3:57 pm

    Mercer Mayer’s missing mirror. Mercer Mayer’s missing mirror! MERCER MAYER’S MISSING MIRROR!

    • Betsy Bird says

      May 26, 2022 at 10:42 pm

      Oh shoot. Did you just invoke Mercer Mayer like he was Candyman, Jerrold? Did you? Now we’re in trouble . . .

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