From Publishers Weekly
"In the feel-good tradition of The Little Engine That Could and Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, another obsolete vehicle makes the grade," said PW. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 1-The seasonal activities of a '40s-style black truck are chronicled: rolling past the schoolhouse; carrying bushels of tomatoes or a load of fat pumpkins; hauling a Christmas tree. After repeating the cycle many times, the heavily used vehicle finally wears out and is towed far away and abandoned. As it deteriorates, birds use string from its seats to build nests and rabbits live under it. Many years later, a young man finds it and, thinking that it looks like his grandfather's pickup, rebuilds and refurbishes it. Loaded again with apples and other things, the little black truck rolls to the country fair and home again sporting blue ribbons. Short refrains of truck sounds punctuate the simple, repetitive text and add auditory interest for young children, e.g., "Beepedy beep/ Chug chug/Perka perka/Pop pop/ Stop." The large, impressionistic, full-color illustrations have the soft, sculptural shapes and rounded use of line reminiscent of Chris Van Allsburg's work. Changes in perspective also add interest, and the palette of greens, golds, and rusts effectively serves as a backdrop for the black vehicle. Similar in plot to Virginia Lee Burton's The Little House (Houghton, 1978), but without quite the same emotional impact.
Cynthia K. Richey, Mt. Lebanon Public Library, Pittsburgh, PACopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
