When I Grow Up: A Young Person's Guide to Interesting and Unusual Occupations by Jessica Loy, Jessica Loy (Illustrator)

From the Publisher

What do you want to be when you grow up? Consider all your options. How about being a game designer and creating computer action games similar to the ones you play? Or, if you like chocolate, you could become a chocolatier and make delectable treats. There’s even the possibility of studying fascinating bugs for a living—as an entomologist. The choices are endless. So come read about fourteen professionals and the unusual and satisfying work that they do. Maybe some of these career paths will inspire ideas of your own.

School Library Journal

Gr 4-6

Children in search of a unique answer to the question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" will appreciate this book. Unusual occupations such as lobsterman, chocolatier, kite designer, and pet photographer are described. Each spread introduces someone in the trade (most are Caucasian), includes "on the job" photographs, and provides a brief, introductory description of what it is like to be an alpaca farmer, robotics engineer, etc. This title may spark some readers' interest with its quirky careers, but it includes very little detail. The contact information for special-interest summer camps might be its most helpful part. The "Virtual Apprentice" series (Ferguson) is a better resource for more in-depth information.-Christine Lindsey, Lake Superior Primary School, Ashland, WI

Kirkus Reviews

Fourteen unusual, if not alternative, careers are highlighted in this colorful photo-essay filled with inspiring and intriguing facts behind the people and their vocations. From Jerry the entomologist and the Meade/Gilman alpaca farmers to Jamie the master cheese maker and Mark the kite designer, the lively presentation guides youngsters through some offbeat and creative ways to earn a living. Education, skills and talent are stressed for even the coolest digital game designer, as are encouraging words expressing the possibilities of following a dream to a productive reality. Women in nontraditional roles, such as Linda the lobsterman (the industry resists gender neutrality), are included, as well as artists in such roles as set designer and junkyard percussionist. Vivid photography showcases individuals within their work environments, complementing the engaging, informative content within the crisp, efficient layout. By necessity a bare introduction to the careers portrayed, this stimulating presentation should appeal to those kids wondering what they might be when they grow up. (Nonfiction. 7-11)

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