I really enjoy Beth’s Job by Carole Roberts, illustrated by Michael Garland. It is ideal for the child who is ready to read a book all on their own. It’s the story of an elementary school student named Beth. On the day everyone is assigned their class jobs, and Beth is very excited, until she discovers she will be in charge of watering the class plant. This seems very dull to her. She is jealous of her other classmates, that seem to have much more interesting duties. Max gets to feed the class rabbit! And Jeff is in charge of being first in line. Glen gets to hold the flag during the pledge of allegiance. Beth’s job seems so boring in comparison to all the cool things the other kids get to do. Until one day, the plant blooms! Thanks to all the care Beth gave the plant, the class now has a beautiful flower, leading Beth to proclaim, “This job is the best!”
Jobs
Good Night Gorilla
Good Night Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann is a cautionary tale for unobservant zookeepers. In it, a very tired zookeeper is doing his nightly rounds, saying “good night” to all of the animals, beginning with Gorilla, who deftly snatches the keys from his belt and begins setting his fellow animals free. The zookeeper heads home to go to bed, unwittingly followed by the entire menagerie. This is unacceptable to the zookeeper’s wife, who sends all the animals back to their pens. “Good night zoo,” she says, but that crafty Gorilla has a surprise for her. This charming story, told mostly through illustrations, is a true treat.
Curious George Plants a Tree
Our favorite inquisitive monkey is at it again in Curious George Plants a Tree, inspired by the legacy of Margret and H.A. Rey, written by Monica Perez, and illustrated by Anna Grossnickle Hines. In this installment, George, and his faithful friend, the man in the yellow hat, learn all about conserving the environment. Of course, George goes a little overboard in his desire to help the planet. On recycling day he gathers all the discarded paper from his home, but also all of his neighbors’ newspapers! When everyone goes to follow him, they track George down at a tree-planting event, and happily decide to help out.
I Stink!
Meet a very vocal garbage truck in I Stink! by Kate and Jim McMullan. Have you ever been awoken to the sound of a garbage truck backing up to take your trash away? Good! He loves disturbing people’s sleep! And he loves to eat disgusting trash–in fact he has a whole alphabet of yucky things to eat, from A for apple cores to Z for zipped-up ziti with zucchini! He sure does smell bad, but without him we’d live on a mountain of trash! So, take trip through New York City with this boistrous representative of the Sanitation Department in I Stink!
Mind Your Manners, B.B. Wolf
In Mind Your Manners, B.B. Wolf by Judy Sierra, illustrated by J. Otto Seibold, we discover that the Big Bad Wolf has since retired to the Villain Villa Senior Center. He looks forward to checking the mail every day, but it’s always bills bills bills! But one day he receives an invitation to come the library for a tea party. He doesn’t much care for tea, but he loves cookies. His friend the crocodile informs him of proper etiquette by teaching him a catchy ditty. Mr. Wolf dresses in his best suit and is off to the library. After three cups a tea, he feels a burp coming on. Good thing he knows it’s polite to say “excuse me” when one belches (although he didn’t realize you say it after the fact, not before, and ends up announcing his faux pas to everyone)! This book is a really cute take on traditional characters that your child is sure to enjoy.
Even Firefighters Go to the Potty
Even Firefighters Go to the Potty is a hilarious book by Wendy and Naomi Wax, and illustrated by Stephen Gilpin. If you have a child who is hesitant to start using the potty, proof that everyone who’s anyone sits on a toilet might be reassuring. As the title suggests, Firefighters use the potty. It’s true! Police officers do too! Baseball players, construction workers, doctors and dentists–they all go to the potty. Astronauts use the potty (although its a little difficult with those bulky space-suits). When you’re at a restaurant and wondering where the waiter is? He’s probably on the potty (and most definitely washing his hands!) Do polar bears use the potty. No–but you can bet the zookeeper does!