THE OLD BLUE PICKUP TRUCK

This quaint, sweet offering presents the simple story of a father and daughter running errands together in their blue pickup truck. The daughter describes their visits to such places as the nursery, the hardware store and a farm where they pick up plants, building supplies and a pig. In the daughter’s mind, these purchases transform the old blue pickup into, among other things, a garden, a toolshed and a farm. As father and daughter make their way home, it begins to rain. They cover the bed with a plastic tablecloth, and by the time they get home the sun has come back out. The tireless pair decides to do some planting, build a house for the pig and, finally, polish up their trusty truck. Mattheson’s oil-on–primed paper illustrations—characterized by clean lines, bright colors, plenty of open space and somewhat stylized figures—add to the old-fashioned feel of the text. A positive portrayal of a father/daughter relationship sure to be popular where demand for truck books is high—and where is it not? (Picture book. 3-7)