Employee Handbook

A parent would reach for this book when their child is feeling stifled by rigid structures or needs a playful outlet to decompress from school rules. It is an ideal choice for the student who finds traditional chapter books intimidating but loves visual storytelling and irreverent humor. Based on the Regular Show television series, the book presents itself as a formal employee handbook created by the high-strung manager, Benson, which has been hilariously hijacked and vandalized by his laid-back employees. While the framing device is a workplace manual, the heart of the book is about the tension between responsibility and creative expression. It validates a child's desire to find fun in mundane tasks and encourages them to look at rules through a critical, albeit silly, lens. The format is highly accessible, featuring short bursts of text, doodles, and handwritten notes that make it a low-pressure read for children ages 7 to 11. It is a celebration of friendship and the unique personalities that make up a community, even a chaotic one.