Good Guy Jake/Buen Chico Jake

K-Gr 2—A flawed primer on protections offered by labor unions. Jake, a dedicated and kind sanitation worker, collects discarded toys along his trash route, and he repairs and donates them to local shelters. When a disgruntled driver complains that Jake was blocking traffic while gathering toys, he is fired for violating his employer's policy against taking items from the trash. Seeking to appeal his dismissal, Jake receives help from his union representatives, who arrange an arbitration hearing. Parallel English and Spanish text offer a concise introduction to an unfamiliar aspect of union protections, but grammatical inconsistencies make various details unclear. Jake is described as working for "a city sanitation company," which implies a private business, but a latter part of the book refers to Jake as a "public employee." The informational aspect of the narrative is further offset by a sentimental plot, a switch in tone that blurs the line between fact and fiction. A set of questions to accompany the story are included as back matter, but no additional resources or clarifications are offered for readers to further explore labor unions and their roles.