WITH ANY LUCK I'LL DRIVE A TRUCK
by David Friend ; illustrated by Michael Rex
A delightful ode to trucks goes above and beyond the usual churning, wrecking, and pounding.
Cheery rhyming text declares from the first page, “At 2, when I could reach the seat, / I taught myself to make concrete.” And we’re off! Accompanied by a pig, turtle, and penguin, a small, hard-hatted white child recounts driving just about every truck, machine, and tractor imaginable. From backhoes to snowplows, the child and faithful animal crew are in every cab or assisting on the ground. All the favorites are here (bulldozer, dump truck, 18-wheeler, etc.), with some mechanical monsters lauded less often in books of this sort (hay baler, combine harvester, earthmover, etc.). By the end, the trucks are revealed to be mere toys, but a flash-forward to the future shows, “When I grow up…you know wassup. / With any luck, I’ll drive a truck.” Friend’s rhymes produce a one-of-a-kind mighty litany of machines. These words pair neatly with Rex’s art; his cartoonish style renders each vehicle with a meticulousness that will meet the approval of even the strictest vehicle enthusiast.
Lucky indeed are the kids who get to indulge in this splendid little wish-fulfillment daydream.
(Picture book. 2-5)