Product Description

Kristi’s family is a bunch of animals: really, their business is posing as people’s pets! Kristi’s father trains kids in puppy ownership by tugging on socks and making puddles on the floor. Mom helps a family adjust to their new kitten by curling up on the piano or pouncing on string. Her brother makes a great lizard, snoozing under a sunlamp. As for Kristi, she keeps messing up and getting fired. Will she ever find her calling?

Occupational hazards include crickets for lunch and a trip to the vet in this imaginative and hilarious story about learning to use your natural talents.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1111885 in Books
• Published on: 2007-06-14
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 32 pages

About the Author
Kim Norman lives in Smithfield, Virginia.

David Clark lives in Luray, Virginia.

Customer Reviews

Rutgers University Project on Economics and Children
Kristi, a creative child with bright ideas, persuades her family members to start a family business that helps customers with their pet problems. By acting like people's pets, Kristi and family help train children how to own, train, and take care of a pet. Funny examples of their antics include eating crickets, chasing balls, and making puddles on the floor. Kristi helps to promote the business by pinning up posters, designing a website, and posting a sign on the side of their van. While Kristi's family members have no trouble finding regular customers, Kristi's mishaps make it more difficult for her to find her niche.
This amusing and well-illustrated book weaves important economics lessons about entrepreneurship, services, jobs, and training into an interesting and unique story about using one's talents and starting a family business. Primary-grade teachers, parents, and volunteers seeking high-quality children's literature with useful content will be pleased with this selection.

Jack of All Tails
Norman, K. (2007). Jack of All Tails. New York: Dutton Children's Books.

9780525477938


Jack of all Tails manages to capture the same sense of imagination as Norman's Crocodaddy, but for a slightly older audience. Realizing that they're good with animals, Kristi and her family decide to start a business, pretending to be animals to help soon-to-be pet owners learn responsibility. Kristi, eagerly researches various animals, but struggles to find the perfect animal job for her.

With fun illustrations and well-chosen adjectives, Jack of All Tails has a similar fun idea of that of Dog Day, (which I reviewed previously) readers may be entertained to watch human characters behave like animals. This book can trigger discussion and students' stories about their own pets.

This was my favorite page of the book:
















I think I feel this way because I've often caught my cats giving me a similar look. I swear, I don't actually imitate them that often.


Activities to do with the book:



This book lends itself to discussing the responsibilities that go with taking care of a pet. Students could discuss their own pets and the trials of taking care of them and create illustrations to accompany their stories. A teacher could also use this book to start a discussion on possible summer jobs for kids and how to advertise.



A teacher could also have students make lists of the various chores involved with caring for pets. And, of course, a teacher or parent could always encourage students to pretend to be pets for a while.





Favorite Quotes:



"My family is a bunch of animals...for the right price. We snuffle and snuggle and snort for a living."



"Mom played tug-of-war with an old sock. Dad did tricks, like rolling over and begging."



"We can be people trainers--you know, teach them how to take care of their pets."

You just gotta find your niche!
What could have more kid-appeal than a family who hires themselves out as pets? Romping through this story with Kristi as she tries so desperately to find a pet that matches her abundant energy level is more fun than a book should allow. Kristi's plight of feeling like a bit of a misfit creates a theme that will resonate with kids and adults alike. And then it comes to her -- the perfect solution! Don't miss one of the best "ah-hah moments" in recent picture book history. Bravo to Ms. Norman and Mr. Clark for bringing clever back!