A refreshing and fun reimagining of the traditional board-book format.
This board book puts readers behind the steering wheel of a fire truck on the way to an emergency.
When closed, the book forms a semicircle with the binding as the straight edge; opening it to the first page reveals two cutout handles on either side of what is now a circular book. With gauges and controls across the bottom, the perspective allows readers to imagine they are holding the steering wheel and driving a fire truck. The first page shows the rising garage door, and the subsequent pages have the truck approaching billowing smoke that comes into view ever closer and clearer. The rhyming text includes commands that urge readers to “push” the buttons on the steering wheel. For example, “Park the truck, extend the ladder” encourages readers to touch the yellow ladder control. The novelty of the perspective is thrilling fun for toddlers. Following the directions in the text, including which way to turn, helps bring the story to life. The illustrations are simple and bold, with added touches that highlight certain focal points such as yellow lightning bolts coming from the crackling radio. There are only a few pages where firefighters are shown, but the characters depicted vary in gender and racial presentation. Companion title Drive the Race Car puts readers into a high-speed race, complete with a pit stop and a checkered-flag win.
A refreshing and fun reimagining of the traditional board-book format. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: March 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-4521-7885-1
Page Count: 14
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: March 30, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2021
The commercial angle may earn sales, but the train may be running out of steam.
Licensed Disney characters and hidden items galore await discovery on the latest fold-out train in this well received series.
Following the general track of previous entries, readers are invited to join Mickey Mouse on a quest for his hidden kite. Unfolding pages and lifting up large flaps on their way through the train, they are challenged to pick out significant details like green, red, sour, and sweet foods on a laden table in the dining car, zigzags and stripes on a blizzard of hair bows created in the lounge car by fellow passenger Minnie, and dozens of acorns scattered throughout by Chip and Dale, among others. A landscape on the back sides of the cars offers opportunities to count sheep and spot a few more surprises. Poring over each car’s crowded contents offers distractions and discoveries aplenty—but it’s hard not to notice that Kolb devotes more attention to the settings than to the Disney content. He depicts the cartoon cast members looking at each other or off into the distance rather than at viewers and Mickey, cast as the chatty narrator, with his mouth closed most of the time. The figures look posed rather than expressive…not exactly pasted in, but not really participating in the action either. The sense of disconnection extends to the narrative, in which all of the characters appearing here consistently get name checks except Huey, Dewey, and Louie.
The commercial angle may earn sales, but the train may be running out of steam. (Board book/novelty. 2-4)Pub Date: March 23, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-4197-5236-0
Page Count: 8
Publisher: Abrams Appleseed
Review Posted Online: May 4, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A delight for the youngest of truck aficionados. Go, dogs. Go!
Dogs and trucks and things that go.
Gentle rhyming text and simple words introduce child readers to a wide variety of vehicles, all driven by anthropomorphic dogs. “Tug truck. Tow truck. / Steady as you go, truck!” But from early on, readers will note things are amiss. The driver of a tow truck fails to notice that the car they’re moving is losing its parts. Garbage trucks hold up traffic. A truck carrying a wide load (an enormous bone) is bashing barriers. Then, in a two-page spread of catastrophe, chaos escalates, with trucks crushing cars or causing some other calamity. Fortunately, by the story’s end, problems are solved, and a new “Fun Bark” has opened. It’s refreshing to see that, unlike a large swath of truck books, particularly those guided by animals, this one dares to dive deep into a magnificent fiasco. And for those adults that will be subjected to this book regularly, hidden details may make repeated viewings easier (example: The supervisor about to be buried in dirt on one page shows up later, still on the phone but covered in muck). The cast of characters remains consistent throughout, with some given eyelashes, presumably to indicate females. All told, these dogs will give young readers something to howl about.
A delight for the youngest of truck aficionados. Go, dogs. Go! (Picture book. 2-4)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-68263-302-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: June 1, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
