Hey, Al

By Arthur Yorinks, Richard Egielski (Illustrator)

A janitor and his dog find paradise isn't what it seems.

4.0/7 Bookroo expert·3.9/5 Goodreads · 6,364 ratings

32 pages· 505 words· Est. 4 min read-aloud

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Bookroo's summary

Al, a janitor, and his dog, Eddie, escape their cramped life when a mysterious bird offers them paradise. On a stunning island in the sky, they enjoy luxury but soon discover the dark side of their new world. Can they escape this deceptive utopia and find true happiness back home?

From the publisher

Al, a janitor, and his faithful dog, Eddie, live in a single room on the West Side. They eat together, they work together, they do everything together. So what’s the problem? Thier room is crowded and cramped; their life is an endless struggle. Al and Eddie are practically at eachothers throats when a large and mysterious bird offers them a new life in paradise. After some debate, they decide to accept. Transported to a gorgeous island in the sky, Al and Eddie are soon living a life of ease and luxury. But they come to find that the grass can be a little too green on the other side. After a dramatic, nearly tragic escape from their paradise prison, both man and dog agree: there really is no place like home. Hey, Al is the winner of the 1987 Caldecott Medal.

Awards

Caldecott Medal (1987)

At a glance

Format: Paperback
Pages: 32
Words: 505
Reading age: 4–8
Audience: Picture
Lexile: 520L

Themes & topics

Books about dogs Books about birds

What readers & critics say

Reviews

4.0

out of 7

4.0

“This story has a great overall message of appreciating the good in your life. Even when things are hard, there's always something to be grateful for, and things could be worse. If found the story itself pretty interesting--not my favorite book.”

B is for Bookworm

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