PAS JUSTE !

by Jacob Grant

"Pablo adore se rendre au marché avec son papa. Le seul problème, c'est qu'il n'a jamais le droit de faire les choses comme il veut. Et ça, c'est vraiment pas juste. Alors quand ils passent devant le stand de donuts sans s'arrêter, c'est le drame. Pablo est décidé à mettre fin à cette injustice ! Un délicieux guide pour les petits qui chantent le refrain « C'est pas juste ! »"

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Humor, Fiction, Family, Juvenile

40 pages, Hardcover

Published February 2, 2024

About the author

Hello! I’m Jacob Grant and I make picture books. Absurd and heartfelt picture books.

Originally from Ohio, I now live in Chicago with my wife and one very busy child. When not wrangling this little force of nature, I can be found in my home studio drawing, painting and writing until something feels story-ish. With a bit of luck, some of this mess gets made into books!

Author and Illustrator of:
BEAR'S SCARE Bloomsbury 2018
THROUGH WITH THE ZOO Feiwel & Friends 2017
CAT KNIT Feiwel & Friends 2016
LITTLE BIRD'S BAD WORD Feiwel & Friends 2015
SCAREDY KATE Barron’s 2014

Illustrator of:
OWLS ARE GOOD AT KEEPING SECRETS Penguin Random House 2018

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or just to say hi.

Reviews

[Jeremy · Rating 2 out of 5]

A perfectly fine picture book, but the cover and the premise seemed promising, so I remember being kind of disappointed to find that it lacked any funny twist or extra flavor.

However, if you had a kid who was always upset about things being fair, this would be a suitable book to read to them. I wouldn't tell anyone NOT to read this, but conversely it wouldn't occur to me to recommend this book to someone either.

If I hadn't seen someone else review this on Goodreads, I would have forgotten that I had read it altogether!

[Nichole Stratton · Rating 2 out of 5]

I appreciate Grant's point that life can feel really unfair to children (and it really can be unfair sometimes) and it can feel frustrating to be out of control. But most of the examples here aren't really unfair, and I think Grant missed a crucial opportunity to teach about fairness not as "everyone gets the same exact thing" but as "everyone gets what they need." For example, the difference in size between the father's cider and the kid's cider are proportionate to their sizes, so I would call that fair.

I also think he missed an opportunity to teach about WHY adults are most often in control of the decisions. Instead of just saying "Pablo, I'm in charge because I'm your dad," the father could have explained how parents have to make choices to keep their kids healthy and safe, and they get to do so because they've had more life experience, but gradually, they let their kids make their own decisions.

So I get that this book is really meant to be more fun & funny than seriously help them with the concept of fairness, but I think it could have done both if Grant had thought through the messaging a bit more carefully. I think it's important that we explain our decisions to kids more, and then they will have an easier time accepting our rules.

[Rayne Cam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book about a father and son going to the market together, but the son feels that the father isn't being fair. The book was fine. There is a brief discussion about how things don't always go the way the child will want to and a funny "role reversal" at the end.

Ultimately, I didn't feel the book did enough to explain the "injustices" that the child was perceiving. The father in the book addresses the boy's unhappiness with "that's just the way it is" which is the same thing as saying "because I said so." The book could have been a wonderful opportunity to explain the reasoning behind why this dad is making these decisions which would have engaged the boy in the conversation.

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

When you are a kid, life often seems unfair. Adults get to make all the rules. They often win the games and don't give kids a lot of choices. In this book, Pablo, his dad, and their dog, Waffles, head off to the market to shop. They are riding bikes and dad suggests a race but Pablo immediately says No Fair because dad's bike is bigger. Dad is bigger. And Dad also doesn't have Waffles to look after. And so the morning proceeds with lots of incidents that Pablo deems are No Fair!
This could make a fun read-aloud at story time. And caregivers will no doubt be able to have some fun discussions after reading this one! I do recommend having some donuts on hand, though. Just big ones, please.

[TheRetiredSchoolLibrarian |Mrs. Ferraris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brief summary: Pablo and his father get on their bikes while their dog, Waffles, runs aside them. It's Market Day, and Pablo wants a donut, but it is allowed once all the shopping is finished. As Pablo tries to help, he finds that everything he picks out is too big. He protests, "Not fair!" Will he realize with the help of his dad that not all things are fair?

This book could be a shared read-aloud with the father's voice in black ink and the son's in red.

Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2

[Tina Hoggatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, I was full on Team Pablo when Dad refused to be more fair, but when Dad explained that the older you get the more things become unfair, I felt more kindly toward him. Then when he got the small donut and had to carry ALL the groceries I felt things balance out. I loved the moment of reflection when Pablo realizes that things for his dog are not always fair either. Sweet, bold illustrations by the author.

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book as an adult reader for the AR Diamond Award. The story overall was ok. I think the dad needed to do a little more explaining to help the little boy understand. At the end, I truly wonder if the little boy showed actual growth or if it was still just a lack of understanding. Who knows? Overall, it was an ok read about what it really means to be "fair" with everything. The illustrations are very similar in style to the Grant "Bear" books.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good one from Jacob Grant. This time Pablo and his (single?) dad race to the market. The kid points out that lots of things aren't fair when you're a kid. Dad empathizes, but also tells Pablo that when you grow up you realize lots of things aren't fair. But you can work to make it right. Finally they each get donuts, and dad gives Pablo the biggest one - Pablo shares with Waffles the dog, and they think that IS fair.

[Miss Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good one from Jacob Grant. This time Pablo and his (single?) dad race to the market. The kid points out that lots of things aren't fair when you're a kid. Dad empathizes, but also tells Pablo that when you grow up you realize lots of things aren't fair. But you can work to make it right. Finally they each get donuts, and dad gives Pablo the biggest one - Pablo shares with Waffles the dog, and they think that IS fair.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is cute. A little boy is out for the day with his father and think things are not fair. It is his constant bratty refrain. Dad is trying to show that things are fair you just don’t perceive them that way. Overall I like the book I just wish there was a reason or that dad could explain why things appear unfair instead of just leaving it that you’re the kid, I’m the adult. The book does work, but I think it could be better.

[Elizabeth S · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not sure the intended message was clear. The kid says things are unfair. And they do seem unfair. I would have thought that the message would be to help kids see that there are reasons why the parent says things. Reasons that aren't just "because I said so."

The payoff at the end was cute, but, again, seems to give the kid the wrong message. Namely, that the parent is responsible for carrying everything.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pablo and his father are off to the market for shopping, but all Pablo is thinking is having a donut. Pablo's dad tells him donuts come later, after shopping. Pablo feels it isn't. This father/son tale is about learning what is and isn't fair. Hopefully Pablo will learn this valuable lesson, that his father is trying to instill in him.

[Kelly]

Yeah, I didn't really like this one. For one thing, there is a lot that's unfair in being a kid, and the dad being like, well my life is unfair, too, just isn't going to resonate with his kid. This parent needs the book Yes Day! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal.

[Sheri · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story about fairness between father and son. Being small is not always fair. Cute story where the father and child talk about fairness and at the end the child turns things around so Dad thinks it's not fair.

[Ms. B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being a kid can be tough. In Pablo's mind, almost everything about Market Day with Dad is 'No Fair!' If you are looking for a mentor text about fairness or dealing with setbacks, take a look at this one.

[Lynn Hardesty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good one to help littles learn about fairness. I enjoyed it.

[Kimberly Wright Oelkers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the twisty ending!

[AnnieM · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good message on fairness. Another book with alternating text color for partner reading.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story 4
Illustrations 4

[SamSamSam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to agree with another reviewer that the concept of fairness wasn't really adequately explored here. If I was Pablo, I would also be upset. Dad absolutely DUNKING on Pablo took me out, though.

[Robin · Rating 2 out of 5]

A kid is hung up on everything being "fair". He's not mature enough to see the bigger picture, the reasons behind his perception and understand why life may not appear to be fair.

[The Loco Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes. Kids really need this life skill!

[Stephanie Sapp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Story told with shared voices. Loved the ending!

[D'Anne Mosby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don’t ever feel like things aren’t fair? Pablo feels like that all the time. But Dad tries to show him how when things don’t feel fair, we can still make them right.

[Lupe · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a good introduction to fair vs. equal. I plan to share with my classes who tend to complain that things "aren't fair," when they really mean they dislike the outcome.

[Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

2024 Texas 2x2

[Ms. Madalyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

SUCH a good resource for caregivers to explain the concept of "fairness" to kids, just too long for storytime.

[Heather Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A boy must come to terms with being small and dealing with daily struggles alongside his (very patient) father. Cute illustrations.