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A Day's Work Paperback – Picture Book, April 14, 1997
Eve Bunting (Author) Find all the books, read about the author, and more. See search results for this author |
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Francisco, a young Mexican-American boy, doesn't know how to connect with his grandfather who doesn't doesn't speak English. But when the opportunity to help his grandfather find a job comes along, Francisco helps his grandfather learn about gardening. They get to learn about gardening, and each other, along the way.
- Reading age4 - 7 years
- Print length32 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Grade levelKindergarten - 3
- Lexile measure560L
- Dimensions9.56 x 0.12 x 8.5 inches
- PublisherClarion Books
- Publication dateApril 14, 1997
- ISBN-100395845181
- ISBN-13978-0395845189
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"Bunting perfectly captures the intergenerational love and respect shared by these two characters and the man's strong sense of honesty and integrity. Himler's softly colored illustrations reflect the feelings of the characters and setting." SLJ Best Books of the Year
About the Author
Eve Bunting has written over two hundred books for children, including the Caldecott Medal-winning Smoky Night, illustrated by David Diaz, The Wall, Fly Away Home, and Train to Somewhere. She lives in Southern California.
Ronald Himler is the award-winning illustrator of more than 75 books for children. He lives in the desert outside of Tuscon, Arizona. ronhimler.com
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Product details
- Publisher : Clarion Books; Reprint edition (April 14, 1997)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 32 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0395845181
- ISBN-13 : 978-0395845189
- Reading age : 4 - 7 years
- Lexile measure : 560L
- Grade level : Kindergarten - 3
- Item Weight : 4.8 ounces
- Dimensions : 9.56 x 0.12 x 8.5 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #180,665 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #221 in Children's Hispanic & Latino Books
- #636 in Children's Multigenerational Family Life
- #919 in Children's Values Books
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Eve Bunting has written more than 200 books for children, many of which can be found in libraries around the world. Her other Clarion titles for very young readers include My Big Boy Bed, which was also illustrated by Maggie Smith, and Little Bear's Little Boat, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter. She lives in Pasadena, California.
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Covering honesty, immigration, language barriers, intergenerational relationships, and more, you can read this one over and over and over again with a different takeaway every time! In A Day's Work, Francisco is trying to help his grandfather, who just moved to California two days ago and speaks no English, find work for a day. Discouraged about their chances, Francisco tells a potential employer that his grandfather is "a fine gardener," though he's actually a carpenter with little to no gardening experience. Francisco feels confident that his lie has worked. But when the boss comes back to check on them, rather than being pleased, he's angry... They've pulled out all the flowers and left the weeds!
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Angry at first, Abuelo quickly gains his control and an understanding of Francisco's lie and instructs Francisco to let the boss know that they will come back tomorrow and fix the problem that they've caused. Though Francisco is reluctant to give up another weekend day to work, Abuelo reminds him that "it is the price of the lie."
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And this is the beauty of this book. The price of a lie... What a powerful lesson for a child to learn. Our lies always have prices, even though we may think we've gotten away with them initially. Ben is willing to continue to work with Abuelo, because of his integrity. Because he already knows the important things... The importance of honesty, of hard work, of making our wrongs right.
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Do you have a favorite Eve Bunting book? We also love One Green Apple, Night Tree, and Yard Sale. You can bet I've put in a request to our local library system to add this to its collection!
Bunting's understated text, written from the child's perspective, expresses the raw desperation that the most poverty-stricken people experience daily, helping the reader understand why Francisco would tell such a lie. But his grandfather's personal honor proves that, regardless of circumstances, even the lowest labor carries dignity and worth when it is carried out with self-respect.
This is a serious story, and even illustrated with Himler's wonderful paintings it retains a somber mood that might not draw readers in as easily as more lighthearted books. But it provides a vital, sympathetic glimpse into the world of immigrant day laborers while demonstrating the moral importance of honesty. It's a beautifully moving book which will help cultivate love and compassion for others.
Also both of my kids love it and request it frequently!
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