In short, pithy poems, Lillegard handily distills the essences of 34 different things that go. Verses celebrate kid-powered contraptions like the skateboard and red wagon, as well as an agreeably wide array of the engine-driven machines that fascinate preschoolers. Most poems are sprightly quatrains with predictable rhymes, such as “Airplane”: “Up in the air / the metal bird sings, / Look at me. / I’ve got wings!” The two slightly longer entries, “Pickup Truck” and “Freight Train,” scan less well, presenting minor challenges when read aloud. Gorbachev’s full-bleed watercolor-and-ink illustrations are sure to captivate young children. Reminiscent of Richard Scarry’s kid-appealing spreads, double-page scenes teem with a bright mix of busy, anthropomorphized animals, clearly drawn vehicles and funny details for children and grown-ups to discover together. Commendably, every creature on wheels, whether mouse, bunny or goat, sports a helmet, with cutouts for ears as appropriate. Well-fueled fun. (Picture book/poetry. 3-6)
