Rephonic
Artwork for Fuse 8 n' Kate
Children's Literature
Picture Books
Halloween
Children's Picture Books
Caldecott Award
Max's Dragon Shirt
The Invention Of Hugo Cabret
Fancy Nancy
Moo Ba La La La
Brian Selznick
Chicago
Kevin Henkes
Hanukkah
The Wretched Stone
The Color Kittens
Tooth - Gnasher Superflash
Illustration
Thanksgiving
Wemberly Worried
Zen Shorts

Two sisters, one in L.A. and one in NYC, both move to the Chicago area and start a podcast. The premise? Picture books and are they really that great? Join Kate and Fuse 8 (Betsy Bird) as they track down a picture book "classic" each episode and try to determine if it deserves to remain in the canon of children's literature. Profile image by Andrea Tsurumi

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes414Founded9 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Kids & Family

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Artwork for Fuse 8 n' Kate

Latest Episodes

"The text placing is NOT conventional!" Fresh off the 2026 American Library Association we're happy to discuss our very first Peter Sis title. We're going to begin our Sisification with one of his (relatively) younger books. In its heyday, I recall t... more

Sure, we missed it by a couple days, but it's never too late to lift a glass in honor of Juneteenth. Betsy was determined to figure out what the very first Juneteenth picture book published by a major publisher was, and we think we've found our answe... more

It's PRIDE MONTH!!! And we've done many a fine LGBTQIA+ book during the year. But this book series, while not considered queer during its initial publication, has since been embraced by the gay community and, as such, we seek to celebrate it here tod... more

Rambunctious? Bumbling? It's hard to typify the sheep in this Nancy Shaw series (though their publisher has certainly tried over the years). The darlings of the 80s and 90s, "Sheep" appreciation has depreciated significantly over the intervening deca... more

Key Facts

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Number of Listeners
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Recent Guests

Colby Sharp
Co-host of The Yarn
The Yarn
Episode: Episode 400 - The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Heidi Rabinowitz
Host of The Book of Life, a podcast about Jewish kid lit
The Book of Life
Episode: Episode - The Borrowed Hanukkah Latkes
Berol Dewdney
Sister of Anna Dewdney and co-owner of Llama Llama legacy
Episode: Episode 357 - Llama Llama Red Pajama
Cordelia Dewdney
Sister of Anna Dewdney and co-owner of Llama Llama legacy
Episode: Episode 357 - Llama Llama Red Pajama
Travis Jonker
Host of The Yarn podcast and author
School Library Journal
Episode: Episode 334 - Thirteen

Hosts

Kate Atienza
Co-host of the show, often driving the discussion with a focus on canon and context.
Betsy Bird
Co-host of the show, brings deep background in children's literature and canon discussions.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 65 ratings
  • Kids lit podcast

    As a retired children’s librarian and lover of picture books, this podcast is excellent! Love the dynamic between the 2 sisters and besides the breakdown of a picture book per week, I’m always intrigued by the brief segment at the end called Grown-Up Things We Like

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Gertie41
    United Statesa year ago
  • Love this podcast!!

    Funny and insightful commentary on picture books!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    OhPeaches
    United States3 years ago
  • Calling all children’s librarians!

    As well as teachers, booksellers, librarians and anyone who appreciates a good picture book. I can’t believe I completely missed this podcast till now. It is hilarious, insightful and learned. I have been a children’s librarian long enough that 25 years is well within my career, so it’s illuminating to see a newer perspective. Sometimes I find the criticism of the mores of the time frustrating, but if an older book exists in this world, that’s how it goes. Keep it up Betsy and Kate!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ualagirl
    United States4 years ago
  • A Picture Book Podcast Favorite

    This podcast has become a “must-listen” for me!

    Always charming and funny, they often feature books that I’ve kind of overlooked over the years, given the 20 year old requirement each book has to meet.

    I know of no other picture book review resource that focuses on the illustrations AND the text the way this one does — and I appreciate it!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Painting with Podcasts
    United States5 years ago
  • Funny

    Hi Betsy you know me yes you do your daughter is my best friend.

    Yup. This is me Zara. This is so funny so good so AMAZING and just plain great. I love how you describe the books 📚

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    I love it so much it's so good
    United States6 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Clear love for the canon, balanced by thoughtful critique and context.
Bright, witty hosts with strong library/education insight.
A lively, smart take on picture books that teaches while it entertains.
A go-to for families seeking thoughtful but fun picture-book analyses.
Great for librarians, teachers, and parents who want deeper book discussions.

Top Kids & Family Podcasts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Episode - The Borrowed Hanukkah Latkes
Q: How long have you been doing the Fuse 8 n Kate podcast? Where did the idea come from?
I wanted to connect more with my sister and maybe see her on a weekly basis. What's a good way to do that? Well, there's podcasting.
Episode - The Borrowed Hanukkah Latkes
Q: 20 years ago, what made you want to start doing a podcast?
I was definitely an early adopter. The word podcast was coined in 2004, just the year before I started my podcast.
Episode 350 - When Marian Sang
Q: Thoughts on why children's books usually have kids as main characters?
The hosts agree that while there's a trend to have children as protagonists, adult characters are permitted, especially in non-fiction contexts where biographies come into play.
Episode 325 - little blue and little yellow
Q: How do you feel that Mommy left the main character at home while she went?
This question prompts children to reflect on feelings of loneliness and abandonment while engaging with the story.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Fuse 8 n' Kate

What is Fuse 8 n' Kate about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A duo of sisters dissects picture books to decide which titles deserve a lasting place in the canon. Episodes balance appreciation with playful critique, weaving literary history, illustration, and cultural context into accessible conversations. The hosts' contrasting perspectives—one newer to a title and one versed in the field—create a witty, knowledgeable dynamic that covers everything from author intent and reception to classroom and library relevance. A notable strength is their ability to pair enthusiastic, humorous banter with thoughtful, detail-oriented analysis, making it appealing to educators, librarians, parents, and picture-book enthusiasts.

What stands out is the canon-focused framing applied across a wide range of titles, fr... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Fuse 8 n' Kate?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Fuse 8 n' Kate:

1. The Yarn
2. Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!
3. Book Riot - The Podcast
4. Pop Culture Happy Hour
5. Were You Raised By Wolves?

How many episodes of Fuse 8 n' Kate are there?

Fuse 8 n' Kate launched 9 years ago and published 414 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Fuse 8 n' Kate?

Recent guests on Fuse 8 n' Kate include:

1. Colby Sharp
2. Heidi Rabinowitz
3. Berol Dewdney
4. Cordelia Dewdney
5. Travis Jonker

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