From School Library Journal:
Kindergarten-Grade 3 A young dog named Jack Russell imagines himself in a variety of professions. He rejects each one and, at the end, goes back to being a puppy again. The sing-song rhythms of the text are pleasant and whimsical, but they don't have the concise phrasing that distinguishes the best poetry. Too often, words seem used as filler (Jack is " '. . .old enough now /to look for a job, /A trade or profession, let's see. . .' "). Also, occasional inverted phrases are used just to make a rhyme work, and they sound awkward and forced. The full-color paintings are well designed and quite lovely to look at. Ornately designed borders give them an old-fashioned, formal feeling. The blurb invites comparison with Nicola Bayley, but these pictures lack the glow and animation of Bayley's work; despite the proficiency, there's something cold and static about them. For humorous picture books about careers, try Robert Kraus' Owliver (Windmill, 1974) or Louis James Hates School (Houghton, 1978; o.p.) by Bill Morrison. Lauralyn Levesque, Pawtucket Pub. Lib., R.I.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Publishers Weekly:
Underhill's art works are gallery exhibits in London, England, and her eye-filling paintings illustrate the original tale in this book which introduces her to American readers. Fluent rhyming lines form the style in which the pup Jack Russell relates thoughts about his career, when he knows he's "old enough now/ to look for a job,/ A trade or profession,/ let's see. . . ." Jack weighs the advantages and drawbacks of work as a fisherman, a composer of great music, a teacher, a hairdresser, etc. Witty paintings, lavishly colored and detailed, show JR's imaginary successes and failures in dozens of fields. Finally our hero states, "I've made my decision./ I'm gong to bed, For one thing/ is perfectly plain: There's one job I love,/ it's the one I do best . . ./It's being/ a puppy again!"
Copyright 1985 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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