Twenty Big Trucks in the Middle of the Street

May 6, 2013
An ice cream truck breaking down in “the middle of our street” is a dream come true for many a kid—not to mention the ensuing traffic jam that strands 20 trucks of every shape and purpose. But one boy has something bigger in mind than licking a cone or being a spectator: he wants to solve the problem. That takes some persistence, but he eventually wins over the crowd with a solution that’s literally right in front of them. Adult author Lee, making his children’s debut, seems a bit stuck himself, delineating the mostly easy-to-recognize vehicles (“A pickup truck is number 4/ A crane truck makes 5./ And here come more!”) rather than amplifying the mood so vividly established in Cyrus’s (The Voyage of Turtle Rex) generously scaled and cinematically composed street scenes. It’s his portrayal of the trucks as solid machines momentarily sidelined from their essential duties, along with the evocation of a neighborhood brought together by a benign “Didja ever...” moment, that makes the book feel inspired. It almost doesn’t need words at all. Ages 3–5. Illustrator’s agent: Michael Stearns, Upstart Crow Literary.

July 1, 2013

PreS-Gr 2-This counting book presents a traffic tie-up of the proportion that will delight young children, especially those with a passion for trucks. A broken-down ice-cream truck is all it takes to bring the action to a standstill. Each page features one type of vehicle in all its glory, and there's even an aerial view that shows the entire neighborhood immobilized by the jam. Bold digital illustrations are crisp and sufficiently detailed to please those who have already acquired some knowledge of the topic. The use of concentrated color and minimal white space will also appeal to young listeners, who will identify with the young hero who gets everyone out of the mess. His idea is to use the crane to lift all the other vehicles and send them on their way. Of course, the disabled ice-cream truck will have to remain-a perfect reward. Counting books in verse are plentiful, but this one stands out. The words roll off the tongue, a good thing, as children will demand to hear it again and again.-Gloria Koster, West School, New Canaan, CT

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from May 1, 2013
When an ice cream truck breaks down, a truck traffic jam ensues: the perfect attraction for the vehicle-obsessed in this captivating counting book. From cement mixer to garbage truck, the trucks pile up--and so does the crowd--as a young bicyclist names and numbers the vehicles in rhyming text. "I start to count each truck I see. / First 1, then 2, and now there are 3." The use of numerals in the text encourages number recognition and creates a matching game, while spelled numbers are used when appropriate. The yellow-helmeted boy weaves through the action until the solution is clear: the crane truck! His idea saves the day, and with traffic flowing once more, all ends on a deliciously sweet note. Digital illustrations done in a muted pastel palette present an amiable city block as Cyrus takes readers on a cinematic tour of the locale. His strength is in how he uses the boy's point of view to expand readers' understanding of the environment, allowing both character and readers to find an answer to the problem. Various perspectives capture the imagination, but the trucks are the real stars of the show. Truck-lovers will beg for repeat reads, with little ones "reading along" from memory. (Picture book. 3-5)

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