DJ Funkyfoot Butler For Hire!, madcap chapter book for ages 8 and up

Oh DJ Funkyfoot, get out of my dreams and get into my car. DJ Funkyfoot Butler For Hire! Is a book that our nine-year-old really needed at this time. This is a book that’s a member of The Flytrap Files, which is in itself, a character and series of books created by Tom Angleberger. Inspector Flytrap was the series that started it all, which spun off Didi Dodo Future Spy and now DJ Funkyfoot. I take the first sentence that started all of this back and now invite all three of them to get into my car. Butler For Hire! is madcap silliness that some kids will flock to read and others, like the reluctant reader kind, will love to read.

The last part to that previous sentence is what will interest some educators, librarians, or parents. Kids: do not be alarmed that I just called out those people. DJ Funkyfoot, Butler For Hire! is your book, that sentence was just to let them know that this is a book that they should seek out and place in your way so that you can discover it. Now, back to the book review.

Our nine-year-old is a reluctant reader. His eleven-year-old brother is not. When he read Didi Dodo a couple of years ago we talked about the characters and how silly they were. DJ Fukyfoot is set in the same universe as that book. Venus Flytraps are inspectors, a dodo bird is solving crimes, baking cookies and in this book, a chihuahua is a butler who is often mistaken for a world-famous DJ because of his name.

At the time, we tried to get our then second-grade student to read Didi Dodo, but he wasn’t game. He’s a reluctant reader, don’t try to tell him anything because you’re most likely incorrect and he knows everything. When DJ Funkyfoot, Butler For Hire! arrived we kept it in our office because the nine-year-old wants what the nine-year-old wants.

One night when he was delaying bedtime he sauntered into the office, looking for conversation, trouble, or a book, whichever came first. Thankfully for everyone involved, he found DJ Funkyfoot, Butler For Hire! and said “oooh, this looks good, can I read it?”.  Suppressing our innermost grin we said “sure”, without looking up from our computer monitor. He took the book and slinked off to his bedroom.

I knew DJ Funkyfoot had laid its literary claws in him when I didn’t see the bedtime bandit again, so I went into his room. He was looking at the pictures, reading some words, and laughing. “Whatcha doing”, I asked in my best impersonation of Isabella to this erstwhile reader. He didn’t say anything, so I figured he wanted to read the book aloud, which he did.

He read a chapter or two a night until he finished the book. The vocabulary in Butler For Hire! is on par for him and there were only a couple of words, mainly silly names, that he needed assistance with. After reading a chapter we’d talk about what happened, describe the characters, and laugh about it. Of course, I was prodding for comprehension, but in his mind, I was just being silly and living in the world of The Flytrap Files.  

From the title, one would guess that it’s a fun book that’s appropriate for middle elementary school readers and up. Just say it, DJ Funkyfoot: Butler For Hire! and you’re probably smiling from ear to ear. Now, let your elementary-aged reader dig into the book and they’ll be making a genuine effort to read it, even if they’re the reluctant reader kind of kid.

DJ Funkyfoot: Butler For Hire! is by Tom Angelberger with illustrations by Heather Fox and available on Amulet Books, an imprint of Abrams Books.

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