When I Grow Up [Hardcover]

Al Yankovic (Author), Wes Hargis (Illustrator)

Book Description

Release date: February 1, 2011 | Age Range: 4 - 8 years | Lexile Measure: 930L (What's this?)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Amazon Best Books of the Month, February 2011: Eight-year-old Billy gives a flamboyant show-and-tell presentation, reciting for the class and his hapless teacher Mrs. Krupp, all the professions he has in mind for his future. From master snail trainer to dinosaur-dusting museum curator, the possibilities he imagines are seemingly endless. Billy’s great-grandfather is his inspiration, having had many different jobs and who, at age 103, still doesn’t know what he wants to be. Billy’s carefree enthusiasm is contagious, and the bubbling rhythm of When I Grow Up makes it a lively read-aloud.--Seira Wilson

Amazon Exclusive: A Q&A with Al Yankovic

Q: Did you know what you wanted to be when you were Billy’s age?

Yankovic: When I was eight? I think chronologically that was sometime after I wanted to design miniature golf courses but before I wanted to be a writer for MAD magazine. I’ll guess that was about the time when I wanted to be a fireworks-maker. Thankfully I didn’t blow any fingers off.

Q: What is the weirdest job you’ve ever had?

Yankovic: I was an accordion repo man. During my summer breaks from college, I had a job giving accordion lessons to kids at a local music school. The kids usually didn’t own their own accordions, so we had to lend the instruments out . . . for as long as they were still taking lessons. If they ever stopped taking lessons and didn’t return the instrument, it was a job for . . . Accordion Repo Man!

Actually, it wasn’t all that difficult—usually they were more than happy to hand the accordions back.

Q: Kids talk about being “grown up” a lot. Heck, we all do. What does it mean to be “grown up”?

Yankovic: I think it somehow involves the ability to grow hair in disgusting places.

Being “grown up” obviously means different things to different people. To most folks, I assume the definition has something to do with the added responsibilities of adulthood and the ability to make more important decisions about one’s own life. Growing up is an important transition, and hopefully a very positive one—although, strangely, whenever somebody told me to “Grow up!” as a kid, it was rarely meant as loving, constructive advice.

Of course, if you define “growing up” as having to jettison every last shred of one’s childlike wonder of the world . . . well, then I hope I never grow up.

Q: At one point Billy ponders becoming an “artist who sculpts out of chocolate mousse.” That sounds scrumptious . . . and hard! If you could sculpt something out of mousse, what would you create?

Yankovic: Well, of course, I’d make the mousse into a moose! What else? I mean, I hate to be obvious, but I just can’t resist homonyms…

Q: Do you have any advice for kids who are already thinking about what to be when they “grow up”?

Yankovic: Hey, it’s a terrific thing to think about. By all means, explore your options. Find your passions in life. And always remember: It’s never too late to change your mind.

From School Library Journal

Grade 1–3—Eight-year-old Billy has an active imagination and a host of interests. So, when it's time for show-and-tell, he can barely contain himself as he describes, nonstop, what he'd like to be when he grows up. His career choices include chef, snail trainer, lathe operator, gorilla masseuse, an artist whose preferred medium is chocolate mousse, sumo wrestler, pickle inspector...and on and on. Mrs. Krupp's attempts to call "time up" are unsuccessful. He's just getting started. Billy is still pondering vocational choices at lunchtime when he comes up with one more possibility—a great teacher like Mrs. Krupp. The story has a nice premise, but it doesn't quite live up to its potential. In addition, the rhyming text can be distracting. Well-done, realistic and colorful watercolor and ink illustrations accompany the story, but overall this book is a supplemental purchase.—Roxanne Burg, Orange County Public Library, CA
(c) Copyright 2011.  Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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Product Details

• Age Range: 4 - 8 years
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (February 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061926914
• ISBN-13: 978-0061926914
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 0.4 x 10 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (52 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #16,548 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #22 in Books > Children's Books > Education & Reference > Careers
  • #74 in Books > Children's Books > Literature & Fiction > Poetry

More About the Author

Known for more than thirty years as America's premier satirist of popular music and culture, "Weird Al" Yankovic has had almost as many careers as Billy can dream of. Advised by his father to do whatever made him happy, he has accordingly been a comedian, singer/songwriter, music producer, actor, director, and writer--often all at the same time. Mr. Yankovic has won three Grammy Awards and has sold more comedy recordings than anyone else in history. He lives with his family in Southern California. This is his first children's book.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

57 of 58 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Al's First Book February 1, 2011

By Donfucious

Format:Hardcover

It's weird to see the author of this book listed as simply Al Yankovic. But, "Weird" or not, this is still the man who brought song parodies to the mainstream that we all know and love.

I've been a "Weird Al" fan since I was a kid and have planned on giving my child (born in July 2008) plenty of exposure to the world of Al as he grows up. So, I had to pick up the book the day it was published and bring it home and read it to my child.

At first glance, I love the illustrations (done by Wes Hargis) and the great photo of Al on the tricycle on the back. It's a nice, big "storytellers"-sized book, so you can sit with your child (or by yourself) and read it with great, full-page illustrations and a nice, big font size. It also doesn't skimp on the words. I've seen some of my kid's books where there's only 1 or 2 sentences per page, which is fine in its own way, but I'm a fan of the book lasting more than 5 seconds when I'm reading it to my son.

As far as the story, it's the story of Billy's day at school when show-and-tell's theme is "When I grow up, what am I gonna be?" Billy is VERY enthusiastic about sharing all of the thoughts that fill his head when posed with this question and goes the length of the book describing the world of possibilities of all of the awesome things he can dream of doing when he gets older. These include a chef (albeit one who uses some interesting ingredients... Twinkies au Gratin?!?!), a Giraffe Milker, and many, many more, with a great closing thought that definitely fits in the mind of a child like Billy.

The wordplay that Yankovic employs is quite creative, actually. Each line rhymes with the next, and that's a fine attribute for the minds of younger children to keep their ears working and even cause some laughter in the process because of the humor of all of the zany things that Billy proposes. As much as I love this about the book, it might be its only downfall. I don't know that the average child can read this book by him/herself and a) understand it all and b) get through some of the vocabulary. For a parent reading to a child, which is how I plan on using Al's book, I think it is absolutely a must-have. But, I don't know that my son will be able to read it and stay interested in it by himself. At least not yet. Although, again, I feel the illustrations definitely accompany, and even enhance, the story to this point.

In the end, I recommend picking this book up. If you're a big "Weird Al" fan, you probably have it already or are planning on getting it already. If you're looking for something for your child(ren) that you can read with them, I suggest you pick this up. Al is exhaustingly family-friendly in both his book and his music, which you might want to look into as well. He's a very nice, very funny, and very talented person in an entertainment industry that I find lacking creativity. This book just strengthens my opinion on that.

PS - I just bought and read the book a few hours before writing this review. I will be reading it to my child for the first time tonight. I will post any major reaction he has to it before the week is over.

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Never a let down when it comes to Al Yankovic February 1, 2011

By chesshrkatt

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

For as long as I remember I have been a fan of Al Yankovic. I have always had the utmost respect for him and considered him to be a lyrical genius. I am now 37 years old and have two daughters of my own, 8 and 5 years old. I have had a great time introducing his music to them. It's so refreshing to be able to play up-beat, tolerable, HYSTERICAL music around my kids, without having to worry about having an uncomfortable talk with them about the lyrics. My girls ask to hear his music everyday, which is fine with me! I have taught the young grasshoppers well. Anyway enough about his music, this is about his book! Woo-hoo!

I purchased 3 copies through Amazon, one for each kid (including me). I bought one at B&N because I couldn't wait, plus I figured my kids' school library could use a copy.

I absolutely love this book. So do my kids. Perhaps we are a bit partial, but who cares? The dialogue flows good and is fun to read. I've always loved reading to my kids, and I'm good at changing up my voice to go along with the moods and characters. This was perfect for that. Some of the vocabulary is a little above their heads but hey, that's what us parents are here for right? The occupations he comes up with are so creative. I love the Snail part the best. The illustrations are amazing and there are a lot of little details to notice in the pictures. Hint: Make sure you look really close at all of the kids in the cafeteria. ;)

Mostly I like the message. So many adults push to put a career label on kids way too soon. Whether they expect their kids to follow in their own footsteps, or they are trying to live vicariously through their child with stuff they weren't able to accomplish for themselves. As "Billy" puts it in the book "cut me some slack". Let kids be kids, and figure out for themselves what will make them happy.

As usual, Al Yankovic not only meets but exceeds my expectations. He seems to have a never-ending ability to create brilliant writing, whether it be his lyrics or dialogue. He is the nicest, most decent celebrity figure out there. He is SO much more than the "Eat It" guy. I am so happy for him for the success he has had, and so rightly deserves with his career. I wish him nothing but the best.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Good rhythm, fun read February 5, 2011

By Ken Horne

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Good book, the kids enjoyed it. some of the words are a little big, but it's also a really fun read.
My kids are 16 months through 4 1/2 years.