ECO

An electric taxi’s quiet engine saves the day.

ECO, whose headlights are eyes and whose hood forms an expressive, smiling mouth, glides through the city with tan-skinned driver Charlie. By day they pick up passengers, and by night, ECO sleeps at the charging station. Other vehicles are loud and leave smoky trails of exhaust in their wake, but as Adamson’s playful rhymes make clear, “ECO’s motor is quiet. / It’s best for the city each day, / making no pollution, / where others work and play.” But one day ECO and Charlie unexpectedly find themselves in a traffic jam. A family of ducks can’t cross the road because the noise from the other vehicles is scaring them. As the other engines turn off, ECO swoops to the front of the line, leading the mother duck and her babies to safety. In Corrigan’s cheery artwork, ECO’s yellow sheen shines the brightest, but the surrounding details all have pleasantly rounded edges, creating a comforting warmth. The illustrator also dots the city with wildlife—both domestic and otherwise (sharp-eyed readers will even spot beehives on a rooftop). The townspeople are diverse, and an eco-friendly author’s note is appended.

A feel-good vehicle story that should also spark discussion on noise pollution.