About the Holiday
Today’s holiday was established in 1958 by Patricia Bays Haroski, a secretary at State Farm Insurance. Typically held on October 16 unless that day falls on a weekend, the date honored her father’s birthday—a nice little present in a couple of ways as Patricia’s father was also her boss and the day was his birthday. By 1979 the observance had grown to greeting card status. The day gives employees an opportunity to appreciate the dedication of their bosses and allows bosses to foster a cohesive and equitable work environment.
The Boss Baby
By Marla Frazee
“From the moment the baby arrived, it was obvious he was the boss.” He was relentless—putting Mom and Dad on the clock 24/7. His office was right in the center of everything, the better to give his directives; he was a tyrant, making “many, many demands; and he was quite particular. If things weren’t done to his immediate satisfaction, he had a fit.”
Image and text copyright Marla Frazee, courtesy of simonandschuster.com
Of course there were meetings, and lots of them—all during the day and especially at night. “The funky thing was, he never, ever said a single word that made any sense at all.” Still, his “employees” gave him lots of “perks.” But one day all work stopped cold. The boss called a meeting. He yelled louder, shouted, and wailed. There was no response. Finally, the boss decided to try a new tactic.
He left his circle of influence and actually asked for his workers by name. “Ma-ma? Da-da?” His employees came running, all smiles and attention. “For the first time since his arrival the boss baby was pleased.” He knew better, though, than to let this moment go to his workers’ heads. “There was still a business to run here. And make no mistake…he was the boss of it.”
Image and text copyright Marla Frazee, courtesy of simonandschuster.com
From the very first page when the determined baby in his business suit sleeper marches up the front walk with his oversized briefcase, Marla Frazee’s The Boss Baby is laugh-out-loud funny. The metaphor rings hilariously true in every detail, from the frequent tantrums and cries for meetings to the physical trappings of babyhood that directly correlate to executive benefits in Frazee’s inspired illustrations.
Anyone who is currently carrying or has ever carted around a diaper bag three times the size of their baby will immediately recognize the briefcase from which issues a ream of demands, and the baby’s toys are, well…executive toys too. Of course, the star of the show is the baby himself, and Frazee’s baby with his bald head, furrowed brow, and impatient posture is the epitome of the demanding boss. Parents and caregivers will recognize his overworked “employees” in the mirror, and while they smile at the sweet “first,” know that these moments are sometimes fleeting.
The Boss Baby is one of the funniest books I’ve read and would make an empathetic hug of a present for new parents as well as a wonderful addition for kids’ bookshelves for those times when Mom and/or Dad and child want to share a laugh. Look for Marla Frazee’s The Bossier Baby in bookstores on November 1!
Ages 2 and up
Simon & Schuster, 2010 (hardcover); 2013 (board book); 2016 (paperback) | ISBN 978-1481469814 (paperback)
Discover more books by Marla Frazee, plus videos, podcasts, artwork and more on her website!
Boss’s Day Activity
Future Bosses Coloring Pages
Many of today’s children will be bosses themselves in the future. These two printable Future Bosses coloring pages show just two of the interesting and challenging careers that kids may pursue.
Picture Book Review
celebratepicturebooks.com 