Help Wanted: Must Love Books

By Janet Sumner Johnson, Courtney Dawson (Illustrator)

A girl fires her dad from bedtime stories. Can fairytale characters fill his shoes?

4.6/7 Bookroo experts·4.3/5 Goodreads · 1,021 ratings

32 pages· 513 words· Est. 4 min read-aloud

$17.95Save 5%

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Bookroo's summary

Shailey's cherished bedtime routine with her dad is disrupted by his new job. Determined to find a replacement, she fires him and interviews fairytale characters. But Sleeping Beauty dozes off, the Gingerbread Man is a thief, and Snow White's entourage is overwhelming. As her options dwindle, Shailey wonders if bedtime is doomed. Can she find the perfect storyteller, or will she discover something unexpected about her dad's role in her nightly ritual?

"Unlike most kids, Shailey loved bedtime. She'd shimmy into her pj's, brush her sparkling smile, then raid the bookshelf for the perfect bedtime stories."

— from the book

From the publisher

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?

At a glance

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 32
Words: 513
Reading age: 4–8
Audience: Picture
Lexile: AD660L

Themes & topics

Books about dads Books about reading Books about bedtime Books about story time Books about father-daughter relationships

Inside the book

A peek between the covers

Good to know

Stories behind the story

What inspired you with the idea of Shailey firing her dad as her bedtime story teller?

My own daughter loved her bedtime routine with her dad. But one night, when he was too busy with work, she stomped out of the room declaring, "I'll read my own stories!" I laughed and said, "I think you just got fired, hon." And BOOM, the story idea was born.

What do you hope readers will take away from this story?

I hope readers remember that books are always there for you. They are like best friends waiting to happen! And I also hope that parents might remember what a precious time it is when our kids still want us to read to them. We should take advantage!

What readers & critics say