Review: Happy Mother Goose Day!

​When I think about Mother Goose, I think of a collection of timeless stories and familiar characters. So, today, let’s celebrate by reading a new book in which some of those familiar characters make an appearance: 

​TITLE: HELP WANTED, MUST LOVE BOOKS
AUTHOR: Janet Sumner Johnson
ILLUSTRATOR: Courtney Dawson
PUBLISHER: Capstone Editions/2020
OPENING LINES: 
Unlike most kids, Shailey loved bedtime.
She’d shimmy into her pj’s, brush her sparkling smile, then raid the bookshelf for the perfect bedtime stories.
Her dad would squish into the rocker with her, and they’d read until her eyelids refused to stay open.
This arrangement worked perfectly…
…until her dad got a new job.

​Shailey’s bedtime reader (AKA her dad) has a new job, which means less time and energy to read her stories. So, she fires him. Shailey interviews a slew of familiar characters (Snow White, The Gingerbread Man, Goldilocks), but none are quite right for the job. You’ll have to read to find out who is the perfect candidate for Shailey, but she does find one who is “just right.” This story has a diverse cast of humans, animals, and fairytale characters; bright, colorful illustrations; a relatable problem (how many parents have not time or fall asleep—before or during--bedtime stories); subtle humor; a dash of heart; and a nod to the process of employment, from posting desired job qualifications to the interviewing process to creating a curriculum vitae. Janet Sumner Johnson and Courtney Dawson created a brilliant picture book!
 
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