Vinny Gets a Job

Every morning, the human mother to Vinny, a French bulldog, and Lester, a self-possessed cat, goes off to her job. When Lester explains that a job “is a place where you do things for other people, and then they give you food and toys,” mixed-media illustrations show Vinny dressing for success in a natty red plaid sport coat, porkpie hat, and briefcase, and then entering the labor force. But each gig comes to an abrupt halt when dog values collide with workplace culture: cleaning the table in a restaurant doesn’t mean eating the leftovers, and watering a florist’s plants apparently doesn’t entail lifting a leg. The ending, in which Vinny learns that loving his mom is a plenty important job, is more expected than satisfying. But Brodner’s debut shows a strong sense of composition and a keen sense of what makes audiences giggle, and her pup protagonist exudes an eager charm. Ages 4–8. [em](May) [/em]