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Tag: Shel Silverstein

July 31, 2018 by Betsy Bird

Fuse 8 n’ Kate: The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

It’s very special episode day today! Kate and I are celebrating our 50th episode (where does the time go?). It seemed fitting that we mark the occasion with an important book. There are so many titles that we still haven’t done that could yield wonderful conversations. As such, it seems fitting that we finally do […]

August 29, 2016 by Betsy Bird

Fusenews: Dem-o-gorgon or Dem-a-gorgon?

Morning, poppins! Yesterday, for the first time in a long while, I submitted a Video Sunday for your approval.  Trouble is, I may have failed to mention one of the most fascinating videos out there with a tie-in to books for kids, so I’d like to rectify the situation today. The title of the article […]

May 18, 2012 by Betsy Bird

Top 100 Picture Books #85: The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

#85 The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein (1964) 23 points Somebody’s moving up in the world.  At last count Silverstein’s most divisive book was low at #93.  Now it has climbed the ranks to a respectable #85. And there we have it.  One of the most divisive books in children’s literature.  To my mind, you […]

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Re-Seussification Project: The Results

March 1, 2012 by Betsy Bird

It was kind of a kooky idea, I admit it.  I’ve seen plenty of sites where artists will reinterpret someone like Maurice Sendak in their own styles.  What I wanted was something a little different.  I wanted to see what would happen if great children’s book illustrators illustrated one another.  If a Lobel illustrated a […]

Fusenews: Hand me my smelling salts! I think I have the vapors!

June 6, 2011 by Betsy Bird

There was a kerfuffle this weekend.  Did you notice?  It was a YA kerfuffle, which I generally tend to avoid, but sometimes inanity makes for good blogging.  And nothing was quite as inane as the recent Wall Street Journal article Darkness Too Visible.  The gist: My goodness, my gracious, have you seen what kids are […]

Fusenews: Love to eat them mousies. Mousies what I love to eat.

April 26, 2011 by Betsy Bird

I feel like the White Rabbit here.  No time, no time!  We’ll have to do this round-up of Fusenews in a quick quick fashion then.  Forgive the brevity!  It may be the soul of wit but it is really not my preferred strength.  In brief, then! First, I want this book to exist: Dean Trippe, […]

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Fusenews: The YA Mafia is dead. Long live the YA Mafia.

March 5, 2011 by Betsy Bird

Call him the Tupac Shakur of children’s books.  Or maybe that title should go to Margaret Wise Brown.  In any case, it seems that every ten years or so we get a new Shel Silverstein book or collection of poems entirely out of the blue (I’m counting Falling Up, and Runny Babbit when I say […]

Video Sunday: Uncle Shelby’s Corner

February 20, 2011 by Betsy Bird

When I first started to work for New York Public Library I was placed at an amazing near 150-year-old part of the system called the Jefferson Market Branch in Greenwich Village.  My husband once shot a fantastic short film there in the clocktower, and I believe a Law & Order episode took place there once […]

Video Sunday: Je Suis de L’eau

October 3, 2010 by Betsy Bird

To be honest, I’m not entirely certain why most folks don’t create their own animations to Silverstein poems.  It’s not as if he didn’t record his own voice for them time and time again.  And whatta voice!  I believe someone once compared it to gargling rusty nails.  In any case, this week’s Video Sunday is […]

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