Skip to main content

Job Wanted


Job Wanted
By Teresa Bateman
Holiday House, 2015. Picture book.

An old dog arrives at a farm looking for work, but the farmer declares he has no use for a dog, since dogs don’t earn their keep like the other farm animals. Undeterred, the dog asks if there is an opening for a cow, and on being told yes, declares that he will start work the next day. In the morning the cows are all lined up, ready and waiting for the farmer to milk them, thanks to the dog’s efforts. The farmer has to admit it is convenient, but still, a dog is not a cow and there’s no opening for a dog. The dog then tries out to be a horse and a chicken, failing at both but still managing to make the farmer’s work go twice as smoothly. Will the old dog be able to make a place for himself?

A great read-aloud story with gentle humor and some nice themes about the payoffs of perseverance, creativity, and hard work.

Comments

Ms. Yingling said…
This looks very sweet. May have to read it to MY dog, whose job it is to snuggle in my armpit whenever I am reading, and to make sure I don't have any food in my mouth that I've forgotten about!

Popular posts from this blog

An ABC of Flowers

An ABC of Flowers   by Jutta Hilpuesch New York, NY : Philomel Books, [2019] It turns out there really is a flower for every letter. This sweet book has a photograph of every flower and  a sweet cartoon illustration to go along with it. All your favorite flowers are here (forget-me-nots, mums, and sunflowers), along with some you probably haven't heard of before (billy ball, kalanchoe, xeranthemum?).  This is a perfect book for reading together, and readers of any age will enjoy every page. Don't miss this great springtime alphabet book. 

Display: Out of this World Books Found Here

Hello By Aiko Ikegami Berkeley, CA: Creston Books, 2019. Picture book. In this wordless picture book, an alien visits Earth, makes friends with a little girl, and returns to his home planet to share his experiences. - Publisher We Are Definitely Human By X. Fang Toronto: Tundra Books, 2024. Picture book. When three mysterious visitors from "Europe" crash-land in Mr. Li's field, he does what any good host would: he invites them back to his farmhouse and offers to help fix up their "car". No, there's nothing strange about these guests at all. Just like other humans, they "make business", "play sportsball" and "wear hat". As the townsfolk also come to the aid of the visitors and the gathering turns into a little party, interplanetary relations reach an all-time high. - Publisher Greetings Floof! Written by C.J. Hong Illustrated by A.J. Smith Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2024. Picture book. Floof from planet Ploof has landed! And it...

If You Like...Dungeons and Dragons

Great news for adventurous, imaginative tweens: we are starting a Dungeons & Dragons program! Nine- to twelve-year-olds are invited to join a tabletop role playing quest in the Story Room on Monday September 14 from 6:30-8:00PM. All experience levels are welcome. Registration opens on September 1 at 9:00AM. In the meantime, here are some books to inspire your upcoming campaign!  The Lionharts Written and Illustrated by Mike Lawrence New York : Abrams Fanfare, 2026. J Comic. 233 pages. The Lionhart family is in the business of adventuring. Alder and Flynt are desperate to be included in the dragon-fighting and monster-slaying quests. When their parents Lenna and Gerard go missing after accepting a mysterious job, the boys set out to save them, soon followed by their famous questing Grammy and Baba to help keep Alder and Flynt out of trouble. The journey brings challenges and opportunities, magic and mystery, but it also reveals a troubling family secret that threatens to tear th...