THE DUMPED TRUCK

So much dirt everywhere!

A filthy yellow dump truck named (naturally) Dump adores “dirty work,” as well as “fixing things and cleaning up dirt.” Unfortunately for the citizens of Toyville, Dump’s dirty work has led to some unpleasant—and smelly—situations. He dumps a heap of dust on Giggly, a teddy bear with brawny tattooed arms who wears a frilly pink tutu, and he gets garbage all over Bark, a gray mechanical dog. Fed up, the toys create some new rules: “no working with dirt or grime or muck, and no—NOT AT ALL—no dirty dump trucks!” With Dump forbidden from doing his job, the trash in Toyville piles up, and soon the residents are at their wits’ end. Eventually, everyone declares the rules to be more harmful than good, and Dump resumes his work, much to everyone’s appreciation. Bernstrom and Pura Belpré Illustrator Award winner Verdad have created a vibrant, humorous world where everyone has a place. Bernstrom’s propulsive, rhyming text scans well, making this a clever and natural choice for a read-aloud. Verdad’s charmingly childlike acrylic, paper, and digital collage art, with its pastel palette peeking through the dingy greens and browns of Dump’s path, features modern toys with expressive faces and body language, making for a lively tale that will draw young readers in.

Delightful, community-minded, and, above all, great fun.