Fuse 8 n’ Kate: Black and White by David Macaulay

A Caldecott Award winner! It’s been a minute, hasn’t it? When I think of today’s book I think of something David Wiesner said about it during one of his own Caldecott acceptance speeches. “Structurally unlike any medal winner before it — or since — Black and White…redefined the way stories could be told in picture books. And, just as importantly, it did this while being very, very funny.” That’s my bag, baby. As such, I introduce Kate to this metafictional picture book and the legacy it engendered. Today we discuss newspapers, abstract cows, how the book occasionally hurts Kate’s brain, and why it reminds her of the testing she took for her own autism.

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Show Notes:

Kate informs me that this is the very first time I’ve handed her a picture book with a warning on the title page.

One of our favorite Instagram accounts is Newspapers in Kidlit. I suspect they may appreciate this book on a level the rest of us don’t understand.

Honestly, I used to live in New York City for years. When your train is delayed after a certain amount of time, you are fully aware that chaos is mere moments from breaking out. Extra points if you’ve the wherewithal to give the nearest squirrel a hat of its own.

Who is “Chris”? Kate’s thought is that it’s a consultant on one of Macaulay’s nonfiction books, but honestly we don’t really know.

As mentioned in our letters section, Christina Hoover Moorhead managed to actually find additional information on John Vernon Lord’s reasons for writing The Giant Jam Sandwich. Here is the lecture he gave on this book. Christina, we bow before your research skills par excellence.

Kate Recommends: The Challenges app

Betsy Recommends: & Juliet

Filed under: Fuse 8 n' Kate