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Author Interview: Betsy Bird, author of Funny Girl
Can girls be Funny? Today we’re going to discuss this age old question with a very special guest on the Reading with Your Kids Podcast. Over the years, society has developed this notion that only men can be funny. Until recently, the media has been dominated by male comedians and their crude humor that women “just do not get”. In today’s episode, we bring on Betsy Bird, librarian, host of the new Fuse 8 n’Kate podcast, and the author of the fabulous new short story anthology called Funny Girl to prove that girls are funny and it’s time for the world to know it.
Funny Girl is a collection of funny stories that are mix of hilarious stories and comics written by some of our favorite female authors for kids that will make kids and parents chuckle.
In our exciting interview, Betsy discusses her book, the process that goes into creating her funny stories, her favourite part from her book, the importance of children’s literacy and much more!
Here’s more information about Betsy Bird
Elizabeth (Betsy) Bird is a children’s librarian at the main branch of New York Public Library (a.k.a. the one with the big stone lions out front). In 2006 she started A Fuse #8 Production, which was picked up by School Library Journal in 2008, where it is housed today. She currently reviews for The New York Times, Kirkus, and TimeOut Kids New York, as well as on her own blog. She has also written articles for School Library Journal and Horn Book Magazine. Bird is the author of the ALA Editions title Children’s Literature Gems: Choosing and Using Them in Your Library Career, and has sold two picture books to Greenwillow. The first, Giant Dance Party (illustrations by Brandon Dorman), is out in Fall 2011. Ms. Bird is also writing a non-fiction adult title for Candlewick with two of her favorite bloggers, Peter Sieruta (Collecting Children’s Books) and Jules Danielson (Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast), about the true hidden histories behind your favorite children’s books.
More about Funny Girl: Funniest. Stories. Ever.
Funny Girl is a collection of uproarious stories, rollicking comics, rib-tickling wit, and more, from 25 of today’s funniest female writers for kids.
What could be funnier than family? Read stories about Ursula Brown’s grandmother driving her on a road trip to disaster, Lisa Brown’s little brother getting a Tic-Tac stuck up his nose, and Carmen Agra Deedy’s mom setting the bathtub on fire.
What could be funnier than friends? Pretty much nothing, as Rita Williams-Garcia shows two besties hatching a bird-brained scheme to get on to a TV talk show, and Deborah Underwood introduces a dynamic dog-and-cat duo teaming up on a pet advice column.
What could be funnier than YOU? Tell your future with Mad Libs, discover your Chinese Zodiac sign with Lenore Look, and learn the best tricks of the comedy trade from professional humorists like Adrianne Chalepah and Delaney Yeager.
With clever contributions from award-winning and bestselling authors including Cece Bell, Sophie Blackall, Libba Bray, Shannon Hale, Lisa Graff, and Raina Telgemeier, this anthology of funny girls will make you laugh until you cry. Or cry until you laugh. Or maybe you won’t cry at all. Either way, you’ll definitely laugh.
In this episode
- Learn more about Funny Girl and her experience of meeting and collaborating with an illustrator of her book
- More about her lively blog, A Fuse #8 Production
- Betsy’s inspiration for writing this book and working with some great contemporary female children’s authors
- Jed & Betsy talk about the importance of children’s literacy & how to gets the kids reading
- What’s next for Betsy & much more…Tune in to catch all the fun!
If you haven’t already done so, listen to this episode & feel free to share it by using the social media buttons at the bottom of this page. We would LOVE if you could leave us a review on iTunes.
You can discover more about Betsy and her blog by visiting
Her website: www.betsybirdbooks.com
Twitter: @FuseEight
Blog: http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/
Amazon: www.amazon.com/Funny-Girl-Funniest-Stories-Ever/dp/0451477316
Check out The Great Martini, A fun and touching story about Sam, a lovable but far from perfect magician who learns that the greatest transformation is transforming feelings of caring into action to help another human being. The Great Maritini, as an exclusive amazon e book. Please click here to get your copy today.