THE A+ CUSTODIAN

John Carillo is the custodian at Dublin Elementary and has been for many years—children can always hear the jingle of his keys. He can fix anything and solve everything as Borden enthusiastically describes. The third-grade twins Gracie and Zach get to school early, because their mom is the fifth-grade teacher, and they become Mr. Carillo’s helpers. He calls them the “Early Birds.” Gracie wants to find a way to show Mr. Carillo how important he is to the school and enlists first her brother and parents, then the principal, and finally the whole school in her idea. Richly colored oil paintings show archetypal school halls and byways: Mr. Carillo has a gorgeous mustache and a flannel shirt; Gracie and Zach wear their hair in dreads and cornrows. A nifty slice-of-school that children will recognize—and a terrific paean to the often-unsung heroes of upkeep and repair. (Picture book. 5-8)