Beware! This episode is packed with all things spooky and fun. Join us as we unwrap the mysteries of the Fuzzy Based About Halloween, a graphic novel by Don Steven Gurney that we stumbled upon at the Brooklyn Book Fair. We'll spill the beans on the countless humorous team lineups, the vibrant illustrations, and we even take a wild guess at the potentially spine-chilling ending. There's a werewolf and a pumpkin involved, but we promise, everyone ends up safe! Watch out for our two favorite characters, Blossom Honey Possum and Hammy Sosa, they really steal the show.
Then, gear up for a shift as we slide into the second half of our Halloween special with Peter Brown's unique children's book, Creepy Pair of Underwear. We'll chat about Brown's striking use of color, the exciting Halloween activities, and how this book can help develop reading strategies in young ones. Plus, you'll get to hear about Lucy's own Halloween adventures. And guess what, we're not stopping at just that. We'll also share how you can support our podcast and join our book-loving community. So, are you ready to embark on this eerie yet exciting ride with us? Tune in now!
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You're listening to the Daddy Daughter Bookworms sponsored by KFIRST Training Group, where we talk about Trojan's books. Hello Bookworms, my name is Lucy.
Speaker 2:And I'm Alex, and today we have a special episode we're going to be doing our two books on spooky Halloween. So we're going to be doing spooky books, spooky books. All right, I know it's not exactly on Halloween, but somebody got filled with candy and was dressing up and then Lucy, right, lucy, yes, all right. So, lucy, why don't you tell them the first book that we're going to be talking about today?
Speaker 1:Fuzzy based about Halloween.
Speaker 2:And who was the author of this awesome book?
Speaker 1:The author and the illustrator is Don Steven Gurney.
Speaker 2:Great, and who is the publisher?
Speaker 1:It's published by Papercuts, located in Miami.
Speaker 2:Awesome, and what kind of book is this?
Speaker 1:It's a graphic novel.
Speaker 2:This is our second graphic novel, isn't it? And it's in a row, and it's in a row. Are you really liking the graphic novels these days?
Speaker 1:Well, not really this one.
Speaker 2:But do you like graphic novels? I do, okay, what do you like about graphic novels? I just like them when you see them. Do you like the pictures?
Speaker 1:Yes, I do.
Speaker 2:And you like the way they write. Yes so those are two things right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but I don't really like this graphic novel because I'm not really like into baseball.
Speaker 2:But the story was pretty good, right yeah.
Speaker 1:Okay. Otherwise it was pretty good Okay good.
Speaker 2:I mean and that's something that we're going to talk about I mean, when you read something, does that mean that you have to like everything about it?
Speaker 1:No.
Speaker 2:But does that mean that you can learn something from it? Yes, well, that's what we're going to do today. And, lucy, why don't you tell us how we found out about this book?
Speaker 1:We went to the Brooklyn Book Fair about a month ago. We met the author and decided to give the book a try.
Speaker 2:And I got to tell you folks, this guy, the author, the author and illustrator, john Gurney Gurney, was pretty amazing, couldn't have been a nicer person, couldn't he have? No, he was telling us all about the different books and he had like a fuzzy baseball jersey on. That was kind of like the Brooklyn Dodgers and it was just really kind of neat to really talk to this author. And you know, paper cut books or publishers has a whole bunch of different books, so we really enjoyed talking to him, as well as all the people that are associated with that. So, lucy, when you look at the front cover, what do you see? What does it tell you about the book?
Speaker 1:I see a player from another team, a werewolf throwing a pumpkin.
Speaker 2:And he's got. No, he doesn't have a jersey. Does he have a happy face, Kind of it kind of looks like he's an angry guy.
Speaker 1:And it's the fifth book.
Speaker 2:It's the fifth book of the series. Yeah, and what's he holding? Is he holding a baseball?
Speaker 1:No, he's holding a jack-o'-lantern.
Speaker 2:He's holding a jack-o'-lantern. So, folks, it's at night, it's a werewolf and you've got the cemetery in the background and it looks really, really spooky.
Speaker 1:Hey Dad, look at page two where it shows the team lineup for the Fernwood Valley Fuzzies. I think you're going to recognize some riddles with these names.
Speaker 2:Let's take a look. We've got number 42, jackie Robinson, number 42. Oh, and number 21 is Hammy Sosa oh, that's pretty funny. And Larry Boa, that's pretty funny, but I love Pam the lamb. And then on one of the other teams, the Grizzlies we've got. Let's just see Edgar Allen O Possum instead of Edgar Allen Powell. Count Flappula is the manager, bayzy Deer. So there's some pretty funny names in this, isn't there? Uh-huh, I love it. I'm really glad you told me about that, because it's neat when you can get a book that can kinda that you as the reader can get a laugh at and the parents can get a laugh at it too. Yeah, at first I didn't know until mom told me it Absolutely, and you know, it seems that there might be some scary endings in this book. If so, why do you think?
Speaker 1:The graveyard dazzles keep talking about a big dinner at the end of the game. Instead of saying the fuzzies are invited, they keep saying that they are going to feast on them.
Speaker 2:So they're gonna feast on them.
Speaker 1:Uh-huh.
Speaker 2:Do you know, what that means?
Speaker 1:They're gonna eat them. No.
Speaker 2:So when you're playing sports, you know how you're playing field hockey.
Speaker 1:Uh-huh.
Speaker 2:If you wanna win and you wanna really beat them, we're gonna beat them and we're gonna eat them up, or we're gonna feast on them, because it's gonna be a dinner you get it.
Speaker 1:No.
Speaker 2:Cause they're prey Okay.
Speaker 1:Oh, now I get it.
Speaker 2:That's why they say they wanna feast on them. They're gonna get them. It sounds like it was pretty scary. Did everyone end up being safe?
Speaker 1:Yes, don't worry.
Speaker 2:Really Okay. Let me ask you were there any? What were the good guys? I mean, who were the characters that you really liked in the book? Was there anybody in particular that you liked or disliked?
Speaker 1:Blossom honey possum she is center field and Hammy Sosa he is the catcher.
Speaker 2:And why did you like those two?
Speaker 1:Well, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know. I just like Blossom, Honey, Possum and I don't really know why, but Hammy Sosa, he is funny in the book and I really like that.
Speaker 2:Was there anybody that was really mean or scary?
Speaker 1:No, not really in my opinion.
Speaker 2:And when they had the baseball game, was it just one game that they played, or did they play more than one game?
Speaker 1:They played one game.
Speaker 2:They just played one game, and when was it? Was it on Halloween?
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:And who won? Oh, don't tell me, you have to read the book, right? Yes, okay. And who went to the game? Like who goes to these games?
Speaker 1:This is before the game Dad.
Speaker 2:What is?
Speaker 1:That part that you're at.
Speaker 2:Okay, but who usually goes to the game?
Speaker 1:Okay. So I don't really know. They just play the baseball game.
Speaker 2:And what did you think of the pictures in the book? I mean, I know, you know baseball isn't your thing, but did you like, could you understand the story from the pictures?
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:And was there any pictures in particular that were really scary or funny or that made you smile?
Speaker 1:The last one, the last picture.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:They're on vacation together and then one of them's like grassy ass.
Speaker 2:Grassy ass, thanada. Oh, that's cool. And you know when you look at the book, you've got you've got a different, you know some different color palettes. You've got, you've got the daytime color palette and we've got all different types of animals, from turkeys to rhinos, to cats to bears oh my rabbits and the stadium is this graveyard with these seats, and it is pretty cool. Now, bats and bats. What are about the bats? Are the bats good guys or bad guys?
Speaker 1:Um one of the bats is what is like leading them to the baseball field.
Speaker 2:Oh, okay.
Speaker 1:I'm not telling you all of it, because you might have to read this already to find out.
Speaker 2:Okay, Now would you recommend this book?
Speaker 1:Yes, I would. I would recommend this book for fourth graders and older, as well as anyone who likes graphic novels, halloween and baseball.
Speaker 2:On a scale of one to five, five being the best book you ever read. Give the story, take your guess. I mean it's your opinion.
Speaker 1:Two or three.
Speaker 2:Why two or three?
Speaker 1:Like, as I said before I, I didn't really like the book because I didn't really like baseball as much.
Speaker 2:Okay, it's a two or three because you didn't like baseball. But do you think, if you like baseball, what would you give it?
Speaker 1:If I like baseball, then probably like a four or five.
Speaker 2:Okay, so it's just because it's not your thing. Yeah, basically folks, if you have a child that likes baseball, halloween or spooky things, this might be a good book for them, right? Yes, okay then let's see. I really am proud of you that you had the courage to say that you didn't like a book, because it's hard, right.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:I mean, you've liked every book so far.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And part of this project is to get you to read books that you didn't like or that you didn't know about. Mm-hmm, we read the Time Machine, the world's worst Time Machine. Did you even know about it?
Speaker 1:No Part of the reason that I did even know about it is because of the librarian at the Patachum Public Library.
Speaker 2:Exactly so. You know, we get recommendations all the time and it's like when you're when you're reading a book or eating food or Putting on clothes, you have to try it and see if you like it and you try something else. If you do like it, then you get more of that same book, right? Would you be open to maybe reading another one of his books if it wasn't about baseball? Yes, okay, good.
Speaker 1:I like the pictures.
Speaker 2:You do like the pictures.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I did.
Speaker 2:All right, our second book is a Fun book, right, lucy?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I read one of his other books and it was really good. It's the same like characters, but Different concept.
Speaker 2:All right, lucy, why don't you tell the listeners what the name of the book is?
Speaker 1:Creepy pair of underwear.
Speaker 2:And who. Who is the author for the words, aaron Reynolds, and who does the illustration? Peter Brown we got to meet Peter Brown, didn't we? Yes, we did. And where did we meet Peter Brown?
Speaker 1:at the Princeton book fair.
Speaker 2:And how nice was he.
Speaker 1:So nice he even signed the book for me, I think he did sign the book.
Speaker 2:What are some of the other books that he's written that you remember?
Speaker 1:Creepy Carrot. Creepy Carrots.
Speaker 2:So, lucy, why don't you tell us who the publisher is? It's published by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers and Lucy, why don't you tell us about the front cover? What do you say? I?
Speaker 1:See Jasper, the main character, holding his creepy pair of underwear.
Speaker 2:And what is this creepy, creepy pair of underwear look like.
Speaker 1:So he's like, he has like I don't know what it's called Frankenstein. Yeah, he looks like a Frankenstein, but like I don't know what it's called like Like an eyebrow, but like, oh, that's his hair.
Speaker 2:That's his hair. Oh, those are scar. Oh, it says he's got one eyebrow. It's called the unibrow.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, a unibrow, and then like he only has two teeth and I'm suspicious about that.
Speaker 2:But oh, and he's got little bolts on the sides, yep, and on the back of it. What, what, what's the picture? It's like Jasper's, like Cuz he still has on his underwear and he's in a window uh-huh and when you open the front cover it's really cool because it's got all these pairs of underwear and then they've got one that's Green the creepy pair that creepy pair. Why don't you tell me a little bit about this book?
Speaker 1:Jasper thinks that he's a well, he is a big rabbit and he wants to get more underwear. Well, he just goes shopping with his mom and then he sees the creepy pair of underwear. And Then he's like mom, mom, mom, can we get it, can we get it? And then the mom's like are you sure? And then Jasper's like, yes, yes, yes, and then she buys one pair, and then the night of Him buying it, that's when it gets a little spooky spooky underwear.
Speaker 2:Just like in creepy carrots, the the underwear comes alive. Yes, so is it just Jasper, the mom and the underwear.
Speaker 1:No, and the dad?
Speaker 2:Oh, the dad's there too. Yeah, no, and is Jasper in all the books?
Speaker 1:Yes, that I know of.
Speaker 2:That you know of and without giving out the ending. Was there? What did you think about the pictures that Peter Brown did?
Speaker 1:I really liked them.
Speaker 2:Is there anything? Any particular pictures? And you have the book right here, so open it up and if you wanna tell us about any of the pictures that you like, Okay, they weren't just shopping, they were actually shopping for underwear. Right, folks. What I love about Peter Brown's artwork is it's weird cause it's color. I mean it's black and white, but it has really hints of color everywhere that really pop.
Speaker 1:I like when he first sees the underwear.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:It says creepy underwear, so creepy, so comfy.
Speaker 2:And he's like all excited and his mom is like I don't think so. And then look at him on the bed.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he's so excited.
Speaker 2:Cause. What does he have on?
Speaker 1:His creepy pair of underwear.
Speaker 2:Ha, ha ha.
Speaker 1:Creepy pair of underwear. Ha ha ha.
Speaker 2:All of a sudden they start glowing in the dark. Uh huh, and this is what I love about his books. You know, everything is green, it's all black and white with just that tinge of green, and the underwear is like all mad and at the time. And so you like the book. Yes, out of one to five bunnies, what would you give it?
Speaker 1:Five bunnies.
Speaker 2:He's one of your favorites, right? Yeah, who do you think this would be a good book for?
Speaker 1:I think this would be a good book for like. Even though I'm eight and a half, I still think that I still like his books. But I think this would be like four to five, six, maybe.
Speaker 2:Well, I think it's good. Do you think it's a good book for new readers?
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:Do you also think it's a good book that you could read with your parents?
Speaker 1:Yes, and if you have a little sibling, then I think that that would be good for them too.
Speaker 2:Do you think it's important to read to other people?
Speaker 1:If they don't know how to read.
Speaker 2:When you were little, I always have you read stuff. Do you think that's important? Yeah, why? Because, why do you think I make you read everything all the time?
Speaker 1:I'm still like learning how to read, I'm still developing strategies, and I think you just want me to get better at reading so that when I'm older it's just gonna be no problem.
Speaker 2:You're absolutely right. That's why you need to and a lot of readers do this, including myself. You need to slow down, don't you? Because you like to jump words, don't you? Maybe, yeah, I know maybe. Or you try to make up words, anticipating, because that's what daddy used to do. It's hard right.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:But I have to say folks and I say this with all the picture books and the graphic novels if you have somebody that isn't a strong reader, these new picture books are amazing because they're not just They've got really good themes, they've got excellent pictures. I can't recommend the creepy underwear series enough because it just got such a fun silly message right.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So how was Halloween?
Speaker 1:Amazing.
Speaker 2:Did you go trick-or-treating with your friends?
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:Yeah, did you get lots of candy?
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:Did you love your costume?
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:Awesome, and do you still have any candy left?
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh Can't believe that.
Speaker 1:I had like a few bagfuls.
Speaker 2:I know, Lucy. What did we do yesterday during the day?
Speaker 1:Oh, yeah, geocaching.
Speaker 2:And did we find anything?
Speaker 1:One thing.
Speaker 2:So, for those of you that don't know what geocaching is, people put little treasures places and there's an app, there's a couple of different apps, and you try to find them, and then sometimes people leave stuff and you take it, but then you sign and other times it's just you open a box and you put your name in, and out of the three that we tried to find, we only found one, right or two.
Speaker 1:We found one.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and we're thinking about maybe doing our own geocach right.
Speaker 1:Yes For this podcast.
Speaker 2:Maybe we might do one for this podcast. We might do something for something else, but we're not sure yet, right?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I really hope that we do put a little bit of the stuff in.
Speaker 2:That would be kind of fun. Well, lucy, why don't you tell people how they can find creepy pair of underwear and fuzzy fuzzy base Louine?
Speaker 1:It's baseball Louine. They can go to their local bookstores bookstores, or they can go to our show notes, where we have a link. You can also help our podcast by giving it a five star review.
Speaker 2:Folks and on the show notes link. We're an Amazon affiliate, so we get a little bit of the profits. So if you'd like to help the podcast, that's just one way that you can do it. So, lucy, why don't you tell the listeners how they can get in touch with us?
Speaker 1:To submit your theories and feedback. You can email us at daddydaughterbookgramsgmailcom.
Speaker 2:And you can also go to our Instagram at daddydaughterbookworms, as well as our Twitter daddydaughterbookworms. And our new home for all daddydaughterbookworms things is daddydaughterbookwormscom.
Speaker 1:And don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel search daddydaughterbookworms.
Speaker 2:Well, that's our first double episode, huh.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:So you have a little vacation this week, right, the whole week. Isn't that exciting.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:What are you most excited about? Seeing your friends?
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:All right. Well, that said, thank you so much for listening. Hopefully you can join our community, our Facebook and all the other stuff, and my name is.
Speaker 1:Alex and I'm Lucy, and see you soon, bookworms, bye.