KIRKUS REVIEW
More traffic on the crowded board-book highway.
A digger and dump truck share a double-page spread, followed by “recovery truck” (a flatbed tow truck), fire engine, and recycling truck. An introductory spread attempts to explain all the features of the book: color-coded, textured trails, each with a string of tiny trucks to keep readers oriented, to follow with a finger, shapes to find and identify, and a peek-through hole that foreshadows what will be on the next page. (When the page is turned, the peek-through hole reveals an unrelated item from the previous spread, either a helicopter or a bird). The vocabulary is more complex than in most board books. Key words are printed in boldface, and directional words are highlighted along each track. A likely destination for each truck is pictured and described in a smaller font at the end of each finger trail. A typical truck sound is introduced for each vehicle, though only the “wooh! wooh!” of the fire engine is readily identified with its particular truck. The final page reviews the vehicles and repeats their trails and destinations. For older toddlers who are beginning to enjoy books independently, all this activity may keep them engaged. Younger tots will be overwhelmed and confused.
Purchase only if all your other truck books are always out on the road. (Board book. 2-4)
