About the Holiday
The first pencil was created in Switzerland Inn 1565 Conrad Gesner created the first pencil when he wrapped a graphite stick in string. Later, the graphite would be encased in wood to make it easier to sharpen. Fast forward to 1822 when Sampson Mordan and John Isaac Hawkins of Britain patented the mechanical pencil that could advance the lead to keep it always sharp. Today, mechanical pencils work in one of three ways: ratchet-based, clutch-based, or screw-based. The various widths of lead now let writers, artists, designers, engineers, and others create to their specific needs. To celebrate today, why not explore how a mechanical pencil works with your child, and then have fun drawing or writing together! There’s even a printable page below to get you started!
Duck Gets a Job
By Sonny Ross
Duck needed a job. All of his friends talked about their super office jobs in the city and encouraged him to get one too. Duck scoured the want ads in the newspaper. There were lots of jobs in tech, finance, and business. He imagined himself working with spreadsheets like his friends did. The jobs “seemed boring, but he applied anyway. And he got an interview!”
Copyright Sonny Ross, 2018, courtesy of Templar Books.
Duck agonized over what he’d wear. He tried on an outfit that made him look cool, one that was very professional, and one that was his natural, casual look. He decided to go with the professional style. Next, Duck thought about how he would get to the office. “Flying would make him tired and sweaty, but public transportation is tricky for ducks.” In the end he walked… and he got lost. Once in the city, he hailed a taxi, and while he rode to the interview “he gave himself a pep talk.”
Copyright Sonny Ross, 2018, courtesy of Templar Books.
Talking to the interviewer made Duck very nervous, but, still, he was offered a job. Sitting in his little cubicle with “spreadsheets full of facts and figures” in front of him, Duck realized that this job “did not interest him at all.” Duck decided to quit. Duck had always dreamed of being an artist, so he looked at job ads for the Creative Quack Magazine and found one he thought he’d like. “For his interview, he dressed in his natural look and put samples of his best work in a portfolio.”
He prepared for his trip into the city, and when he got to the office he didn’t feel at all nervous. He showed the art director his portfolio feeling confident about his work. The art director loved his work and offered him a job. Now Duck loves his job, and he’s especially glad “that he had decided to follow his dreams.”
Copyright Sonny Ross, 2018, courtesy of Templar Books.
The strength of Sonny Ross’s affirming story comes in its straightforward approach to recognizing when an action is not right for you and feeling free to change course. While Duck is looking for the perfect job, the story is appropriate for any activity that children embark on as they find their place in the world. Ross peppers his story with clues that will alert readers to Duck’s true feelings about the two jobs—internal thoughts, clothing styles, and confidence level to name a few—feelings that they too can rely on to guide them in the choices they make.
Copyright Sonny Ross, 2018, courtesy of Templar Books.
Ross’s matte mixed-media illustrations are fresh and stylish in a palette of blues, reds, and golds. Kids experimenting with their own look will appreciate Duck’s dilemma in choosing between cool, professional, and natural clothing styles. They’ll also empathize with his previous attempts at using public transportation and his travails in getting to the first interview on time. When Duck decides that a “spreadsheet job” isn’t for him, the page backgrounds lighten, his road to the interview is smooth, and his happiness is evident. A clever contrasting juxtaposition comes in the depictions of Duck’s two very different interviews. While the businessman sits at his desk peering down on tiny Duck who can barely see over the desk and is nearly swallowed up in his chair, the art director kneels down to Duck’s level to shake his wing in congratulations on getting the job.
Both an entertaining story and a lesson for kids on trusting their gut and staying true to themselves, Duck Gets a Job is a confidence-boosting tale for any home or classroom bookshelf.
Ages 3 – 7
Templar Books, 2018 | ISBN 978-0763698966
Discover more about Sonny Ross, his books, and his art on his website.
Mechanical Pencil Day Activity
Click…Click…Create! Page
Grab your mechanical pencil and get clicking or twisting! Then create a design, a picture, a poem, a story, or whatever you imagine on this printable page!
Duck Gets a Job is available at these booksellers
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound
Picture Book Review
celebratepicturebooks.com 