Night Job

by Karen Hesse, G. Brian Karas (Illustrator)

With lyrical narration and elegant, evocative artwork, Newbery Medalist Karen Hesse and illustrator G. Brian Karas share the nighttime experience of a father and child.

When the sun sets, Dad's job as a school custodian is just beginning. What is it like to work on a Friday night while the rest of the city is asleep? There's the smell of lilacs in the night air, the dusky highway in the moonlight, and glimpses of shy nighttime animals to make the dark magical. Shooting baskets in the half-lit gym, sweeping the stage with the game on the radio, and reading out loud to his father in the library all help the boy's time pass quickly. But what makes the night really special is being with Dad. Newbery Medalist Karen Hesse's quietly powerful story of a boy and his father is tenderly brought to life by G. Brian Karas in this luminous tribute to an enduring, everyday sort of love.

Genres: Picture Books, Family, Childrens, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Storytime, Juvenile

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2018

About the author

Karen Hesse is an American author known for her children's and young adult literature, often set in historical contexts. She received the Newbery Medal for Out of the Dust (1997), a verse novel about a young girl enduring the Dust Bowl during the Great Depression. Hesse’s works frequently tackle complex themes, as seen in Witness (2001), which explores the rise of the Ku Klux Klan in a 1920s Vermont town, and The Music of Dolphins (1996), which tells the story of a girl raised by dolphins. Her novel Stowaway (2000) is based on the real-life account of a boy aboard Captain Cook’s Endeavour. Over her career, Hesse has received numerous accolades, including a MacArthur Fellowship in 2002 and the Phoenix Award for Letters from Rifka (1992).

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tender tale of a father and son and the bond that they share. I love the evocative sights, smells and dreams. My favorite line is: "Dad hauls out a ring of keys as big as the rising moon," which reminds me of when I was very small and my father was my rock.

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet story of a young boy who keeps his father company during Dad's job overnight as a school custodian.

As always, G. Brian Karas's artwork is a delight.

[Bethany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part of me loves this evocative story told by a child whose father works as a night custodian for a school. It's quiet, splendid, and a soul-warming snapshot of a loving parent/child relationship.

Another part of me has trouble accepting a first-person narrative from what appears to be a fairly young child using phrases like, "the dusky highway" and "the brightening bay" and "a rising swell of dreams."

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The writing in this is exquisite and the book feels like you are right there, experiencing the night and the night job Hesse and Karas document.

[KC · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic look at a single father who needs to work at night and brings his son along.

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quiet story of a father taking his son to his janitorial, night job. I enjoyed the relationship of the father and son and the portrayal of the night work and job which aren't prevalent in children's picture books. Rounded up because I'm always looking for good father books.

Maybe a little much for my young group, though okay...

[Shiloah · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a sweet story of a boy spending the evening with his dad.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A boy helps his school-custodian father during his nightly work. Hesse's text is poetic and evocative with images children will easily grasp. The depicted bond between the father and son is truly lovely and Brian Karas's gray toned illustrations have never been more perfect. Together they capture that special magic that is a school after hours and a wonderful relationship.

LOVE this quiet understated book!

[Vera Godley · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely story! The text and pictures evoke a gentle lesson in loving caring, sharing, togetherness, and respect for work.

Dad takes his son to work with him on Friday evening. The story brings honor and respect to the janitorial job of Dad. Son delights in each moment shared from the motorbike ride to and from the school building to sweeping floors.

Together (Dad doesn't denigrate his young son's ability to be helpful) they begin the organized task of making clean the building.

Illustrated with pictures colored with the darkness and shadows of night, they are not scary or fearsome. They are simply a pictorial essay of love and work shared between a father and son.

This is an absolutely lovely book and I recommend it for libraries everywhere.

GIVEAWAY
2 winners each 1 copy graciously provided by Candlewick Press and hosted on Chat With Vera
Begins August 18
Ends September 8 @ 12:01 a.m. EDT
Opened to USA and CANADA - No P.O. Boxes https://chatwithvera.blogspot.com/201...

DISCLOSURE: I was provided a complimentary copy by Candlewick Press to facilitate this review. Opinions are mine alone and are freely given. Winners' copies are provided by and shipped directly to winner by Candlewick.

[Hannah Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's something really special about the relationship between this boy and his dad. Even though his dad is working, he's very much involved in his son's life. My favorite moment is when his dad cleans the library and the boy reads to him. Another special moment happens when they listen to the radio and clean together. Though this is a picture book with few words, it captures the strength of a beautiful bond between son and father. Plus it's a total bonus that their mode of transportation is a motorcycle.

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a nice slice of life story about a boy who goes to work at night with his janitor father. The writing is poetic and the illustrations capture the warmth and humor of the characters' relationship. The story taps into two ideas kids are fascinated by - what happens at night and what their parents do at work. Though this is a quieter book with a subdued color scheme, it appealed strongly to my almost-three-year-old and my almost-five-year-old.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book offers a snapshot into the life of father and son; dad is the custodian in a school who takes his son along as he goes to work on a Friday night. The book offers a peek into the many cleaning tasks that happen during the night shift along with offering a glimpse into the beautiful relationship between the father and the son.

[Beckyt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book reminded me of my dad, although he never had a night job or worked as a janitor. But the strong bond between the small boy and his dad is clearly described in beautiful neutral color pictures and spare text. I love this book.

[Heidi Burkhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet and engaging story about a boy who goes with his father, by motorcycle, to his night job. The book is full of the various tasks that the father does, and what the boy does while his dad is working. It is a peaceful and calm story with illustrations that match the mood perfectly. Lovely!

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A poetic, evocative story about a father and son bonding over shared work.

[Dest · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully poetic text. This story offers a great example of how to find beauty in everyday life. Reminds me of two of my favorite picture books: ANOTHER POND and LAST STOP ON MARKET STREET.

[Ashley Walker]

Night Job was written by Newbery Medalist Karen Hesse and illustrated by G. Brian Karas. It is a story of how a young boy goes to work with his father on Friday night as a school janitor. The boy and his father work hard to clean the school until the boy eventually falls asleep reading to his father in the library. The father continues to work hard until 4:00 in the morning when they pack up and ride their motorcycle home. Just as the sun is rising, they are snuggling up on a recliner, falling asleep.
This book highlights a different working class than most of my students are used to. Most children love to go to their parents place of employement and this story is no different, even though his father is working through the night. The young boy shares his joy with the reader as he is able to play basketball while his father cleans the gymnasium. He even shares his joy while helping his father clean the building. The reader is left with special memories that the boy shares as he cherishes his time with his father while most of the world is asleep. I think this book also does a great job showcasing how good it can feel after a hard day at work and the sense of accomplishment that can come as you wrap up another day or night. Lastly, the illustrator does a wonderful job of portraying the late nights at the school with the muted or dark colors throughout the book.

[Shaye Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was entranced by this "night in the life of" story about a young boy who goes with his father to his night job. There was something that felt so cozy about peeking in on these two:

On Friday nights, when the sun goes down, I snap the clips shut on Dad's lunch box and climb onto the back of his bike. We zoom over the darkening bay, riding the dusky highway.

The story engages the reader with the sounds, sights, tastes, and even the temperatures experienced during the night. I love the writing and the artwork -- really want a copy of this one for my personal home library! The illustrations were done in mixed media.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple text and beautiful evocative illustrations set the mood for this story about a boy who accompanies his father to his night job of cleaning a school. Good for lower elementary; use especially for units about community helpers, Labor Day.

[Claire Wrobel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The art style feels very nostalgic to me and I love it. I also love how it tells the story of a night custodian, whose stories are always ignored.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

So tender. And with such poetic prose and illustrations that beckon the reader in like a film.

[Lineth Lopez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this book! It discusses a family of a single father and son and opens up the idea of how different families can be. The father is a custodian and takes his son to his night shift, but what makes the night shift really special- being with dad. Students will be able to engage in conversions relating to the diverse families our community has. The book's illustrations also open up conversation as to why the colors are not vibrant, but more grey-like. As an educator, this book may be used to discuss culture, customs, identity, and what a "family" may look like to individuals.

[A Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a unique book in that so few stories show parents working at night, few stories show parents doing custodial work, and few stories show parents working while their child(ren) are around. I helped my mom do custodial work as a child and I was interested in how the story would handle the subject. I absolutely love that Hesse tells the reader that the highway smells like fish but the school smells like lilacs! I wish this sensory engagement continued throughout the story; I wish the reader knew what the library smells like when it is empty and what the floors smell like when freshly mopped. The main character sometimes helps his dad clean, but is also entertained by shooting basketball hoops, watching baseball on a projector, and reading in the library. I love that this child is active and enjoying books while his dad works as opposed to being on a tablet the entire time! The two eat egg salad sandwiches together and then the child falls asleep on a couch in the library. Dad wakes him hours later so that they can go home. They see wildlife and fishermen on their way home; I was left wondering why the fishermen were frowning and shaking their heads though. Upon arriving home, they take a nap together as the sun is rising. I imagine this book would really connect with many young children whose lives are often not represented in stories. I certainly think this book would make for a more well-rounded classroom library!

[Aileen Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I particularly enjoyed this book by Karen Hesse. It is a beautiful and simple story that reminds us to think about and appreciate people who work while we sleep to make our world a cleaner and better place. It is the story of a night-time school janitor told from the pov of his son and if you haven't read it, I highly recommend that you do!

[Snail · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gets extra stars because it was unexpectedly nostalgic for me. I think this may be the first children’s book I’ve ever read that was specifically about a parent working a night shift…

(My mom has always worked nights, and she used to take us into the photo lab where she worked sometimes. Unlike the little boy in this story, we didn’t help her with her work, but it was a lot of fun to hang out in an otherwise empty lab and play. They had a vending machine that would rotate when you pressed a button, and a machine that would crush people’s cans for recycling when you pulled down on a lever rather hard. Don’t ask me why, but I found both of these things extremely charming, fun, and fascinating. …Maybe I’ll write my own version of the night shift!)

Anyway, I really appreciated the warm way this was handled. The scenes driving with dad at night felt very cozy. While there are many children’s books that feature cars and vehicles as a topic, I feel it’s rare for a children’s book to include details about how a motorcycle works just as part of the story… assuming that the reader will understand them without explanation from the text. (Or that the understanding is not vital, perhaps.)

A lot of fun all around. I’d reread this.

[Tiff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a lovely picture book! I am so in love with it. I loved the mixed media illustrations, absolutely charming. Feels like secret safe place to go on an adventure with dad on his night job. The illustrations capture night so well. I love that it talks about dad's job but also having fun. The library is also in this book! Highly recommended. Book makes me feel so happy to see father and son on this adventure.

[Reshamad · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am always curious about the stories behind the stories. "Night Shift" certainly has an interesting one. The story goes, author Karen Hesse was part of an "City Daily Photo" group. The group would upload pictures of their cities and tell interesting stories. She bumped into an interesting post from one particular participant who posted a picture about his father. His father was at one time, a night janitor at the local high school. The poster narrated his story about his time spent with his dad during those nights out with his father. From that post and picture the story "Night Shift" was born!

Night Shift is an heartwarming tale told from the voice of the little boy. One Friday night, a little boy climbs on the back of his dad's bike and the two take off in the night. They zoom through the night streets and park behind the empty school building. Dad lets the two in with his set of keys and they start with the gym. Switching on the lights, with music playing the radio, the two sweep and clean and move room to room. They finish up at the library where the boy finds a good book to read aloud to his dad. In between, they find time to catch a bite on the stairs together and eat their sandwiches. Finally its time to go and by day break the two are done and back at home. With dad cozy in the recliner, the father-son duo cozy up and sleep.

Karen Hesse's prose is calming and smoothing. Told from the voice of the young 5 year old, the story reads simply and gently. Soft and muted mixed media illustrations completes the tone of the story in the Night Shift.

We loved the tender story telling and the father - son relationship that this one night gentle weaves us through.

[Abby D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Night Job
Author: Karen Hesse
Illustrator: G. Brian Karas
Copyright: 2018
Format/Level: Picture book

Summary: In this sweet picture book, we follow the adventures of a young boy and his father who is a janitor at a school. When his father works at night, the boy accompanies him and helps him with his tasks. He falls asleep after a while and his father wakes him up when its time to go home. The boy and his father ride his motorcycle home and then fall asleep shortly after.

Reasoning: I chose this book because it shows a unique relationship between a father and son. This story shows a relationship that might resonate with some whos parents work a variety of hours outside the typical 9-5. This story shows how we share things in common with our family (parents specifically) and how those things bring us together. Sharing experiences and time with our families is so important for those relationships and this book did an excellent job of demonstrating that.

Activity: A hands-on activity to accompany this story that children could participate in is role play. I would assign the kids different characters and objects to act out in the story using props. I would assign some kids different props or items so that they could use those to help tell the story. For example, at the beginning of the story, the boy describes his dad's keys that he uses to open the door to the school. I give a child a set of keys and have them rattle the keys and "open" a door at that part of the story. I would also assign two children to be the father and son in the story. I think that kids would really enjoy acting the story out and learning more about how these two characters interact with each other and the world around them.

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

With family goodness, these pages raise awareness for the hard work parents and adults do to care for the kids.

The sun is going down, which means it's about time for a boy and his father to take off on the motorcycle and head toward the school. There, the father works as a night time janitor, and the boy accompanies him. While the boy, sometimes, helps out a little here and there, other times he reads books or even sleeps in a corner in the library. When the sun rises, they head home with a sense of family love and an extra twist at the end.

The illustrations will come across with familiarity as readers will see aspects of their own schools in the scenes. Plus, it will awaken dreams of what it'd be like to spend the night in the school when barely anybody else is there. Then, the text comes in with a gentle flow to match the night tone. It has a poetic feel to it, although it doesn't take on that form. This creates a lovely read-aloud, especially for school settings, since listeners will immediately let their imaginations drift into what it'd be like if they stayed in the school.

As to the messaging, there's two aspects which work nicely. First, these pages make it clear that parents often sacrifice quite a bit for the well being of their children. The father not only works diligently in his position and comes home in the morning tired from working all night. The second aspect is the large amount of care the father has for the son. While working, he never ignores his son, but makes sure he's comfortable and taken care of. Especially the scenes of the son reading books aloud in the library while the father cleans hold goodness pure. Even the last scene makes this entire loving atmosphere very clear and leaves everything off with a very caring note.

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

On Friday nights, a little boy goes with his father to work. They leave after dark on his father’s motorcycle, head across the bridge, and enter the closed school. His father has a big ring of keys to open the door. They clean the gym first, while the little boy plays basketball. They bring a radio with them from room to room, listening to baseball games. At ten at night, they eat the lunch they brought with them. While his father cleans the library, the boy falls asleep reading on the couch. His father wakes him at four in the morning to head back home, across the bridge. The two fall asleep together curled in the big recliner.

Newbery Medal winner Hesse captures the wonder of going to work with a parent and brings in the beauty of being out at night as well. Along the way, the work of a parent who has a night job is honored. As a child of a teacher, I enjoyed the empty hallways of a school closed for the weekend or summer. It’s a beautiful thing to have those areas be silent and just for you. That feeling is shown here clearly, as the boy makes the spaces his own.

The connection between father and son is a focus of the story and the illustrations. The pictures by Karas are done in his signature style and use darkness and light cleverly. The father and son are shown as a pair throughout the book, highlighting their special time together whether in the bright gym or on the dark road.

A quiet book about jobs, connections and families. Appropriate for ages 3-5.