The A+ Custodian [Hardcover]

Louise Borden (Author), Adam Gustavson (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 22, 2004

"Mr. Carillo is our A+ Custodian!"

John Carillo, Dublin Elementary School's custodian, has a big job. He mops and sweeps, polishes and scrubs, changes lightbulbs, washes windows, fixes pipes, moves furniture, and more! The teachers, students, parents, and principal all count on Mr. Carillo, and he never lets them down.

Now his early-bird helpers, Gracie and Zach, want to do something to show Mr. Carillo how important he is to them.

But showing him how much they appreciate everything he does will take lots of planning, some hard work, and the help of everyone in the whole school!

In her classic style Louise Borden brings to vivid focus one elementary school, the students and faculty who bring it to life, and the clever way they show Mr. Carillo he's their A+ custodian!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-4–Third-graders Gracie and Zach arrive at school early because their mother is a teacher. Mr. Carillo has been there since early morning, unlocking the building, turning on the heat and lights, and even making coffee in the teachers' workroom. He calls the twins the "Early Birds" and lets them help with some of the work. The children soon realize how special the friendly custodian is; he can fix anything, knows the name of every student, and even shares donuts with his two assistants. When Gracie notices the words of praise written on the students' papers displayed on the walls, she gets an idea. With the help of Zach, the principal, and her teacher, they plan a surprise for Mr. Carillo. When he opens the school, there's a banner as well as notes written by the children posted on the many things that he has cleaned or fixed: "Super! Mighty Fine! Good Effort." This tale lauds a job well done and highlights the important role of custodians. Gustavson's realistic oil paintings suggest the warmth of the building and the dark hallways in the early morning with enough generic blurred detail to keep readers focused on the people rather than the place. The story is sure to move youngsters to, as Borden suggests in her introduction, "Celebrate your custodian's hard work."–Susan Hepler, Burgundy Farm Country Day School, Alexandria, VA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

K-Gr. 3. Mr. John Carillo, custodian of Dublin Elementary School, gets to work early in the morning in the pitch-black dark to prepare the building for the school day. Third-grader Gracie and her twin brother, Zach, come early with their mother who teaches at the school, and they love helping Mr. Carillo get everything ready. Then Gracie comes up with a plan for everyone to thank him. The simple, unrhymed poetic words and the realistic oil paintings create a strong sense of a diverse school community and a man in flannel shirt and worn leather shoes who always knows "which key fit the right lock." Especially intriguing is the hands-on detail of the tools Mr. Carillo uses ("hammers and pliers, / boxes of nails and screws, / and short and tall ladders / that clattered and screeched") and the work he does with wiring, pipes, windows, and lights. Yes, he's a faultless character, but there's no condescension in the kid's view of the strong, solitary, almost melancholy man, and his work. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books (June 22, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689849958
• ISBN-13: 978-0689849954
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 7.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #157,777 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born (Oct 30,1949) and raised in Cincinnati, I have lived in Ohio my entire life except for two years in Massachusetts right after I was married. Growing up in an old house on a steep street, I attended a small elementary school called Lotspeich. There, all the marvelous shelves of books in the library shaped me into a lifelong reader. So it is a thrill for me to know that some of my books are being read by children in other libraries all over the country.

Before I became a full-time writer and speaker, I taught preschoolers and first graders and was even a part-owner of a bookstore in Cincinnati.

Today, it is hard for me to separate my writing from the way I live my life. My own family, personal experiences, and friendships, as well as a love of history and travel, have rich and lasting connections to the books I write. The first impulse to write a book is always triggered by something that has touched me indelibly.

In addition to my writing, my work in schools allows me to travel the incredible variety of landscape in Ohio, and meet the heart of its people. I have spoken in over 400 schools across the country, but mostly in Ohio. Because of this, I now have lifelong friends in communities from mighty Cleveland to small-town Greenville.