Thunder Trucks

July 22, 2019
In the capable, imaginative hands of Klein and Beebe, an ordinary evening thunderstorm is transformed into a boisterous collaboration of construction vehicles—“Thunder Trucks.” As a child with a truck blanket settles in for bed, a group of charming trucks get to work on a storm just outside. Bulldozer pushes clouds into thunderheads and Crane stacks them up; Tanker creates the rain, and Dump Truck, “filled to the brink,” brings plentiful hail. But it’s Fire Truck that really steals the show, with hoses that “bubble and spray” and beacons that shoot lightning. In a grand finale, Big Rig arrives hauling thunder, which the vehicles cheerily divvy up and release with riotous, booming glee. Boldt renders the group as a smiling, bright, friendly bunch that laughs while rumbling through the night (“THUNDER TRUCKS LOUD! THUNDER TRUCKS STRONG! THUNDER TRUCKS THUNDERING ALL NIGHT LONG!”). Back matter discusses the science behind thunderstorms. Ages 3–5.

June 1, 2019
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)

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September 27, 2019

PreS-Gr 1-Klein and Beebe present a clever explanation for thunderstorms in their truck-themed picture book. One evening, six thunder trucks begin to create a storm in the sky. Bulldozer and Crane move the clouds and the wind of the storm while Tanker Trunk and Fire Truck work together to make it rain. Dump Truck unloads hailstones from the sky and Fire Truck then creates lightning with his lights and sirens. Lastly, Big Rig arrives, rolling in thunder for the trucks to share, and the thunder trucks rumble loudly together. Once the storm is over, the trucks gather up the hail, rain, and clouds, and then disperse until next time. After the conclusion, an accurate explanation of storms is given, providing a bit of science for curious young readers. Children will enjoy the rollicking rhymes, unique premise, and expansive, bold illustrations of this entertaining picture book. Boldt's artwork is charming and appealing, including the bright, cartoonlike trucks, which are evenly split between male trucks and female vehicles. Because of its eye-catching, cheerful illustrations and upbeat, boisterous rhymes, this is also appropriate for group-sharing during a truck- or weather-themed storytime. VERDICT Sure to be a thunderous hit with truck and weather fans alike. Recommended.-Laura J. Giunta, Garden City Public Library, NY

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