These trucks are just the ticket to chase away storm-generated nerves.
A major nighttime storm begins in a cloud-filled sky, with a group of sky-rolling trucks behind this rumbling, thundering event.
A young child just going to bed hears a grumbling, tumbling sound outside the window and imagines the noise is triggered by different work trucks. Bulldozer and Crane Truck stack the clouds high, Tanker Truck brings the rain, Fire Truck and its hoses splatter the raindrops, Dump Truck pours down hail stones, and finally Big Rig hauls “THUNDER with a BOOM BOOM BOOM!” Revving their motors, the trucks divide the thunder among themselves, doing their jobs to fill the sky with noise as the storm comes crashing down. “THUNDER TRUCKS LOUD! / THUNDER TRUCKS STRONG! / THUNDER TRUCKS THUNDERING ALL NIGHT LONG!” Once the storm settles down, the trucks line up and roll away. A satisfied child settles in for the night while toy trucks stand at attention atop the dresser. A jaunty, animated, rhyming text takes listeners through the various stages of a storm while an addendum provides basic scientific explanations of each phase. An added delight is that female trucks are equal partners in the affair, with nary an eyelash in sight on any of the digitally rendered, smiling trucks, done in primary colors that pop against the midnight blues of a dark, turbulent sky. The child presents black.
These trucks are just the ticket to chase away storm-generated nerves. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 10, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-368-02460-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: May 7, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2019
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
Fun times, fond friends, and a festive farmyard setting—little ones will be charmed.
Beep! Beep! Beep! Toad and Little Blue Truck get ready for a hayride.
After the titular vehicle is loaded with hay, Toad is nowhere to be found. “Beep! Beep! Beep! Where are you, Toad?” asks Little Blue Truck. All the barnyard animals look for him. Sheep searches the meadow. Goose and Duck check the pond. Others pitch in, too, but Toad seems to have disappeared…until Hen hears snoring coming from the pile of hay in the back of Little Blue Truck. Although the text’s scansion is imperfect in places (adults may want to pre-read to ensure a smooth read-aloud), the bouncy meter and rhyming text nevertheless capture the energy of the search and the farmyard community’s concern for Toad’s safety, making this a solid storytime choice. Eye-catching illustrations with rich, fully saturated colors balance the right level of detail while still highlighting the animal that is the focus of each verse. By introducing one farm animal at a time, Schertle also helps the youngest readers begin to identify barnyard animals by name and understand their unique farm homes. Traditional animal sounds are part of the text, and listeners will add them to their vocabulary. It all ends with the promised hayride, bringing the tale to a joyous ending.
Fun times, fond friends, and a festive farmyard setting—little ones will be charmed. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 18, 2026
ISBN: 9780063436121
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 20, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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