I love Perfect Picture Book Fridays! The only hard part is choosing just one book to share each week when there are usually about 50 I’d like to add to the list! 🙂
Before we get to today’s choice though, I think we need to have a serious discussion about the Official Perfect Picture Book Snack. Something Chocolate has already been taken for Would You Read It Wednesdays, so put on your thinking caps boys and girls, and let’s come up with something scrumptious! 🙂 Because I’m a mite peckish! The comment section is open for suggestion….
But back to PPBF…. I love books that turn out to be something you didn’t expect. I love getting to the end and thinking to myself, “Wow, that author was clever!” I love books that I like better every time I read them. And that is just the kind of book I’m sharing today!
The Top Job
Written By: Elizabeth Cody Kimmel
Illustrated By: Robert Neubecker
Dutton Juvenile, July 2007, Fiction based on fact
Suitable For: ages 5-8
Theme/Topic: Careers, Standing up for yourself, Coping with rudeness and bragging.
Opening: “On Career Day, Mrs. Feeny asked her students to stand up in class and talk about their parents’ jobs. Emma Sweetpaw said her dad was a UFO hunter. She said he used a two-ton telescope to search the sky for flying saucers and a giant satellite to receive alien transmissions.”
Brief Synopsis: One by one, the students stand up and brag about what their parents do – a UFO hunter, a jeweler, a NASCAR driver. When it’s the narrator’s turn, she says her dad changes light bulbs, which seems pretty tame compared to what everyone else does… until she reveals which lightbulbs!
Links To Resources: Careers (grades K-5), Careers (grades 6-8) (these are both link lists to info on all kinds of careers), Amazing Facts About The Empire State Building, Fun Facts About The Empire State Building
Why I Like This Book: What kid wouldn’t love to have a parent with a really cool and unusual job? This book is set up very cleverly. The first few kids to introduce their parents careers all brag – their parents are UFO hunters, jewelers, and NASCAR drivers. Pretty hard to top! When it’s the narrator’s turn, she sets them up, saying her dad changes light bulbs. Of course they make fun… until they find out where the light bulbs are. The pacing is great, letting the reader discover a page at a time that all isn’t exactly as it seems. I also love that the story is based on fact – someone really does have to change those light bulbs and it’s a pretty tricky job! This book offers a great deal of information about a little-known job as well as a great opportunity to talk about all the different careers that are open to kids when they grow up. It’s interesting, educational, clever, and fun!
For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.
In other news, I wanted to share the Reach Out And Read report with you but I don’t have the pictures yet, so I’m going to save that for next week.
I’m looking forward to seeing what Perfect Picture Books everyone else chooses today – it’s always so much fun! And then we all have tons of great new choices for the weekend – to read to our kids, plan upcoming lessons, or to learn from as writers! What could be more fun than that? Please post your Perfect Picture Book link below and have a great weekend!
Susanna Leonard Hill 
Oh how fab you got all that information about it. And yay for popcorn, boo for my link never showing lol 😛
Did you try your link and it didn't work? I will do it for you if need be, but I thought you usually got it on there…
Catherine Johnson (unregistered) wrote, in response to Susanna Leonard Hill:
Oh how fab you got all that information about it. And yay for popcorn, boo for my link never showing lol 😛
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Now your talking….. mmm chocolate! I love popcorn too…. decisions, decisions…lol… Love your Picture Book Susanna,my Dad was a builder. Guess you will get my link up eventually. the Famous Nini… http://thepatientdreamer.com/2012/02/25/perfect-picture-book-friday-8/ Thankyou
I'm sorry, Diane, I didn't realize you'd asked me to put it up and I didn't get your email post notification yet… I'll do it now. Maybe we should put chocolate and popcorn together – chocolate popcorn! I'm sure I've seen it at the Popcorn Factory 🙂
This looks like a great one Susanna. I hadn't heard of it before.
I think you would like it!
Well…no! Wish I lived close enough. I did have something similar to this at Mimi's Cafe while visiting my sister in Scottsdale. So…if you have Mimi's, you could take your laptop and do PPBF there 🙂
Alas, no Mimi's that I know of! You may have a good idea though… there's a great bakery not too far away… 🙂
Penny Klostermann wrote, in response to Susanna Leonard Hill:
Well…no! Wish I lived close enough. I did have something similar to this at Mimi's Cafe while visiting my sister in Scottsdale. So…if you have Mimi's, you could take your laptop and do PPBF there 🙂
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The story sounds so much fun. I love surprises and the artwork looks very entertaining. Snack. Hmm. I made some dipped and bedazzled (sprinkles, chips, etc) marshamallow pops the other day. It could be an option. Sweet, but not chocolate. I love the idea of popcorn, too.
I'm intrigued! More details on marshmallow pops please!
I'm still thinking about the perfect picture book snack. Hmmm. Milk and cookies???? 😀
Maybe so! Someone else also suggested that! And BTW I am still chuckling over that Hunger Games spoof trailer – i sent it to my kids 🙂
cool, I'm game. And thankyou.
Okay, now I'm anxious to know where he changes these light bulbs lol!!! I better get this book and share it with my kiddo so I can find out. Great pick, Susanna.
I want to second This Kid Reviews Bks suggestion of cheesecake. I love it, although it has waaay too much love for my hips.
Enjoy the book, and your cheesecake vote is duly noted. Yum!
What a fun idea for a book. Brilliant, really. Glad you shared. I bet it's hard to pick just one each week. *sigh*
I know – this is one of those books that makes me say, “I wish I'd thought of that first!” 🙂
You left me hanging and wanting more! Just like a good review should. I'm so happy to have joined the PPBF group of bloggers. Can't wait to get to the library to read all these great recommendations.
I'm so glad you joined too! And my library probably sighs when they see me coming – back up the Uhaul – here comes that picture book lady 🙂
Oh Susanna! I need to know where those light bulbs are!! And as for food, you can't beat a home made sandwich sponge with fresh fruit and cream inside.
The resources are a dead giveaway about where the light bulbs are 🙂 And your snack sounds SO GOOD!!!!
That's a GREAT (and delicious) idea! 😉