John Carillo is the custodian at Dublin Elementary School. He does many things that keep the building and classrooms running smoothly. “Mr. Carillo knew about wiring and pipes and windows and lights. He was the man who had to keep all the parts of the building working in tip-top condition . . . even the parts that were old and tired.” Mr. Carillo has dubbed third graders Gracie and Zach Sibberson the Early Birds. The two children arrive early each morning because their mom is a teacher at the school. They often help Mr. Carillo on his before-school cleaning rounds. It is while going from classroom to classroom, noticing the many nice words that teachers write on student work, that Gracie gets the idea for a very special surprise for Mr. Carillo—a way for the whole school to show him how much his hard work is appreciated. Full-page oil paintings by Adam Gustavson illustrate Louise Borden’s warm, richly detailed, immensely satisfying story. (Ages 5–8)