How To Get a Job By Me The Boss

How To Get a Job By Me The Boss. Sally Lloyd Jones and Sue Heap. 2011. Random House. 40 pages.

If you want to get a Job, first you need to know what exactly a Job is. A Job is so you can have something to do and get money for your family. And sometimes a Job is so you can get all dressed up and wear your new shoes to work. Some jobs are very BIG. Like President of the WORLD. Some jobs are very small. Like Balloon Holder.

I am a big fan of Sally Lloyd Jones. I have enjoyed each of her "How To" books: How To Be A Baby...by Me, the Big Sister, How to Get Married...by Me, the Bride, and now How To Get A Job...by Me, The Boss. Each book has been fun, with lots of little details that make it work. Small things, really, that bring a smile to your face. For example, this little informative note to readers:

Here's what ISN'T a JOB:
Sitting in your chair eating cookies.
(School is a sort of job because you do HOMEWORK.
Except they don't pay you ANY MONEY.)

and yet another informative note to readers:

Here's What Else You Do If You're A Doctor:
Look inside patients' mouths for germs and tonsils
Listen with your stethoscope
Write stuff like "ear infection" and "DANGEROUSLY allergic to Broccoli!" on pieces of paper and give it to them.

Because the text is layered, because there are notes to the readers, and lists, and speech bubbles, this may not be the best book for reading out loud to a group. The fun is in the details, and you're going to want to read this one carefully for full effect!

The book is creative, imaginative, silly, and delightful. With phrases like "Gangrene-chicken-scarlet-mumpy-pox!" It's a fun little picture book that I'm happy to recommend.

My review of How To Be A Baby By Me The Big Sister. 

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 10


© 2011 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Just What Mama Needs

Just What Mama Needs. Sharlee Mullins Glenn. Illustrated by Amiko Hirao. 2008. Harcourt. 32 pages.

On Monday Abby wore a red-striped shirt, raggedy pants, and a black patch over one eye. She swaggered around and sliced the air with her sword. "Yo, ho, ho!" she shouted. "A pirate!" said Mama. "Just what I need." So, Abby helped Mama swab the deck. Swish. Swish. Swash.

Abby, our heroine, loves to play dress up, loves to play make believe. Every day of the week readers see Abby at play. And every day of the week readers see just how much Abby is loved by her mom. I loved Abby. I loved seeing how her Mom uses her daughter's creativity--her imagination--to her advantage. I especially loved Saturday when Abby was a queen.

"So Abby helped Mama do the royal shopping. The store doors opened at her command. She rode high in her silver carriage and called out her orders: "Five bananas! Two loaves of bread! One jar of peanut butter!" She helped pay with coins from the imperial treasury. Plink. Plink. Plink."

I've never read a book about chores that was so charming.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Mama's Saris

Mama's Saris by Pooja Makhijani. Illustrated by Elena Gomez. 2007.

Mama's Saris is a sweet story of a mother and daughter bonding. In preparation for the daughter's seventh birthday, the two are in the mom's room getting all dressed up. The mother is looking through her trunk of saris, looking for one that is just right for that special day. With each sari in the trunk, comes a story--a memory. Along the way, the daughter begins asking her mother to let her wear a sari--to dress in "grown-up" clothes, to be just as beautiful and special as her mom. She wants nothing more than to 'look just like' mom. It is a beautiful, sweet story that every person can relate to regardless of culture.

I really enjoyed this one. The illustrations are beautiful.

http://www.poojamakhijani.com/children.html