A reminder that when life’s moving too fast, it’s OK to step on the brakes and rein yourself in.
Can a fast truck slow down?
One day, speedy Turbo is the only truck left in the lot, and brown-skinned Rosa, the supervisor, needs him for a special job: carrying fragile cargo. Before he leaves, Rosa reminds him he can’t make any fancy moves on the road, like zigging, zagging, bouncing, or sliding. Turbo ZOOMS out…but then remembers to s-l-o-w down. During the journey, he takes it easy and can’t believe other vehicles are actually passing him. But Turbo’s unhurried pace turns out to be a good thing, for it allows a duck family to amble across the road. Another positive of leisureliness? For the first time, Turbo notices fresh country air and beautiful scenery. Finally, Turbo moves downhill toward his final destination—the park—with his very precious load still perfectly, deliciously intact. This cute story reassures kids that controlling impulses isn’t as hard as it might seem—plus it offers noticeable benefits and immediate rewards. Readers will relate to cute Turbo, who’s an expressive, vulnerable stand-in for little ones who often find it hard to slow down. All-capped onomatopoeic words, incorporated into the colorful, lively digital artwork, enliven the proceedings. Background human characters are racially diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A reminder that when life’s moving too fast, it’s OK to step on the brakes and rein yourself in. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Oct. 24, 2023
ISBN: 9780063288935
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2023
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
Birdsong began her career as a teacher, and the book will find repeated use in the classroom.
A multicultural girl-power manifesto featuring a feisty young girl who faces her day as a knight on an epic quest.
The unnamed narrator puts on her “armor” (a rainbow sweater) and fills her “treasure chest” (a backpack). Venturing forth to “explore new worlds,” she drives back “dragons” (neighborhood dogs on their walk), boards the “many-headed serpent” (her school bus, with schoolmates’ heads protruding from every window), and visits “the Mountain of Knowledge” (the school library) to “solve the mysteries of the unknown.” After standing up for her beliefs—by joining a classmate sitting alone in the cafeteria—the young girl returns home to rest in the lap of an older female relative, possibly a grandparent/primary caregiver, to prepare for the next day, when she can be “fierce again.” Birdsong’s repeated refrain—“I will be fierce!”—underlines the unambiguous message of this sassy picture book, and Chanani’s bold and energetic illustrations reinforce the text’s punchy, feminist-y declarations. They depict a joyously multiracial environment, consciously tackling stereotypes with an elderly, white, female bus driver and a groovy, Asian-presenting librarian with a green streak in her hair. The fierce protagonist herself has brown skin and fluffy, dark brown hair, and her caregiver also has brown skin.
Birdsong began her career as a teacher, and the book will find repeated use in the classroom. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 23, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-250-29508-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: March 2, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2019
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