The Paperboy is "a totally satisfying story" (School Library Journal) about a boy and his dog, who wake,
eat breakfast, get papers ready, then begin their route. Darkly glowing
illustrations gradually lighten as dawn breaks.
There isn't
really a story here; the book is more of an "evocative mood piece"
(Booklist) about early morning hours and about the bond between a boy
and his dog. Pilkey's has captured the silent, calm darkness of early
morning and the soft, gradual transition to morning light.
This book won a number of prestigious children's book awards, including a Caldecott Honor in 1997!
This book was
actually was inspired by the author's happy memories of being a
paperboy when he was 13 years old--the quiet mornings, the purposeful
energy, the newfound confidence. He has captured those emotions in The
Paperboy beautifully.
Interest Level: Grade 1-3 DRA Level: 30 Lexile Measure: 530L
Grade Equivalent: 3.5 Guided Reading: N
Below are sample pages from inside this cute book:
This is a great book, but if it's not exactly the book you are looking for, you can see:
You may also want to check out other books by Dav Pilkey: