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Vocational Genre

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Books in the Vocational genre:

Boom Town Boy (1948)

One family lives the excitement of the Oklahoma oil boom.

Read online at archive.org

Author(s): Lois Lenski
Illustrator(s): Lois Lenski

Five Little Firemen (1948)

“The finest fire is the fire that’s out,” sing the five little firemen. Later editions have fewer pages.

The Lark in the Morn (1948)

Kit Haverard discovers she is meant to be a singer.

Author(s): Elfrida Vipont
Illustrator(s): T. R. Freeman

Paul the Hero of the Fire (1948)

Paul runs away to join the carnival to help support his family. When a fire strikes, he leads the children to safety.

Author(s): Edward Ardizzone
Illustrator(s): Edward Ardizzone

The Happy Man and His Dump Truck (1949)

All the animals want a ride in the happy man’s dump truck Read online at Internet Archive.

Author(s): Miryam Yardumian
Illustrator(s): Tibor Gergely

Two Little Miners (1949)

Two little miners meet far underground. The second edition has all color illustrations.

The Blood Bay Colt (1950)

In this exciting entry in the story of the Black Stallion and his offspring, a colt is trained to harness racing. Read online at archive.org. ... View More

Author(s): Walter Farley
Illustrator(s): Milton Menasco

Junior Literary Guild
Junior Literary Guild - 1950

Great Big Fire Engine Book (1950)

Ding, ding, ding! goes the fire engine bell and the firemen are off in their engines to fight the fire. Read online at archive.org. ... View More

Author(s): Tibor Gergely
Illustrator(s): Tibor Gergely

The Lark on the Wing (1950)

Kit Haverard pursues her vocation as a singer in London.

Author(s): Elfrida Vipont
Illustrator(s): T. R. Freeman

Carnegie Medal
Carnegie Medal - 1950

The Little Fat Policeman (1950)

A day in the life of a very busy policeman. Later editions have only 28 pages.

Bulldozer (1951)

Bill Crane is just out of high school when he and his friend Ducky Davis discover a Caterpillar D2 in the waters of a Maine pond. Soon Bill has rescued the machine and embarked on a career as a contractor. Read online at archive.org. ... View More

Author(s): Stephen W. Meader
Illustrator(s): Edwin Schmidt

The Black Stallion’s Filly (1952)

Black Minx, daughter of the Black, has been spoiled - can Henry and Alec get her ready to race in the Derby?

Author(s): Walter Farley
Illustrator(s): Milton Menasco

The Boy Mechanic: A Completely New and Revised Edition by the Editors of Popular Mechanics (1952)

This harks back to a series of volumes of the same name dating back to the teens of the twentieth century.

Author(s): Popular Mechanics Co.
Illustrator(s): Popular Mechanics Co.

Daddies (1953)

While children are playing their daddies are working to make sure there is food on the table, clothes to wear and a roof over their heads. Read online at archive.org. ... View More

Author(s): Janet Frank
Illustrator(s): Tibor Gergely

The Bunny Book (1955)

What will Bunny be when he grows up?

Author(s): Patricia Scarry
Illustrator(s): Richard Scarry

Santiago (1955)

A Guatemalan boy of Indian descent must decide on his future career.

Read online at archive.org

Author(s): Ann Nolan Clark
Illustrator(s): Lynd Ward

Junior Literary Guild
Junior Literary Guild - 1955

A Stickful of Nonpareil (1956)

A keepsake from Cambridge University Press, intended to give an idea of turn-of-the-twentieth-century printing.

Author(s): George Scurfield
Illustrator(s): Edward Ardizzone

Animal Stories (1957)

A Giant Little Golden Book containing The Happy Man and His Dump Truck, Animal Gym and The Merry Shipwreck.... View More

Dear Garbage Man (1957)

The new man on the garbage crew wants to recycle all the useful stuff they collect.

Author(s): Gene Zion
Illustrator(s): Margaret Bloy Graham

The Spring of the Year (1957)

Laura Haverard moves to St. Merlyon with her family, fails her grammar school exam and discovers acting when she plays Ariel in The Tempest.

Author(s): Elfrida Vipont
Illustrator(s): T. R. Freeman

The Horse-Tamer (1958)

Henry tells Alex Ramsay about his brother William Dailey, a horse-tamer.

Read online at archive.org.

Author(s): Walter Farley
Illustrator(s): James Schucker

Fire Engines (1959)

When the fire alarm goes off, the firemen hop on the fire engines and off they go to put the fire out. Read online at archive.org. ... View More

Author(s): Tibor Gergely
Illustrator(s): Tibor Gergely

Buffalo and Beaver (1960)

Jeff Barlow spends a season trapping in the Rockies with his father and hones his painting skills during the long nights. Read online at archive.org.... View More

Author(s): Stephen W. Meader
Illustrator(s): Charles Beck

Flowering Spring (1960)

Laura is determined to act, but her father thinks teaching would be more practical.

Author(s): Elfrida Vipont
Illustrator(s): Shirley Hughes

Johnny the Clockmaker (1960)

Johnny loves to make things, but his parents think a grandfather clock is too much for him.

Author(s): Edward Ardizzone
Illustrator(s): Edward Ardizzone

When I Grow Up (1960)

A song for a boy and a song for a girl about what they might become when they grow up. A Read-and-Sing book.

Author(s): Clyde Robert Bulla
Lois Lenski
Illustrator(s): Lois Lenski

Not Such an Ass (1961)

Some aspects of a life at the bar.

Author(s): Henry Cecil
Illustrator(s): Edward Ardizzone

The S-Man: A Grammar of Success (1961)

A guide to business success from the 60’s.

Author(s): Mark Caine
Illustrator(s): N. M. Bodecker

Lois Lenski’s Big Book of Mr. Small (1962)

An omnibus containing Policeman Small, Cowboy Small and The Little Farm.... View More

Author(s): Lois Lenski
Illustrator(s): Lois Lenski

Paul the Hero of the Fire (1962)

Paul runs away and joins the carnival to earn money for his family. When a fire strikes, he leads the children to safety.

Author(s): Edward Ardizzone
Illustrator(s): Edward Ardizzone

Policeman Small (1962)

Today Mr. Small is the cop on the beat.

Read online at archive.org

Author(s): Lois Lenski
Illustrator(s): Lois Lenski

The Black Stallion Challenged! (1964)

Steve Duncan and Flame challenge Alec Ramsay and the Black to race.

Read online at archive.org.

Author(s): Walter Farley
Illustrator(s): Angie Draper

Read About the Policeman (1966)

A history of policemen and policing, brought up to today.

Author(s): Louis Slobodkin
Illustrator(s): Louis Slobodkin

Read About the Postman (1966)

A history of the post office and the people who make it work.

Author(s): Louis Slobodkin
Illustrator(s): Louis Slobodkin

To Be a Logger (1967)

Joel grows up in a logging family in Oregon.

Author(s): Lois Lenski
Illustrator(s): Lois Lenski

Richard Scarry’s What Do People Do All Day? (1968)

An illustrated panorama of the animals of Busytown as they go about their daily jobs. Read online at archive.org. ... View More

Author(s): Richard Scarry
Illustrator(s): Richard Scarry

Barbie (1969)

When Laurel and Simon’s cousin Barbie arrives, they are not prepared for a musical virtuoso.

Author(s): Kitty Barne
Illustrator(s): Colleen Browning

No Room for the Baker (1969)

His pets are crowding him out of his shop, so the baker decides to take action. Translated from the German. Read online at archive.org. ... View More

Author(s): Käthe Recheis
Illustrator(s): Tibor Gergely

Special Branch Willie (1969)

A very small boy is recruited into the C.I.D.

Author(s): Dorothy Clewes
Illustrator(s): Edward Ardizzone

The Lark in the Morn (1970)

Kit Haverard discovers that she is meant to sing.

Read online at archive.org.

Author(s): Elfrida Vipont
Illustrator(s): Michael Lowenbein

The Lark on the Wing (1970)

Kit Haverard pursues her vocation as a singer in London.

Author(s): Elfrida Vipont
Illustrator(s): T. R. Freeman
Lynette Hemmant

The Black Stallion and the Girl (1971)

Alex Ramsay hires a young woman as a trainer - but can she ride the Black in a race?

Author(s): Walter Farley
Illustrator(s): Angie Draper

Busy Day, Busy People (1973)

A pictorial exploration of work from the farm to the circus.

Read online at archive.org

Author(s): Tibor Gergely
Illustrator(s): Tibor Gergely

Turn Not Pale, Beloved Snail (1974)

A collection of essays on the art and craft of writing.

Author(s): Jacqueline Jackson
Illustrator(s): Geoffrey Hodgkinson

Traces of the Past: A Field Guide to Industrial Archaeology (1980)

Explains the history and engineering of the infrastructure of our country.

Author(s): David Weitzman
Illustrator(s): David Weitzman

Lois Lenski’s Big, Big Book of Mr. Small (1985)

An omnibus that combines the two collections of The Big Book of Mr. Small and More Mr. Small.... View More

Author(s): Lois Lenski
Illustrator(s): Lois Lenski

When Bunny Grows Up (1992)

What will Bunny be when he grows up?

Read online at archive.org

Author(s): Patricia Scarry
Illustrator(s): Richard Scarry

Richard Scarry’s Busy, Busy Town (1994)

A look at what people do all day.

Read online at archive.org. 

Author(s): Richard Scarry
Illustrator(s): Richard Scarry

The Children’s Book of Heroes (1996)

A collection of stories, true and fictional, poems and tales about heroism.

Read online at archive.org.

Author(s): Various
Illustrator(s): Michael Hague

T-Model Tommy (2000)

Tommy Ballard has his way to make in the Depression, but with the help of his sturdy Model-T, he’s well on his way.

Author(s): Stephen W. Meader
Illustrator(s): Edward Shenton

Buffalo and Beaver (2004)

Jeff Barlow spends a season trapping in the Rockies with his father and hones his painting skills during the long nights.

Author(s): Stephen W. Meader
Illustrator(s): Charles Beck

Bulldozer (2004)

Bill Crane has just graduated from high school when he and his friend Ducky Davis discover a Caterpillar D2 in a Maine Pond. Soon Bill has salvaged the machine and started a career as a contractor.

Author(s): Stephen W. Meader
Illustrator(s): Edwin Schmidt

Blueberry Mountain (2005)

Buck Evans and his friend Joe Sullivan start a blueberry farm. They face hard work and plenty of obstacles.

Author(s): Stephen W. Meader
Illustrator(s): Edward Shenton

Cedar’s Boy (2006)

Shad Davis gets caught up in the excitement of harness racing and finds he has a talent for driving.

Author(s): Stephen W. Meader
Illustrator(s): Lee Townsend

The Fish with the Deep Sea Smile (2013)

This edition only includes the single story of the title in which a family of fishermen search for one wondrous fish. Read online at archive.org. ... View More

Author(s): Margaret Wise Brown
Illustrator(s): Henry Fisher

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