Troto and the Trucks

March 23, 2015
Shulevitz (Dusk) tells an underdog story about a little green car that could. Troto—whose name presumably rhymes with auto—“liked to go places,” and one day he trundles past saguaros and boulders to the town of Cactusville. There he meets three oversize, unfriendly vehicles. A locomotive-shaped truck called Big Red taunts Troto, and the others follow suit: “ ‘It’s a bug on wheels,’ said Big Blue. ‘Careful, don’t step on it,’ said Big Yellow.” Troto challenges them to a race at high noon, through dusty Cactus Canyon, where one truck succumbs to a flat, another teeters off-balance, and the third catches its monster tires between rock walls. Victory enables Troto to “ off into the sunset, casting a big shadow.” Shulevitz’s closing-curtain reference to a Hollywood Western suggests missed opportunities for development. Cactusville resembles a clapboard ghost town, with a lone “gas saloon” marquee but nary a soul (or car) in sight, and Troto’s triumph yields nothing more than a “Congratulations!” from his foes. Self-propelled, competition-minded machines are popular fare in books and film alike, but this slight tale gives no motivation for its drama. Ages 3–6.

February 15, 2015
Slow and steady wins the race.Troto, a little green car that bears some resemblance to a tortoise, likes to drive to new places. When he comes upon Cactusville, which looks like an Old West ghost town, he encounters some big trucks that clearly haven't been told to pick on someone their own size. Troto speaks up for himself against their bullying and challenges them-not to a duel at high noon but to a race through Cactus Canyon. When the race begins, the three big trucks tear out ahead of Troto, but their haste leads to their downfalls, as Big Red pops a tire, Big Blue nearly tips over, and then Big Yellow gets stuck. Troto's steady driving allows him to triumph, and his success ultimately wins the others' respect. The closing page delivers the satisfying news that Troto "drove off into the sunset, casting a big shadow," with accompanying art that places the little green car high on the page to signal his elevated status. Throughout the picture book, such powerful artistic decisions add to the overall achievement of this deceptively simple tale, as Shulevitz proves his status as a contemporary master of the form and delivers a well-paced narrative with readable, engaging art and text. A winner. (Picture book. 2-6)

March 1, 2015

PreS-Gr 2-Troto, a cheerful little green car, arrives in the desert town of Cactusville, where three big bully trucks taunt him. He challenges them to a race at the canyon. Though the trucks are bigger and faster, Troto's size makes him far nimbler, and soon he is crossing the finish line. The trucks acknowledge that he is "quite a car," and Troto drives off into the sunset, happy and proud. Shulevitz crafts a simple yet satisfying tale with an appealing palette of desert hues offset by the bright vehicles. Though Troto earns their respect, it is his self-worth that remains the focus. VERDICT Vehicle fans will love this new car on the block.-Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, Carroll County Public Library, MD

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