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kathydavie's review against another edition
5.0
A picture book that celebrates creativity and possibility through Billy's imagination.
My Take
Be sure to take the time to explore the endpaper watercolors when you open this up. They're so much fun and so very creative. Hargis does a great job on the graphics. They're cheerful, detailed, oh, man, are they detailed! You could probably spend a night per page just exploring each one!
And it only gets better as you delve deeper into the book, as Billy explores being a chef — I wouldn't have thought an eight-year-old knew about truffles and kumquats. A snail trainer with all the tricks they'll do. A bit more reality as a lathe operator before he falls back into fantasy as a giraffe milker. He certainly has the baboons confused, lol. He may need more muscle if he truly intends to be a gorilla masseuse!
Oh, yes, there's more, so very much more…and there's quite the ring of truth and a reality at the end as Billy speaks of his great-grandfather Bob.
The text has a rhythm and rhyme that made me think of Dr. Seuss, but at a higher level with bigger words. You'll enjoy the sing-song sound of it.
It's the type of story that will spark the imagination — yours and the kids' as you think up the silly and the practical of possible careers.
The Story
It's the day Billy has been looking forward to: What he wants to be when he grows up.
It's quite the presentation that Mrs. Krupp hadn't anticipated, as Billy explores a myriad of possibilities.
The Characters
Billy is an imaginative eight-year-old. Great-grandfather Bob is quite inspiring at 103.
Mrs. Krupp is Billy's teacher. Suzie and Fred are Billy's fellow students.
The Cover and Title
The cover has a white background with a young lad dreaming of all the possibilities for When I Grow Up, from fireman, teacher, doctor, cowboy, mechanic, bulldozer driver, and more. The author's name is across the top in red while the title is in blue in the middle and the illustrator's name in orange on the blade of that 'dozer.
My Take
Be sure to take the time to explore the endpaper watercolors when you open this up. They're so much fun and so very creative. Hargis does a great job on the graphics. They're cheerful, detailed, oh, man, are they detailed! You could probably spend a night per page just exploring each one!
And it only gets better as you delve deeper into the book, as Billy explores being a chef — I wouldn't have thought an eight-year-old knew about truffles and kumquats. A snail trainer with all the tricks they'll do. A bit more reality as a lathe operator before he falls back into fantasy as a giraffe milker. He certainly has the baboons confused, lol. He may need more muscle if he truly intends to be a gorilla masseuse!
Oh, yes, there's more, so very much more…and there's quite the ring of truth and a reality at the end as Billy speaks of his great-grandfather Bob.
The text has a rhythm and rhyme that made me think of Dr. Seuss, but at a higher level with bigger words. You'll enjoy the sing-song sound of it.
It's the type of story that will spark the imagination — yours and the kids' as you think up the silly and the practical of possible careers.
The Story
It's the day Billy has been looking forward to: What he wants to be when he grows up.
It's quite the presentation that Mrs. Krupp hadn't anticipated, as Billy explores a myriad of possibilities.
The Characters
Billy is an imaginative eight-year-old. Great-grandfather Bob is quite inspiring at 103.
Mrs. Krupp is Billy's teacher. Suzie and Fred are Billy's fellow students.
The Cover and Title
The cover has a white background with a young lad dreaming of all the possibilities for When I Grow Up, from fireman, teacher, doctor, cowboy, mechanic, bulldozer driver, and more. The author's name is across the top in red while the title is in blue in the middle and the illustrator's name in orange on the blade of that 'dozer.
arrrjae's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
alyshadeshae's review against another edition
5.0
I picked this up because of the author. Who knew Weird Al had written a kids' books?! And it's awesome! I always hated the "what do you want to be when you grow up" questions and this handles that question wonderfully. I can't wait to read it to my niece and nephew. :-D
carolineinthelibrary's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book all about what an eight year old might be when he grows up! It's funny and creative, has a great message and an even better rhyming scheme, and some well illustrated pictures. It's a bit lengthy so I think I'd aim it at an older storytime crowd, but will definitely read it in storytime!
brysonsmommie84's review against another edition
5.0
Hilarious!
Too cute! I’m so glad Weird Al is teaching kids from a young age that it’s okay not to be pressured to know what you want to be when you grow up, even if you’re a hundred and three. Also teaching them to think outside the box and expand their imaginations. I’m sure this book leaves kids with all kids of beautiful questions, like can you really milk a giraffe?!
Too cute! I’m so glad Weird Al is teaching kids from a young age that it’s okay not to be pressured to know what you want to be when you grow up, even if you’re a hundred and three. Also teaching them to think outside the box and expand their imaginations. I’m sure this book leaves kids with all kids of beautiful questions, like can you really milk a giraffe?!
mrsbond's review against another edition
4.0
I am always leery of celebrity types who decide they now want to write children's books. In a market that is hard enough for unknown yet good authors to get noticed, can't these people just have a ghost writer produce their memoir? But this is Weird Al. You never quite know what you're going to get from him, so I had to give this a try. What I discovered is a fun to read story about a boy who is asked the big question: What do you want to be when you grow up? He answers with a list of career options that vary from award winning chef to giraffe milker to hedge fund investor. Most kids will have no idea what most of these careers are -- but this school librarian sees this as a great opportunity to practice research skills and explore! Illustrations are as colorful and fun as the text.
shighley's review against another edition
5.0
Very, very clever book. Just because it's a picture book, I wouldn't categorize it as primary. I think it would be great to use with intermediate and above. It's imaginative, and demonstrates lots of effort to get the rhymes just so. What an excellent use of vocabulary! Students could try writing their own rhyme for an occupation they might consider for the future. I wasn't expecting it to end the way it did either, and take it as a compliment!
wetdryvac's review against another edition
5.0
That... was really good. I was expecting fun from Weird Al, but this... was just plain good, too.
kellylynnthomas's review against another edition
4.0
This was a really enjoyable book, and the illustrations are rich and fanciful. The only thing about it is that some of the words seem really complex and specialized for a picture book.