A stirring defense of a child’s right to like—and read—what they like.
A boy’s love of tractors knows no bounds.
Little, bespectacled Frankie McGee proudly informs readers in rhyming verse that instead of the park, Frankie and Mom are bound for the library, which is presided over by blue-haired Miss Squid. To Mom’s chagrin, Frankie has eyes only for yet another tractor book, and her child is only too happy to enumerate their charms. As Frankie does, Løvlie presents drivers in a diverse range of races and genders, all gunning their tractors through mud or up steep hills. When Mom tries diverting Frankie’s attention to alternative modes of transportation, Frankie is uninterested. Her protestations are quashed by Miss Squid, who assures Frankie, “Well, you know yourself best. / When you want something different, just come and find me. / A kid who likes books is a nice thing to see.” As Frankie tells Mom, “I like books—that’s what matters. Not what they’re about.” Caregivers of similarly tunnel-visioned offspring will identify closely with Mom’s objections to more of the same, and those children will be happy to receive Miss Squid’s support. For fellow tractor lovers, Frankie’s systematic explanation of everything from their interchangeable parts to their brands will legitimize their love. Løvlie’s art exemplifies a halcyon world of tractors coupled with an idyllic children’s library filled with nooks, bright light, and a loving librarian. Characters present White. (This book was reviewed digitally with 9.5-by-19-inch double-page spreads viewed at 33.5% of actual size.)
A stirring defense of a child’s right to like—and read—what they like. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-06-301918-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 24, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
While there are many rhyming truck books out there, this stands out for being a collection of poems.
Rhyming poems introduce children to anthropomorphized trucks of all sorts, as well as the jobs that they do.
Adorable multiethnic children are the drivers of these 16 trucks—from construction equipment to city trucks, rescue vehicles and a semi—easily standing in for readers, a point made very clear on the final spread. Varying rhyme schemes and poem lengths help keep readers’ attention. For the most part, the rhymes and rhythms work, as in this, from “Cement Mixer”: “No time to wait; / he can’t sit still. / He has to beg your pardon. / For if he dawdles on the way, / his slushy load will harden.” Slonim’s trucks each sport an expressive pair of eyes, but the anthropomorphism stops there, at least in the pictures—Vestergaard sometimes takes it too far, as in “Bulldozer”: “He’s not a bully, either, / although he’s big and tough. / He waits his turn, plays well with friends, / and pushes just enough.” A few trucks’ jobs get short shrift, to mixed effect: “Skid-Steer Loader” focuses on how this truck moves without the typical steering wheel, but “Semi” runs with a royalty analogy and fails to truly impart any knowledge. The acrylic-and-charcoal artwork, set against white backgrounds, keeps the focus on the trucks and the jobs they are doing.
While there are many rhyming truck books out there, this stands out for being a collection of poems. (Picture book/poetry. 3-6)Pub Date: Aug. 27, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-7636-5078-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 28, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An uplifting tale that will especially resonate with truck mavens.
In this follow-up to Trash Truck (2020), two good pals keep on truckin’.
Donny, a raccoon, and Walter, a bear, are besties who do everything together, from taking care of dental hygiene (hilariously, Donny brushes using a tree branch, while Walter flosses with a bootlace) to savoring a light dumpster breakfast to taking a bit of exercise (such as running from a swarm of angry bees after Walter steals their honey). “Clever and crafty” Donny and Walter are into subterfuge: To trick a vendor into selling them ice cream, Walter dons an overcoat, and Donny, sporting a fedora, rides atop the bear’s shoulders. Life’s good—except these two have no one to play with. Jump rope’s no fun; if each of them holds one end of the rope, no one can jump. Seesawing is unequally balanced, weight-wise. They don’t have much luck searching for friends, but, ever optimistic, they continue looking. Then, when least expected, two great buddies literally pick them up: It’s Trash Truck and young, blond, pale-skinned Hank! And what adventures follow! Donny and Walter can now jump rope, and the “disguised” ice cream buyers now order four cones. Whether or not readers are already familiar with Trash Truck and Hank from the previous book, they’re in for sprightly fun; the cartoony color illustrations, featuring endearing characters, are filled with giggle-worthy sight gags. Background humans are diverse.
An uplifting tale that will especially resonate with truck mavens. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9780063349414
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2024
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