Fuse 8 n’ Kate: My Friend Rabbit by Eric Rohmann

I got all kinds of addicted to doing Caldecott winners after we recorded an episode on Kitten’s First Full Moon. Afterwards, I looked back over our recent books, and somehow we missed doing this book when it hit the 20 year mark. Bonus, it’s our first Eric Rohmann title! I don’t want to spoil anything, but this is the kind of book that rewards a closer read. Today we’re talking tattoos, lapine workout routines, and the likelihood that someone drugged this dang hippo. To put it simply, this is The Road to Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions… The Book!

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:

Naturally, after our discussion Kate sent me a note saying, “Did you know “My Friend Rabbit” was a TV series for 10 episodes? https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1123709/” That’s on me, folks. I should have realized that. Whoops!

Question: Am I dating myself when I reference Billy from Family Circus when I see these lines that you’re supposed to follow?

Follow up question, is the elephant shocked because he somehow just got picked up by a small rabbit, or because he has a mouse on him (and we know how elephants feel about those)?

“I’m thinking this rabbit is friggin’ JACKED!” Were truer words ever said of a Caldecott winner? What is this rabbit eating for dinner?

The tale of the world’s most chill hippo. Moo Deng’s cute but has NOTHING on this guy. Nothing phases it. We want to be this hippo when we grow up.

This, to our mind, is a very accurate Pissed Off Goose look. However, you have to respect that it’s not fighting the rabbit. It’s more “perturbed” than “disturbed”.

From a visual standpoint, I kind of have to respect that this doesn’t go from biggest animal to smallest. It’s more visually exciting to look at (possibly because you’re afraid the hippo is going to crush everyone).

Kate wonders if Rohmann used mostly cool colors on purpose. Is that to instill a feeling of calm in the midst of all the nuttiness? The only red is on the plane wings. Maybe that’s why?

We wondered about this image on the back cover. It looks like we’re viewing them through a telescope or something. Is this a kind of ending of Looney Tunes shorts thing here? Answers welcome.

Betsy Recommends: The Memory Palace, both the book and the podcast

Kate Recommends: Las Vegas

Filed under: Fuse 8 n' Kate