Sure to please young truck lovers—and just the thing to get them eager for their own baths.
Hooray for trucks, bathtime, and fun rhyme and wordplay.
It’s hard to round up trucks for their time to literally and figuratively shine. When a brown-skinned human attempts to get them to line up, they don’t budge. “Trucks LIKE dirt and mud and sludge!” They finally cooperate after the human convinces them that getting clean is “an IMPORTANT chore” and “getting clean is ALSO work.” Let the bubbly bathtime and playful alliterative description begin (“Splash and spray, / slather and slosh, / dunk and swish— / wash, wash, WASH!”). Once the trucks are “rubbed and buffed,” it’s time to head out, with plenty of toots, beeps, and honks that will invite young listeners to join in. The trucks’ destination? A parade. A diverse crew of children are on hand to decorate the vehicles with banners, flowers, and balloons. Decorators and parade spectators include people who use wheelchairs and kids wearing headscarves. Truck lovers will appreciate the colorful variety of trucks, personified as hardworking community members complete with jaunty work hats and even a bow on one of them. Those using the book for a storytime will enjoy the lively rhyming couplets, some with a singable rhythm, and plentiful alliteration and onomatopoeia. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Sure to please young truck lovers—and just the thing to get them eager for their own baths. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-77147-467-2
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Owlkids Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 13, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2022
Count on construction die-hards falling in love, but discerning readers would be wise to look elsewhere for their...
Less ambitious than Chris Gall’s widely known Dinotrux (2009) and sequels, this British import systematically relegates each dinosaur/construction-equipment hybrid to its most logical job.
The title figures are introduced as bigger than both diggers and dinosaurs, and rhyming text and two construction-helmeted kids show just what these creatures are capable of. Each diggersaur has a specific job to do and a distinct sound effect. The dozersaurus moves rocks with a “SCRAAAAPE!!!” while the rollersaurus flattens lumps with a cheery “TOOT TOOT!!” Each diggersaur is numbered, with 12 in all, allowing this to be a counting book on the sly. As the diggersaurs (not all of which dig) perform jobs that regular construction equipment can do, albeit on a larger scale, there is no particular reason why any of them should have dinosaurlike looks other than just ’cause. Peppy computer art tries valiantly to attract attention away from the singularly unoriginal text. “Diggersaurs dig with bites so BIG, / each SCOOP creates a crater. // They’re TOUGH and STRONG / with necks so long— / they’re super EXCAVATORS!” Far more interesting are the two human characters, a white girl and a black boy, that flit about the pictures offering commentary and action. Much of the fun of the book can be found in trying to spot them on every two-page spread.
Count on construction die-hards falling in love, but discerning readers would be wise to look elsewhere for their dino/construction kicks. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: April 2, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-9848-4779-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Jan. 14, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A soothing, logical, and playful introduction to mindfulness for young listeners.
What can you do when things go wrong?
Two children contemplate different ways to calm themselves down in this straightforward introduction to breathing, relaxation, and mindfulness. The younger, White-presenting child follows suit when the older, brown-skinned child proposes imaginative calming techniques. They picture themselves as various animals (goldfish, elephants, dragons) and objects (pinwheels, dandelions, wind chimes, flowers), inhaling and exhaling, that make deep breathing and calming down concrete and easy to comprehend. Simplified, whimsical illustrations add a touch of humor and a wink to the 1970s while preventing the story from becoming cloying, as soft, gentle instructions help the characters (and listeners) to understand some of the mechanics behind how to intentionally breathe and decompress. While not necessarily something that children will pick up unless they are learning about practicing mindfulness, this informative title has charm and warmth and will give youngsters some ideas as to how to self-regulate and manage their feelings as they learn to be aware of their breathing. Endpapers feature a multiracial array of children’s faces expressing different emotions.
A soothing, logical, and playful introduction to mindfulness for young listeners. (author's note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: April 13, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-77164-637-6
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Greystone Kids
Review Posted Online: Jan. 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
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