A bit of light housekeeping to wrap up March.

JEFF GOLDBLUM AUDIO!

You might have seen me promise to share the audio recording of Jeff Goldblum reading his part as the Imperial Wizard if my THE EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES post got more than ten comments. It did (even if six of them were mine), so here you go:

TEX AVERY FINAL THOUGHT!

Just wanted to share this fun line from Joe Adamson’s excellent Tex Avery biography:

The biggest clue you will find, in fact, to the origin of the state of Tex Avery’s humor is the humor of the state of Tex Avery’s origin.

TEX AVERY: KING OF CARTOONS, Joe Adamson (1975)

Adamson connects Tex Avery’s wild imagination to the Texan tradition of “Tall Tales” (think of Pecos Bill’s incredible adventures, for example). Here’s where I’d separate Tex Avery from James Marshall. I think there’s a lot more New England than Texas in Marshall’s dry, understated humor.

THE PULLMAN PORTER

Speaking of Pullman Porters, as I was, I wondered if there were any picture books on their history. Turns out there is so I went out and found it.

THE BOMB AND THE GENERAL

Kirk Reedstrom sent me this article about Umberto Eco’s theory of semiotics (“the study of signs and symbols as an anthropological sensemaking mechanism for the world”) and their use in THE BOMB AND THE GENERAL. Thanks, Kirk!

DAILY WATERCOLOR

I fell off the daily watercolor pretty early but I want to get back on that. If I forget, remind me.

NOW TAKING REQUESTS

I have a few ideas for future blog posts but if there’s anything picture book related you would like to hear me talk about, let me know. Put your suggestions in the comments.