ON THE ROAD

A chunky board book with layered, die-cut pages showcases various types of vehicles.

Each page is shaped like a different vehicle, arranged from smallest to largest, so that readers can see the front ends of all the vehicles and their drivers before even opening the volume. Featured vehicles include a motorcycle, taxi, police car, minivan, truck, bus, and firetruck, all brightly colored and driven by grinning, big-eyed animal characters. Each double-page spread includes the sound made by the vehicle and a brief sentence. Though it departs from the pattern in a couple of cases, for the most part the text describes what the vehicle does. For example, “Honk! Honk! The truck brings fruits and vegetables to the market.” While the recto pages depict the vehicles, the verso pages extend the scenes a bit, presenting for instance, in the case of the truck, some market vendors and their wares. Companion title Heads and Tails, also written by Deny but illustrated by Peggy Nille, is very similar, presenting readers with a layered collection of animal faces in profile that are turned one by one to read the story. In both titles, the text comes across as a little stilted and strange, but the engaging illustrations and the smart design of the volumes make up for that.

Toddlers will enjoy exploring vehicles and animals in this sturdy, cleverly designed volume and its companion.