6 Books About Jobs and Work

That thing we do every day

If you haven’t heard, Adolescence, the new Netflix miniseries, has generated a LOT of buzz. It’s a show about a young adolescent boy (he’s only 13) who commits a horrific crime. A friend brought it to my attention and insisted it was one of the best things she’s seen in years. This piqued my curiosity. She then went on to tell me that it was a heartbreaking show and she couldn’t stop thinking about it. And, just like that, my curiosity deflated.

So imagine my surprise when my husband, who is so far removed from pop culture that it knocks me off my feet when he’s “hip,” insisted we watch it. I’m solidly in the phase of life where TV watching is meant for escapism and relaxation. Adolescence does not fit that bill.

Despite trying to do other things, I kept drifting back to watch scenes here and there. Finally, I plopped myself down and gave in.

Oh my god.

This needs to be a must-watch for pretty much everyone. Whether or not you have kids, this show opens the door to a conversation we should all be having. How did we end up here? How do we change things?

It’s been several days since we’ve finished the miniseries—it’s only 4 (amazing) episodes long—and it’s left a mark. We’ll randomly discuss things we’ve pondered as we reflect on the show. My husband will bring up a story from his past that reminds him of a scene; I’ll share how much teenage boys can terrify me. We agree that everyone should watch it.

So, have you? And what’s YOUR take on it?

Today’s books are about that thing it seems we grown-ups are so preoccupied with all the time: working. Now my preschooler knows that we “work” but it’s a nebulous idea to her. I remember my dad telling me, in great painstaking detail, what he did when I was a child. I think I tuned out after 2 minutes. I still don’t quite know what he does and we work in the same industry! He’s tried to explain it to me as an adult but, some habits die hard, and I’ve tuned out after 2 minutes. So maybe, one of these books will get across to kids (and grown ups) all the myriad ways we work and contribute to the communities we live in.

When Dogs Work

By Opal Sinclair

Recommended Ages: 2+ years old

The cutest, floofiest book there ever was. Yes, of course, people work, but let’s not forget the humble, unassuming dog that does some of the coolest work around. In this padded cover board book, each spread has a photograph of a dog hard at work with a rhyming riddle (and the answer below). Each little poem describes the dog’s job and between the clues in the riddle and the picture, it’s easy for little readers to start to connect the dots. And even the adults might learn something new (I for one did!) about dogs and the jobs they hold.

Buy now* | Find it at your library

Clothesline Clues to Jobs People Do

Written by Kathryn Heling and Deborah Hembrook and Illustrated by Andy Robert Davies

Recommended Ages: 3+ years old

Like When Dogs Work, this adorable book also features a multitude of professions that can be identified by solving the rhyming riddle on each spread and observing the clues in the illustrations. For every job, clothes hang on a clothesline and it’s our job to figure out which profession is being highlighted. Once we’ve made our guess, we turn the page and see the uniform (and person) in action. It’s a fun little game that does a lovely job of helping kids connect what they hear/read to what’s being shown in the picture. I recently recommended books on helping kids become more critical thinkers, and this book fits that bill.

Buy now* | Find it at your library

Vinny Gets a Job

Written and Illustrated by Terry Brodner

Recommended Ages: 5+ years old

Okay, this book is GREAT for a good laugh. I was snorting as I was reading it. Vinny, being the industrious little bulldog that he is, decides he wants to work just like his (human) mom does and sets out for the day to find a job. True, captivating, hilarious hijinks ensue as Vinny realizes that jobs are not as straightforward as they initially seem (and frankly should be). A hodgepodge of pencil, watercolors, and photography makes this such a delightful visual treat. The soothing colors and the attention to detail make it so easy to get completely absorbed in this story. My favorite spread by far is where we track Vinny’s progress in a zoomed-out looping view of Vinny’s town and all the places he goes. I can’t think of a single kid who wouldn’t enjoy this book!

Buy now* | Find it at your library

Night Shift

Written and Illustrated by Jessie Hartland

Recommended Ages: 6+ years old

This book sort of reminds me of Edward Hopper’s night-themed artwork without all the gloomy melancholia. So is that a long-winded way of saying it’s nothing at all like Edward Hopper’s art? Anyway, this book is a series of portraits and vignettes showing us all the jobs that are happening and people who are bustling around getting things done while most of us are asleep. From retail window dressers to the baker at the doughnut shop, work doesn’t cease just because the sun is down and the moon is up. The gouache artwork is vibrant against the dark, moonlit hues of the night sky just like the work it represents. Kids won’t recognize this but as an adult, I especially enjoyed seeing how these night shifts are linked, its very own microcosm of economy that exists between twilight and dawn. More than anything, it’s a reminder of how much work goes into keeping our world running, whether it’s day or night.

Find it at your library

Bea and Mr. Jones

Written and Illustrated by Amy Schwartz

Recommended Ages: 7+ years old

A romp of a book, this story is a (very loose) version of Freaky Friday. Except it’s Monday. Bea and her dad, Mr. Jones, have a very disgruntled breakfast, each complaining about what their day is going to look like. Bea is frustrated with the tedium of kindergarten, and Mr. Jones hates the hard work and politics of his job. They come to the sensible conclusion—as one does— that they should swap their days to give each other a break. Bea heads to Mr. Jones’ advertising firm while Mr. Jones makes his way to kindergarten. As the day goes on, both find that they’re taking to their new roles like ducks to water. I won’t ruin the ending of this utterly charming little book. The pictures, especially, are lovely: black-and-white pencil artwork that perfectly captures the sweet, smartness of this story.

Find it at your library

WORK: Interviews with People Doing Jobs They Love

Written by Shaina Feinberg and Illustrated by Julia Rothman

Recommended Ages: 8+ years old

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book but the review is entirely my own opinion

Imagine the world’s coolest career day and then distill it down to a book. Specifically, this book. A melange of cool careers are covered from around the world. We get to meet a vegan butcher (who would have thought?!), a candlestick maker, an inventor, and so many others. Each spread contains nifty pencil and watercolor sketches of the career in action and a breezy interview with real people who do these jobs. Peppered throughout are thought-provoking questions: Is this a job they’d want to do? What sort of invention would they want to create? If you’ve been here for a while, you know how much I love encyclopedic types of books and I see this fitting in perfectly in a diverse collection of reference books for kids.

Buy Now* | Find it at your library

Let’s Talk…

• Have you watched Adolescence? What did you take away from it?

• Have you explained what you do for a living to a child? Did they understand it?

• What’s YOUR dream job?

*Thank you for using (at no additional cost to you) the affiliate links in this post! :-)