Early Book Review: Help Wanted, Must Love Books by Janet Sumner Johnson, Courtney Dawson

Help Wanted, Must Love Books, written by Janet Sumner Johnson and illustrated by Courtney Dawson, is a picturebook currently scheduled for release on March 2 2020. Shailey loves bedtime, especially reading with her dad. But her dad starts a new job, and it gets in the way of their bedtime routine. So Shailey takes action! She fires her dad, posts a Help Wanted sign, and starts interviews immediately. She is thrilled when her favorite characters from fairytales line up to apply. But Sleeping Beauty can't stay awake, the Gingerbread Man steals her book, and Snow White brings along her whole team. Shailey is running out of options. Is bedtime ruined forever?

Help Wanted, Must Love Books is a story that many parents and children can relate to. Routine band job changes for an adult in the house can throw everything else out of whack- like  how her father's new job affected Shailey's bedtime reading. I love how she interviewed characters from some of her bedtime stories to become her new reader, and how some of the auditions went terribly wrong. I thought the story and its execution was very imaginative and well done. The illustrations were wonderful, and added some great detail to the story on each page. I love the imagination the character has, and the way her father works hard to find a solution for the problem. Not every solution in real life will be this easy, but showing that it can happen might give young readers the hope and determination to find solutions for their own bedtime or family disappointments. The addition of resumes from the characters at the end of the book was a fun touch.  
Help Wanted, Must Love Books is an adorable picture book with plenty of references to storytimer favorites and lovely artwork. This might become a new bedtime favorite for some young readers. 

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