The Bus Driver

December 3, 2012
Doodler, the pen name for artist Todd Harris Goldman, counts from one to 10 and back again, as a bus fills up with passengers and then drops them off at their destinations. The characters’ arrivals and departures unfold in lively rhymes, though the meter is all over the place (“Around the corner, three fireman were out of luck,/ stranded with a broken truck./ He picked up four boys covered in dirt,/ then five basketball players wearing their team shirt”). The crisp, brightly colored digital cartoons are attention-getting, and the bus shape of the book, with wheels protruding from the bottom edge, is a nice touch. Up to age 4.

This bus-shaped board book lets little ones count up to 10 and count down again as various passengers get on and off. One bus driver starts his route, and a multicultural cast, including two girls, three firemen, four boys and five basketball players, boards his double-decker bus in turn. The number of passengers increases cumulatively, up to eight dogs (each of which is plagued by nine fleas) and 10 teachers, filling the bus to capacity at the book's midsection. Now the passengers exit the bus in reverse order, creating a countdown. The virtually unnecessary text is written in stiff rhymes that don't scan, but Doodler's highly saturated, graphic cartoons are appealing. Even though he only depicts "firemen" and male basketball players, his doctors, nurses and teachers are gender-diverse. The boarding and disembarking of passengers makes for a satisfying and clear counting experience for youngsters. While an imperfect ride, it may still entice toddlers to take a round trip. (Board book. 2-4) COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.