Easy Work! An Old Tale

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Kimmel, Eric A. 1998. Easy Work!: An Old Tale. Ill. by Andrew Glass. New York: Holiday House. ISBN 0823413497

This version of a Norwegian Folktale takes place in Oregon during the nineteenth century. In Easy Work!: An Old Tale, Mr. and Mrs. McTeague maintain a cabin with their infant, a cat, a dog and a cow named Abigail. Mr. McTeague believes his daily work is much more difficult than Mrs. McTeague's. "You should stay home and do what I do. Then you'll know what work really means." The two decide to switch places and thus begins the chaos. The story focuses  on Mr. McTeague's inability to complete any of Mrs. McTeague's daily chores. He invents ways to make the chores easier, including tying a rope to the dog's tail to rock the cradle, to put the baby to sleep. His inventions result in the total destruction, the cabin burning down, and Abigail running away.  Needless to say, Mr. McTeague realizes just how difficult Mrs. McTeague's daily chores are and says nothing more. The two went back to their original chores and Mr. McTeague never again questioned which of the two had an easier time. 

Although Easy Work!: An Old Tale is based on a folktale from many, many years ago, it applied during the nineteenth century and still does to this day. Children will find the antics of Mr. McTeague to be hilarious. The watercolor illustrations are very colorful on each spread and  help convey the images of chaos Mr. McTeague causes as the story progresses. In a group setting, children may even tell stories of their parents having similar conversations as Mr. and Mrs. McTeague. 



If you enjoy this folktale by Eric Kimmel, you may also enjoy: Anansi and the Magic Stick, Cactus Soup, Iron John, and Seven in One Blow.

School Library Journal (06/01/1998):
K-Gr 3--Here, the well-known Norwegian folktale, "The Man Who Was to Mind the House," is set in Oregon. Glass's lively illustrations are done in a scratchy, folksy style and suit the text perfectly.”

Booklist (04/15/1998):
Ages 4-8. Kimmel pours a classic Norwegian folktale into an American pot, and Glass brings it to a rolling boil with dappled scenes of domestic chaos. "Kimmel's version of a story that has become a staple of feminist folktale collections will be a cheery alternative..."

Further activities are available for Easy Work!: An Old Tale and other Eric A. Kimmel titles are available by signing up at:
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/bookwizard/books-by/eric-kimmel