November 1, 2007
PreS-Gr 1-In this colorful picture book, Tom loads his truck with fresh fruit and vegetables and travels across the country to deliver them to the city. Along the way, he and his dog drive by farms, up mountains and down valleys, through tunnels, and over bridges. They stop for gas and food, get bogged down in traffic, and meet other trucker friends. The simple text is printed in a large block font that is just right for beginning readers. But it's the bright, bold illustrations that will really capture children's attention. The pictures are loaded with details that kids will love to pore over, but are not so cluttered as to be overwhelming. Tom's easy-to-spot 18-wheeler is depicted along with an array of trucks and cars, all of which are listed at the back of the book with an invitation for youngsters to look over the pages again to locate each vehicle. Clearly drawn gouache paintings are enhanced with meticulously cut photos to add texture and character to the scenes. Fans of Richard Scarry's books will enjoy this offering, and it will keep the "I spy" set occupied for hours."Martha Simpson, Stratford Library Association, CT"
Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
November 1, 2007
Tom travels in his big red rig to a farm to pick up fresh produce. After loading up, he takes off along crowded highways until he reaches the busy city, where he delivershis load to the big-city super deli. After a relaxing dinner at his favorite diner, hebeds down in his cozy cab to rest up for another day. To encourage children to go back and notice detailsthey might havemissed on the first pass, a double-page spread shows 47 different vehiclestofind in the story.Using anaivestyle with an occasional inserted photocopied image, Wellington has created a comfortable environment in bright, primary colors, with all sorts of vehicles, delightful details, and cheery, childlike, smiling figures. The uncomplicated text and carefully designed pages make this accessible to children of different levels of comprehension, and the many things to look at will bring them back for many return trips.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)