Review by Booklist Review
Ages 4-6. As the subtitle indicates, this book is different from much of Carle's other work: it doesn't deal with the natural world. Carle's collage technique will be familiar, but the story concerns a little boy who helps his uncle Adam, a plasterer. Uncle Adam wears an apron for his work, and Aunt Elizabeth sews a smaller version for little Eric (one is included in a plastic case attached to back of the book). The narrative is brief and straightforward, with the text set in bold black letters that pick up the black lines Carle uses to outline shapes in his pictures. Children will easily identify with Adam's pleasure at being allowed to help out in the adult world, and the story concentrates on the garment as a useful piece of clothing rather than as a gender marker. ~--Mary Harris Veeder
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Carle adopts a slightly different artistic technique for his latest work, superimposing strong line drawings over his trademark colored-tissue-paper collage. Inspired in part by French Cubist Fernand Léger's paintings of laborers (as a note printed on the endpapers tells us), the illustrations are vigorous and fresh, a visual paean to honest hard work. The story is a recollection of a vacation the eight-year-old Carle spent with relatives, tagging along with his uncle, a plasterer, and wearing the white work apron his aunt made especially for him. The sturdy, simple prose is as linear as the drawings, reinforcing the visual imagery, and it effectively captures the tender uncle-nephew bond and the pride a child feels in participating in important adult tasks. For aspiring young helpers, a single-pocket white apron is included with the book. Ages 5-up. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-When an eight-year-old boy helps his uncle at his job as a plasterer, he takes a fancy to his workman's apron with a pocket. As a result of his fascination, his aunt makes him an apron of his own and he spends a few days as his Uncle Adam's assistant. The text is brief and simple but clearly conveys the warmth between the man and his nephew and the child's satisfaction in a job well done. The line/tissue paper illustrations are colorful and somewhat geometric, reminiscent of French Cubist Leger's work featuring laborers. An added bonus is the child-size apron that comes with the book, but the story will be enjoyed with or without the tangible item.-Christine A. Moesch, Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
As an eight-year-old boy, Carle (Today is Monday, 1993, etc.) spent two vacation days with his Aunt Elizabeth and Uncle Adam. Uncle Adam was a plasterer and wore a great big white apron that young Eric coveted, so Aunt Elizabeth made him a smaller version of his very own. Wearing his new apron, Eric went to work with his uncle and helped him plaster the chimney of a house. Eric was a ``good helper.'' Carle writes a letter at the end of the book explaining the autobiographical events more fully, but the story here is clearly secondary to Carle's splendid signature tissue-paper collages (the Fernand Léger-inspired laborer is especially good). The story itself has people saying ``thank you'' and men wearing aprons--for the PC-inclined--but otherwise has little to offer. The included apron is, of course, pure kitsch. Magnificent illustrations, the story is filler. (Nonfiction/Picture book. 5+)
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