The Paperboy

by Dav Pilkey

Book Overview

From #1 bestselling author-illustrator Dav Pilkey, a Caldecott Honor picture book about a boy, his dog, and the solitude they share before the world wakes up.

In the still before dawn, while the rest of the world is sleeping, a boy and his dog leave the comfort of their warm bed to deliver newspapers. As the boy pedals his bike along a route he knows by heart, his dog runs by his side, both enjoying a world that, before sunrise, belongs...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0531071391
• ISBN13: 9780531071397
• Release Date: September 1999
• Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.33 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.1" x 8.8" x 10.3"
• Age Range: 4 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

I read this book to my son at least 2x/week for bedtime and now he won't partvwith the book at all a

I love how simple & innocent the book is. The boy shoes his dedication to his jib and finishing it while his dog shows him loyalty by delivering papers with him. We love it.

Serindipulous Book

The Paperboy was written and illustrated by Dav Pilkey. This was a fun-to-read, lighthearted book that relayed a very vivid lesson of maturity and hard work. In the story, a boy and his dog get up early every morning and deliver papers. The paperboy was a very responsible young man who loved his job. The bright and happy illustrations played a key role in letting the reader know how happy the boy and his dog were. In this story, the author uses various forms of symbolism to portray the paperboy as being a very mature and hard-working young man. One of the first very obvious symbolic representations was the young boy's receding hairline. While this doesn't necessarily mean he is mature, it is a trait displayed by men who are generally much older, wiser, and more mature. In many foreign countries, older men, who usually have little or no hair, are more respected and thought to be wise and knowledgeable. I think the author was probably using this common knowledge to help relay his message of maturity. Another key symbolic representation is the way the boy cares for the dog as his own child. He takes him everywhere, feeds him, and watches over him. These are all characteristics of a mature adult who has accepted the responsibility of being a parent. Lastly, the fact that the boy leaves his warm bed very early on a cold Saturday morning while everyone else is still asleep, speaks wonders of his dedication and level of maturity. In the book, the paperboy never hesitates when his alarm goes off. He knows he has a job to do, and he does it. Even the boy's dog, who he has cared for and taught behavioral patterns, is eager to start the early day. In this book, the paperboy was clearly a responsible and dedicated young man. The various forms of symbolism that the author used were a very effective means of relaying this message.

Children will enjoy reading this well crafted story

In the quiet of the early morning a paperboy and his dog headout on their daily route, peacefully slipping back into bed just asthe rest of the world awakens. In this Caldecott Honor winning picture book Dav Pilkey perfectly portrays the daily excursion of a young boy and his dog during the predawn hours as they deliver the Morning Star Gazette to each neighborhood home. Pilkey masters the art of creating atmosphere within this original mood piece. He uses descriptive language, such as "the mornings of the paperboy are still dark and they are always cold even in the summer," to capture the reader's interest and bring him or her into the life of the paperboy. His acrylic and India ink illustrations add to the mood and dreamy quality of the story. He uses cool colors, hues of blue and green, during the early morning hours and slowly adds warmer tones to illustrate the rising sun and the coming of a new day. Oblique lines and curved shapes distinguish the rolling hills and clouds from the houses down below on the tranquil street. Pilkey combines both words and pictures to describe not only the paperboy's actions, but his thoughts and feelings as well. Children ages three to six will enjoy reading this well crafted story that depicts a daily event in a new and shining light.