Drive

Starred review from January 14, 2008
Clement makes a noteworthy picture book debut with this day-in-the-life story of a trucker, as told through the eyes and succinct words of his young son. Aficionados of the truck genre won’t find any big surprises here in terms of the shape of the story—Daddy is a skilled, unfailingly polite and conscientious driver. “Daddy’s on time,” notes the boy after his father is shown taking a coffee break at a truck stop, “because there is more work to do,” and while Daddy is up before dawn, he makes it back home in time to play a sunset game of backyard ball. It’s Clement’s visual storytelling that sets this book apart, and gives many of the images all the power of a six-cylinder, 16.1-liter diesel engine. Working in big, streamlined shapes; flat, bright colors; and shiny, airbrushed-like surfaces, he evokes a deco-esque world where the combustion engine reigns supreme and humans and trucks are closely related species. Unusual and often cinematic perspectives—a thigh-high view of Daddy gripping the gear shift, a bumper’s-eye view of a traffic jam—plunge readers into the action and give the compositions a red-blooded energy. Some kids may still find the pictures a bit chilly, especially as the face of Daddy and other people are never seen. But most will take one look at his awesome truck, his strong hands and his beefy physique, and see all the makings of a hero. Ages 2-8.

March 1, 2008
PreS-Gr 1-A boy describes what his father does all day as he drives a large red rig. The stark graphic-style art features glossy, candy-apple red for the truck and bold black and gray shades for the road and tires. Even though the minimal text expresses the warm, loving sentiment of a father and child playing at the end of the day, the strong angular lines in the illustrations leave viewers with a cold, detached feel. The text is printed in a large, clear font, with simple declarative sentences that will encourage youngsters to read for themselves. Supplemental fare where additional vehicle picture books are needed."Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA"

Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2008
In this large-format picture book, a boydescribes what his father, a truck driver, does all day. Waking up at 4 a.m., the man looks in on his sleeping son before he leaves for work. After his trailer is loaded, he drives his big rig down the highway, stops for lunch, makes his deliveries, refuels, and heads for home to play catch with his son. Graphically more sophisticated than most books on trucks, the artwork features clean lines, even shading, and strong compositions. People are most often shown as shadowy figures, their faces unreadable or even cropped out of the compositions. The double-page pictures illustrate brief sentences and phrases, leaving plenty of space for talking about details in the pictures. Recommended for the many young children intrigued by trucks, this picture book offers large illustrations of a powerful red truck hauling two different trailers as well as a chance to ride along with the driver for a day.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)