It is a universal thought and
story line. Women’s work is easier than what the men do all day. Mr. McTeague
finds out otherwise. He trades places with his wife for one day. She goes off to chop wood and pull stumps. Mr. McTeague tries
to milk the cow, let the cow graze, cook, churn the butter, and take care of the baby.
This should be, “Easy work!” But it turns out to be a disaster.
Never again will he think women’s work is easy.
This picture book is suggested
for K-3rd grade. It is a humorous Americanized version of a Norwegian
folk tale. The setting is in the time of the Oregon Trail in the American frontier of Oregon. The writing is a complete narrative of each event
of the day. The writing is full of descriptions.
Someone hearing this story read aloud can easily picture each scene in their imagination. For example, “Covered with flour and dripping milk, still wearing Mrs. McTeagues’s bonnet and
Sunday dress, with the churn tied to his leg, he (Mr. McTeague) took off after the dog.”
The writing enlarges children’s vocabulary using such words as apparition and singed. The text fills the space around the paintings on each page.
The colorful paintings done with
crayon, watercolor, and pencil are exactly right for the kind of story presented. They
have a down home, folksy, humorous look. School Library Journal says, “Glass's
lively illustrations are done in a scratchy, folksy style and suit the text perfectly.”
This book
is an entertaining picture book example of a folk tale. Children’s Literature says, “Eric Kimmel is brilliant!
This old story is given new life, and Andrew Glass' pictures create an unforgettable farmer and his wife who change roles
for one day.”
2001 Masterlist—Washington Children’s Choice Book Award
Gosner, Pam. Review of
Easy Work!: An Old Tale in School Library
Journal. Available from:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0823413497//qid=1095622395/sr=12-4/103-3926711-3700639?v=glance&s=books&vi=reviews. Accessed 19 September 2004
Silverman, Judy. Review of Easy Work!: An Old Tale in Children’s Literature. Available from:
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?userid=8y6U6P2AoG&isbn=0823413497&itm=2#REV. Accessed 19
September 2004
