Lazy Jack

by Vivian French

A humorous tale in the tradition of "Clever Hans" finds Lazy Jack searching for a job and making ridiculous mistakes as he applies the advice his mother gives him on previous days to the very contradictory objects of the present.

Genres: Humor, Picture Books, Childrens

40 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 1995

About the author

Vivian June Isoult French MBE was born in 1945 and educated at Exeter University.
Vivian French was best known in school for being extremely skinny and for talking a lot. At school she developed an attachment to words and later became an actor, then a storyteller, and finally a writer of children's books. She is the author of more than two hundred books. Ms. French lives in Edinburgh, Scotland, and has four grown daughters.

Reviews

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jack has six jobs in this book. He wears shoes. He is not really that lazy. For God's sakes, the guy carries a donkey home on his back. Not the brightest bulb, for sure, this Jack, but it is his mother, always pictured in pink fuzzy slippers scolding Jack for failing to correctly bring home his pay, who could be considered lazy. By the end of the story, Jack figures out how to bring home his pay (cheese, a donkey, a coin, milk, etc.) and his mother? Still in ratty slippers. Just saying.

[Becky Galambos · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is odd and not really something I would want to read to a child. Not sure why it has the title it does, he works after being told he should, but is too dim to figure out how to get his pay home. His mother who berates him for this obviously did a poor job of raising him and teaching him how to do this stuff. He falls into the lap of luxury by accident and never has to work again. That's unlikely to happen to most anyone. That incompetence will be rewarded isn't a message I want to pass on to any child.

[Molly Cluff (Library!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations were pretty cartoony and not my favorite, but the framework of the story was delightful. Jack spends each day working for a different person (the grocer, cheesemaker, baker, etc) and every day gets rewarded with a different object. He always carries the object home in a different way though that goes horribly awry (milk in pockets, cheese melting on his head, etc). Kids will love drawing the conclusions about what silly things will happen next based on the instructions Jack's mother gives him on how to carry the next object. Would be funny to tell out loud, too!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This cumulative, repetitive tale featuring the days of the week is sure to build listeners memories as they follow Jack to work at a different job each day. However, Jack is always a day behind in following his mother’s advice as to how to carry home his wages creating a humorous look at the weekly work schedule of a lazy boy. Readers will delight when Jack’s memory finally kicks in and he repeats along with listeners how to bring home his pay.

[NaTaya Hastings · Rating 1 out of 5]

In this story, ignorance is rewarded handsomely. Not a lesson I want to teach my kid.

[Michelle Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations are enjoyable and the story gave me quite a chuckle as I read it.

[Debby Baumgartner · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good example of a Jack Tale.