Good Morning, Snowplow!

August 1, 2018
In winter, as the farms and town go to sleep, the snowplow driver is just waking up.Night is falling, and so is the snow. Readers say goodnight to the town but not the snowplow driver and his dog. The driver prepares the snowplow and checks all the parts; then he drops the plow blade and turns on his lights to begin his night of work. Following the route of a snowplow, readers see the ins and outs of driving in snow. As the sun begins to rise, the roads are clear, and it is time for the driver to sleep. In rhyming couplets, Bruss introduces readers to the vocabulary of snowplows and driving in the snow. The text is written in the second person, speaking to the driver and the snowplow and encouraging them on through the night. The illustrations are beautifully made with multiple media, creating different textures that both pop and add depth. Strong lines describe the town, vehicles, and people, but the snow is made to look soft and fluffy. Delicate and detailed snowflakes are stamped over the images to create the effect of snow falling. This book shines light on a lesser-known occupation and gives recognition to the hard work done to keep our roads clear and safe in the snow. The snowplow driver has brown skin and straight, black hair.A great addition to any big-machines collection. (Picture book. 3-6)

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September 17, 2018
“Snow keeps falling fast and deep./ Miles to plow before you sleep.” A snowplow, its driver, and his dog set to work during a nighttime storm in this meditative rhyming story by Bruss (Book! Book! Book!). When the rest of the town says goodnight, the snowplow’s driver puts on the chains, starts the engine, and tests the lights, signals, and brakes. With the plow’s hopper filled with salt and sand, the team makes its rounds amid whiteout conditions, complete with a car spinout. Bruss’s simple seven-syllable couplets depict the nuts and bolts of plowing while emphasizing the solitary aspects of the work: “Lonely plowing all night long./ Tune the dial and sing a song.” Similarly, the illustrators (A Poem for Peter) use deep-hued artwork—created using acrylic paint, colored pencil, pen, and collage—to evoke the storm’s hush and swirl, as well as the bright sparkle as the sun rises on a snow day for delighted kids. Ages up to 3.

October 1, 2018

PreS-Gr 1-The painterly illustrations by Fancher and Johnson are the real star in this rhyming ode to the lone trucks working into the wee hours of many blustery nights. The rhythmic narrative follows a snow plow driver (and his dog) as he says goodnight to his neighborhood and gets ready for an oncoming storm. He picks up his salt, tests his rig, and plows into the blizzard. "Sno keeps falling fast and deep./Miles to plow before you sleep./Pay attention. What's ahead?/Take no chances. Stop instead." The man rescues a stranded driver, watches a midnight train blow snow from the tracks, and returns home just as everyone else is waking up. VERDICT A quietly heroic choice, perfect for preschool winter units and for construction truck lovers everywhere.-Jenna Boles, Greene County Public Library, Beavercreek, OH

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