Episode 187 - Abiyoyo

Betsy thought she knew how this story was going to end, and it definitely took a hard right turn that she was NOT expecting. We're talking about Pete Seeger's Abiyoyo, a title Betsy first encountered as a child on Reading Rainbow. But what looks at first to be a simple case of cultural appropriation turns into something a bit more complicated. There are all kinds of twists and turns in our discussion today, and many of our assumptions walking in were upended. We talk scofflaws, why Abiyoyo is the opposite of Steven Universe, how this book is like that episode of The Twilight Zone called "It's a Good Life", whether monsters like to waltz, and the Red Scare. You know. Abiyoyo stuff! Show Notes: The Michael Hays website is a pretty darn good source of information so check it out for the background story we mention in the podcast: https://www.michaelhays.com/abiyoyo/index.html Here's the article with the couple that named their toy store Abiyoyo. When Betsy read it she noticed that it was first place where Pete Seeger said something about crediting where he got the Abiyoyo story. This, in turn, made her curious enough that she started digging further: https://wellfleet.wickedlocal.com/news/20190523/abiyoyo-lives-on-as-place-to-celebrate-childhood-in-wellfleet Also, apologies to Abiyoyo Returns. Because technically it does exist and technically we didn't mention it during the podcast: https://www.michaelhays.com/abiyoyo_studio/picture_books/abiyoyo_returns.html Now, we're in luck with this one. There really is a full Reading Rainbow episode with Abiyoyo available on YouTube. But clearly Betsy's memory of this one was flawed because she completely forgot that Lionel Ritchie and Run DMC make appearances of one sort or another (to say nothing of Tears For Fears and more). This is an amazing deep dive into late 80s 80snesses. Best thing you'll see all day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTq-uJ4P0j8&t=474s Betsy Recommends: The Helen Yoon Instagram feed: https://www.instagram.com/helenyoonillustration/ Also the second season of Marlon and Jake Discuss Dead People: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marlon-and-jake-read-dead-people/id1492163935 Kate Recommends: One Simple Wish: https://static.onesimplewish.org/ For the full Show Notes please visit us here: http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2021/06/28/fuse-8-n-kate-abiyoyo-by-pete-seeger-ill-michael-hays/