Funny · Heartwarming · Made for Reading Aloud
Picture Books That Give Legends a Day Job
What happens when a dragon needs a paycheck? The New Jobs for Mythical Characters series imagines beloved legends punching the clock — with laugh-out-loud results for kids and the grown-ups reading over their shoulders.
New Jobs for Mythical Characters
Choose a Picture Book
Browse square, rhyming picture books by David Michaels and choose which legendary character should try a new career first.
Yes, you’re in the right place. I’m Michael D. Young — you may know me from A Wonderful Week for a Quest — and when I write picture books, I go by David Michaels. Same brain, same jokes, smaller page count. These books are made for reading aloud: quick enough for bedtime, funny enough that you won’t dread the fourth re-read.
The New Jobs for Mythical Characters Series
Every legend has a resume. In this series, mythical characters trade their old gigs for surprising new careers — and discover that talents built for epic adventures work just as well in everyday life. Each book stands alone, so start anywhere. Collect them all and you’ve got a whole mythical job fair.
New!
The Tooth Fairy’s New Job
She’s collected a million teeth without waking a single sleeper. But when the Tooth Fairy decides it’s time for a career change, she discovers that not every job comes with wings, a wand, and a pillow full of quarters. Can the world’s quietest professional find work that’s the right fit?
Cupid’s New Job
Matchmaking is exhausting when you’re the only one with the arrows. So Cupid hangs up his bow and tries something new — only to learn that some talents follow you to every job. It turns out spreading a little love is harder to quit than he thought.
Santa Claus’s New Job
What does the world’s most famous one-night-a-year worker do with the other 364? Santa is ready to find out. But when your old job involved flying reindeer and global gift logistics, the want ads start to look a little… small.
The Easter Bunny’s New Job
Hiding eggs is an art. Hiding from your old job is harder. When the Easter Bunny hops into a brand-new line of work, he finds that basket-carrying, egg-decorating skills show up in the most unexpected places — whether he wants them to or not.
The Leprechaun’s New Job
Guarding a pot of gold sounds glamorous until you’ve done it for a few hundred years. This leprechaun is ready to trade rainbows for a resume — but good luck (the thing he’s famous for) has a funny way of complicating a fresh start.
Made for Story Time
🎭 Read-aloud funny.
Written by a performer with twenty years of stage time — these books have rhythm, comic timing, and voices begging to be done badly by Dad.
❤️ Heart under the humor.
Every mythical career change carries a gentle message about trying new things, finding your talents, and belonging.
📚 Safe for every shelf.
Family-friendly from cover to cover, like everything else with my name (either of them) on it.
Who Is David Michaels?
David Michaels is the picture-book pen name of Michael D. Young — author of the comedic fantasy series A Wonderful Week for a Quest, seventeen(ish) produced musicals, and a shelf of devotionals. He’s spent two decades singing with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, which is excellent training for writing books meant to be performed out loud. He lives in Utah, where the mythical characters are mostly well-employed.
Free to Read · Newsletter Optional
A Free Fantasy Story for the Grown-Ups
Download Sir George and Count Drake as a free PDF—no purchase or email signup required. On the story page, you can also join Michael’s Reader Newsletter for occasional release news, picture-book updates, behind-the-scenes notes, and future free stories.
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For Older Readers
Ready to graduate from picture books? Start the seven-book comedy quest →
Michael D. Young 