Readers will surely enjoy a few visits to this construction site.
Fascinated by its big machines, Sam spends his days peering into a construction site.
The young lad wonders whether he’ll ever get his hands on the steamroller and the cement truck, wondering longingly, “What if I could drive those machines?” Each time the construction workers eat lunch, the boss tasks Sam with two big responsibilities: he must stay at the gate and prevent anyone from entering the site and call the police if anyone does. During lunchtime one day, two older kids tease Sam and convince him to enter the construction site just as a suspicious car with shadowy occupants passes nearby. “All right,” says Sam. “I’ll go in, but then you must call the police.” Through a strong union of words and pictures, Veldkamp and Hoogstad construct an understated, slyly subtle narrative full of joy and charm. Once Sam enters the construction site, he sets off a string of seemingly bewildering actions. He flattens the mysterious car, pours concrete in front of the local bank, and uses the crane to lift up the police car on its way. The illustrations—figures and machinery constructed with smooth, rounded lines and brush strokes of color—contrast nicely against white backdrops. Here the book’s tall portrait orientation provides ample space for Sam’s antics, which put an end to a bank robbery. Sam, it turns out, is a hero. All the characters, robbers included, in this Dutch import are white.
Readers will surely enjoy a few visits to this construction site. (Picture book. 3-8)Pub Date: April 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-935954-49-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Lemniscaat USA
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2016
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
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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