PICTURE BOOK - When I Grow Up - Al Yankovic

Illustrated by Wes Hargis

2011 Harper Collins

24 pgs.

HC $17.99

Goodreads rating: 4.19

My rating: 5 - A terrific book, both text and illustrations

Endpapers: Kid-like drawings of kids in various occupations (front) Protagonist sitting on a kinosaur skeleton eating his sandwich (his job?) (back)

Title Page: Double-page spread, we are looking through the leaves of a large tree, watching the protagonist walk to school.  Great layout....

Illustrations:  VERY fun to look at.  His bio at the end of the book:  "Wes Hargis wanted to be a professional dirt miner when he grew up.  Unstable market prices for dirt led him to pursue his second love, and he has been an illustrator for more than fifteen years.  Mr. Hargis lives with his family (and his dirt) in Arizona."

1^st line/s:  "I waited so long for the hours to pass,

                 But soon it was noon there in Mrs. Krupp's class.

                 And Thursday at noon, as I'm sure you know well,

                 Is the time of the week when we do show-and-tell."

So here is just one example of the wonderful words and rhyming that are a part of this book:

          "My walls will be filled with awards that I've gotten

           For toast-on-a-stick and my Twinkies au gratin.

           My kitchen will be the most famous in France,

           So make reservations twelve years in advance!

           There's no doubt about it --- I'm certain, you see ---

           A world-renowned chef is what I'm gonna be."

My comments:  I love rhyme and rhythm when the words flow and are unforced, and Weird Al does this brilliantly!  I love the words in this great, creative story, and I love they way he uses them.  And the illustrations compliment them wonderfully.  Clever.  And great fun!  I will DEFINITELY be sharing this with my fourth graders, and what a great gift for picture-book-loving graduates.

Goodreads:   

'Cause maybe I'll be a gorilla masseuse Or an artist who sculpts out of chocolate mousse Or a rodeo clown or a movie director Or maybe professional pickle inspector...

          Billy's classmates may have never considered careers in snail training or sumo wrestling before, but by the time the exuberant eight-year-old is done cataloging his dream jobs, they just might share his belief in unlimited potential! 

          Virtuoso wordplay, irresistible rhythm, and laugh-out-loud humor abound in the first picture book by the one and only "Weird Al" Yankovic. This unbridled celebration of creativity and possibility invites readers of all ages to consider afresh what they want to be when they grow up.

The Sanyasin's First Day - Ned Shank

Illustrated by Catherine Stock
Marshall Cavendish, 1999
32 pages
Rating: 4
Ednpapers: Pumpkin

In my search for books about Africa I came across this book, and had no idea what a SANYASIN was. So I checked it out. Didn't take place in Africa, but it was a good story.

A sanyasin is a holy man in India. He gives away all he owns, counts on people to give him rice, and spends his day praying...and begging for rice, it appears.

The busy Indian marketplace is captured beautifully by Catherine Stock as we meet three others on their "first days" -- a female plumber, male policeman, and female farmer. Their stories cleverly intersect in a satisfying story. however, it's the story the pictures tell that most catch my attention.

Note: As of the book flap, in 1999 Ned Shank was married to author Crescent Dragonwagon. Interesting.

The Underwear Salesman - J. Patrick Lewis

Poetry
And Other Jobs for Better or Verse
Illustrated by Serge Bloch
Ginee Seo Books/Atheneum, 2009
Rating: 3.5
Endpapers: 24 different paris of boxer shorts with various pricing....(cute)

The first poem, "Guess how many jobs there are /At the occupation salad bar!" are six clevery written, four-line stanzas. There's an interesting rhyme pattern, each stanza begins with a triplet, then then the fourth line of each is in an aabbcc pattern. Interesting rhyme and easy rhythm. We things about 49 (if I counted right) different occupations, some that you never would think of. Exterminator, Mapmaker, Belly Dancer, Highway Line Painter, Pet Groomer, Banana Picker, Bridge Painter, Sunken Treasure Hunter, Acupuncturist, Cuckoo-Clock Repairman, Paleontologist.....

Illustrations are a mixture of line drawings, simple painting, and collage. In most cases, lots of white. The Marathon Runner pome is a city neighborhood in oranges with no white, and is pretty snazzy:

Marathon Runner

Motivation
Perspiration
Long duration
Occupation
Destination:
Big ovation
Celebration?
(Long vacation!)

Poet

I take a word, and then another,
Let them get to know each other,

Exercise them till they learn
A song to sing, a phrase to turn.

I choose strong verbs right off the bat
(Since adjectives are high in fat).

Some words may act excited, nervous,
But all are glad to be of service.