Happy New Year! It’s another edition of Fuse 8 n’ Kate which, at this rate, may be soon renamed The Random Facts About Koalas Show.

So why this book today? My logic here is that since the Time Person of the Year of 2017 was #MeToo I should come up with a classic children’s book with a strong female protagonist. Kate (and some of you out there) may contest whether or not this engine is, indeed, is the real deal. Or (and here we butt heads) even female at all.

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Source Notes:

– Koalas Fighting a.k.a. The sound of the devil. Wait for it, though. You don’t hear the hellspawn that is the sound Kate was referring to until near the end of the vid.

– Note the deadly serrated edge. Fun for kids everywhere!

– What is Kate even talking about? This book has blonde-headed dolls and slightly-less-blonde-headed dolls. Total diversity!

– The true victim of this tale? The original engine. I’m so glad that Kate was pissed off about its fate as well.

– E.A.C.   Which is to say, Elephants Always Cry. Really doesn’t matter who the illustrator is.

– I think I’m right in stating that the Little Engine is a significant female heroine. Can I get some agreement here?

– I was trying to think of the long fingered Aye-Aye, by the way. Like this guy:

– What the heck IS this crazy animal?

– All this info I conjure up about this book can be linked to #54 on the Top 100 Poll.

– No. Seriously. What IS “pioneer feminist lore”?

– Interested in this book? Then I highly highly HIGHLY suggest that you read Roy E. Plotnick’s In Search of Watty Piper: A Brief History of the “Little Engine” Story published at The University of Illinois at Chicago.

– Here’s the 2005 edition:

– Here’s Lois Lenski’s cover:

– EVERYBODY, RUN! THE MILK HAS LEGS!!!

– Seriously, am I the only one seriously bugged by the layout of this book? This is insane.

– Sorry, Mabel C. Bragg. Now you see her . . .

Now you don’t.

– Finally! I have a reason to put up this poster.

– Other famous Hanukkah books? Here’s the contender! I approve.