Fuse 8 n’ Kate: Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner

Originally released in 2003, Skippyjon Jones is a fascinating study of a picture book that was controversial prior to the rise of We Need Diverse Books. When first it came out, the book received loads of praise and awards … and then loads of controversy. While still in print today, we identify the probable reasons why this book doesn’t have a Netflix show, a Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, a live-action film, etc. Let’s just say there may be a reason why the last book in this series came out in 2014. We discuss what may be one of the oddest Kirkus Reviews I’ve ever read (and I do it twice on the show), the name “Siamese cats”, and why the book is trying to keep the hero “out of the closet”.

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:

If you would like to read the entry I wrote in 2009 when Skippyjon Jones appeared on my entry for this book on the Top 100 Picture Books Poll, you can find it here.

A lot to pick apart with this image. There’s the mixed media, and that works just fine. But the choice of titles on the books on the shelf are so odd. “Puss n’ Boots”? No notes. That’s fine. But “Rats” and “Meow”? I suspect that “Puddy” may be a reference to Tweety Bird’s “I thought I saw a puddy tat,” but maybe I’m extrapolating too much.

Again, I’m willing to go along with mustard turned into a cat’s “moustard”, but “Miracle Nip”? I think she’s referring to the “nip” part of “catnip”. Bit of a stretch, that one.

I also have a whole justification for why these beans in the bee’s stomach aren’t partially digested and it has to do with why they vomit honey. I tell you, this book is making me think odd things.

Kate wonders why a birthday pinata would be filled with dog toys for a cat. Meanwhile I’m wondering why, if you were going to hide a kid’s birthday pinata, why would you put it in his closet in the first place?

Is the E.B. White Readaloud Award still given out? It appears to have been given out from 2004-2019. So no longer.

Kate Recommends: I Remember You by Yrsa Sigurðardóttir

Betsy Recommends: Anatomy of a Fall, now streaming on Prime, but don’t watch it there. There’s a weird 5 second delay between what people say and the translated words on the screen and it’s intolerable. Save yourself the pain and stream from AppleTV instead.

Filed under: Fuse 8 n' Kate