Product Description

Switching roles, a husband thinks life will be easy. Thinking his work in the fields is harder than his wife's work in the house, Mr. McTeague trades places with her for one day.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1999540 in Books
• Published on: 2001-04
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 32 pages

From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 3AHere, the well-known Norwegian folktale, "The Man Who Was to Mind the House," is set in Oregon. Mr. McTeague thinks that his wife has it easy at home all day, so the couple agrees to trade places, with disastrous results, including setting the cabin on fire. A more appreciative husband and a rebuilt cabin bring the story to a happy conclusion. The down-home language is filled with humor; e.g., Mr. McTeague's smug phrase, "Easy work," changes to "Golly Neds!" when things begin to go wrong. Glass's lively illustrations are done in a scratchy, folksy style and suit the text perfectly. An author's note explains Kimmel's decision to use Oregon for his locale. Previous versions have hewed closer to the tale collected by Peter Christen Asbjirnsen, including The Man Who Kept House (McElderry, 1992), set in Norway and with attractive illustrations by Svend S. Otto, and Michael Hague's The Man Who Kept House (Harcourt, 1981), which is more literary in tone. While not replacing either of these versions, Easy Work would make an enjoyable addition to most collections.APam Gosner, formerly at Maplewood Memorial Library, NJ
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author
Author and artist Andrew Glass illustrates his own stories, as well as those of other authors, and has been commended for his versatile approach to children's books. Art is so much a part of Glass's life that the first book he wrote and illustrated, Jackson Makes His Move, features a raccoon artist, rendered by Glass in pencil and watercolor. Since Jackson Makes His Move, Glass has gone on to write and illustrate such books as Folks Call Me Appleseed John, Mountain Men: True Grit and Tall Tales, and The Wondrous Whirligig: The Wright Brothers' First Flying Machine, often drawing on U.S. history for inspiration. Glass has illustrated the stories of other authors, including stories in the "Spooky" series by Natalie Savage Carlson.

Eric A. Kimmel has written, retold, and adapted a number of stories from around the world, including two other Anansi titles, "Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock" and "Anansi Goes Fishing". The Anansi Tales are originally from West Africa but are also familiar in Caribbean culture, where Anansi is a beloved folklore character. Professor of Education at Portland State University, Dr. Kimmel and his wife, Doris, live in Portland, Oregon. www.ericakimmel.com.

Customer Reviews

Humorous telling of an old story.
The story of the husband and wife who switched jobs for the day has been a favorite of mine ever since I was a small child. I've read many versions of it. This version is humorous with bold, colorful illustrations. Unlike most other versions, the setting is in the USA. It's a delightful book to be enjoyed by many.