Tag Archives: That’s a Job

Review: I Like Machines… What Jobs Are There? by Robin Pridy and Elise Gaignet

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I Like Machines... What Jobs Are There by Robin Pridy

I Like Machines… What Jobs Are There? (That’s a Job Series)
Robin Pridy
Illustrated by Elise Gaignet
Kane Miller
Published December 1, 2023

Kane Miller Website | Bookshop | Goodreads

About I Like Machines… What Jobs Are There?

Whether they love operating them, designing them, or building and repairing them, there’s something for everyone in this accessible guide for children who are fascinated by machines! From being a train driver to a robotics engineer, readers are taken through a day-in-the-life of 25 workers and shown the different skills and qualities needed for each exciting job. The book will include a variety of machines (big, small, vehicles, devices, electrical, mechanical) and highlight some fascinating STEAM careers, getting children excited for their futures.

My Review

I’m such a fan of this series. I love that it breaks down different careers in a certain area of interest, offering inspiration to young readers for possible future jobs. This title in the series explores jobs that involve machines, such as wind turbine technician, ocean engineer, boatbuilder, mechanic, plumber, and quality assurance inspector. It was really cool to read about the different careers and educational backgrounds of each one. It seems like the educational backgrounds refer to a particular person’s life, so they may not be the most direct path to that career. For example, the patent attorney tells readers that she first got her Ph.D. in biology before getting a law degree.

Each spread or page shows a step-by-step example of an eventful day on the job. This gives readers a chance to think about the kinds of work a particular job involves and what time a typical day might start. The book also lists the best and worst parts of each job.

One of my favorite parts is at the back of the book. A two-page spread shows a chart that directs kids with certain areas of interest and personalities to certain jobs. For example, the chart has areas that ask about goals, skills, and personal qualities. There are sample answers that then direct readers to a list of possible jobs for someone with a certain goal or skillset. For example, someone who loves machines and is great with people might be interested in careers like car salesperson, quality assurance inspector, or patent attorney.

This series has so much information presented in a visually appealing way. I think it would be great for late elementary school readers who want to dream about career possibilities.

Age Recommendation

For readers eight to twelve.

The cartoony style probably makes this better suited to fourth or fifth-grade level, but the pages have so much information that I think older kids would benefit, too.

Content Summary

The pages show inclusive cartoon images of the workers.

Additional Titles in the That’s a Job Series

I Like Space… What Jobs Are There?

I Like Helping People… What Jobs Are There?

I Like the Performing Arts… What Jobs Are There? (Review to Come)

Titles I Haven’t Reviewed

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: I Like Space… What Jobs Are There? by Steve Martin and Tom Woolley

Book Review and Content, Middle Grade 8-12, Nonfiction, , , , , ,

I Like Space… What Jobs Are There? (That’s a Job? Series)
Steve Martin
Illustrated by Tom Woolley
Kane Miller Publishing
Published January 1, 2020

Kane Miller Website | Bookshop | Goodreads

About I Like Space… What Jobs Are There?

Explore a day in the life of 25 people whose jobs involve working with space. While it takes all kinds of jobs to put an astronaut in space, there are also space lawyers and space weather forecasters! Learn how to turn your fascination with space into a career.

For children who have a passion for something but don’t know how they can turn it into a job, this new series helps them along the way.

My Review

As the granddaughter of an engineer who worked for NASA, I grew up watching rocket launches and hearing about some of the projects at Cape Canaveral. It was really fun to read this book and think about the people working there now in some of the careers mentioned in this book.

The book focuses on 25 different career options for someone who likes space. Options include astronaut, space lawyer, computer engineer, technical writer, space weather forecaster, and nutritionist. Some careers work more closely with the public, such as a public affairs officer, planetarium educator, or space center manager. Others, like astrobiologists, astrophysicists, astronautical engineers, neuroscientists, and scientific researchers, depend on higher math and science education and skills.

Each page spotlights a career, giving a sample overview of the person’s day and highlighting the best and worst parts of the job. It also tells what kind of degree or background someone with this job might have.

One feature readers are sure to appreciate is the “Your perfect job match” spread, which shows a visual flow chart with circles asking questions about the reader and offering different career suggestions for different answers. For example, one question asks, “What are your interests and goals?” One possible answer is “helping people.” The chart points these readers to careers like nutritionist, flight surgeon, and neuroscientist. It connects preferences and personality to jobs that utilize those skills, which I love.

Conclusion

I have completely fallen in love with this series. I love that it exposes kids to so many different career options and gives clues about their educational background. This is a great place to start for a kid who is just starting to wonder what jobs are out there and has a larger interest (space or machines or art, etc) and isn’t sure what career options exist in those fields.

Age Recommendation

For readers eight to twelve.

The cartoony style probably makes this better suited to fourth or fifth-grade level, but the pages have so much information that I think older kids would benefit, too.

Content Summary

The pages show inclusive cartoon images of the workers. The astronaut lists the worst part of the job being that they have to wear a special diaper, which takes getting used to.

Additional Titles in the That’s a Job Series

I Like Machines… What Jobs Are There? (Review to Come)

I Like Helping People… What Jobs Are There? (Review to Come)

I Like The Performing Arts… What Jobs Are There? (Review to Come)

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.