Fuse 8 n’ Kate: Baby, Come Out! by Fran Manushkin, ill. Ronald Himler

My logic behind this week’s choice is that it is hot outside right now, so why not do a picture book featuring nudity? Now we currently live in a country where so much as a bare butted goblin picture book can get banned by Moms for Liberty at the drop of a hat. May as well go all in and do a book that unapologetically doesn’t care about such puritanical mores. This book is an odd one, but I’ve an equally odd affection for it. With this podcast episode we talk about screaming at women’s stomachs, the fact that babies lose hair when they’re born, and I incorrectly state that this book is probably out of print (Correction: the paperback is going strong!!).

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

Show Notes:

Here is an image that Kate created. Me, as alpaca. This is what sisters are for, folks. Now who wore it better?

Here is the book Kate did NOT select. I don’t blame her, as it’s a long one. Also, it’s not actually for kids (though it shows up regularly in children’s picture book sections of libraries by accident all the time).

And here is the information, and most complete online information, you will find about the Billy Budd Button and Huck Finn Pin. Created by School Library Journal’s Lillian Gerhardt, it was a kind of Golden Raspberry Award for children’s books. One award went to worst writing. The other to worst art. Of course you’ll find the world’s only complete list of the “winners” on pp. 170-171 of my own book Wild Things: Acts of Mischief in Children’s Literature. Not that I compiled them. That credit goes to co-writer Peter Sieruta, who tracked them down for years.

We do find it a touch odd that when Mrs. Tracy goes into, what is essentially, the solarium, we get this odd shot of her through a window. A choice.

This is the kind of grandmother that grandmothers these days dislike as representing the whole of the age. Very classic look. Clearly she’s on the lookout for Sylvester and Tweety Bird.

Affectionate fellow, this Mr. Tracy. I know few men who kiss their in-laws every time they come home from work.

This is my favorite shot. You think you’re coming out butt first, kid? Not happening! She should have done a swan dive, but here it’s more like jumping off a building.

So did Baby leave the wig in the womb? That sounds painful in a different way.

Kate Recommends: Death Becomes Her, now playing in Chicago

Betsy Recommends: The new Nicole Kidman opening to AMC theater films. Turns out, there are THREE new Nicole Kidman ads out there. Who knew?!?

Filed under: Fuse 8 n' Kate