Little Blue Truck Leads the Way

September 14, 2009
This sequel to Little Blue Truck
brings the rustic pickup truck to a busy cityscape where Little Blue is dwarfed by towering yet cozy buildings and jostled by the frantic pace of traffic (“Swish! Swash! Swoosh! went a big street sweeper, hollering 'Hey! Better move, little beeper!' ”). But Blue's diplomacy keeps things running smoothly: “You might be fast and I might be slow, but one at a time is the way to go.” It's in the fusion of the old-fashioned with the modern-eclectic—one man in the crowd listens to an iPod—that the book's artistry shines. Ages 3–7.

October 1, 2009
PreS-Gr 1-Little Blue Truck rides in rhyme again, this time carrying crates of lettuce to a metropolitan market. His bug-eyed headlights show appreciation for the city views, as well as discomfort when the faster-paced vehicles harass him. From a double-decker bus to the mayor's limousine, traffic irritably jams into a crunch intensified by the limo engine's demise. The portly, gray-haired mayor uses Little Blue as a podium, instructing citizens to follow the truck's advice to travel "one at a time." The resulting courtesy creates a smooth flow, even when a marching band joins the line. Everyone cheers for the little truck, who leads the way with the mayor as his passenger. McElmurry's gouache scenes are spot-on. Simple compositions in calming indigo and cream in the country starkly contrast with the jam-packed city scenes where a crush of buildings barely shows the sky. The urbanites are a rich mix of ethnicity and purpose: coffee drinkers, construction workers, dog walkers, briefcase carriers, they all pound the pavement. The tale is a fine illustration for classes studying urban and rural settings, and the simple plot is a treat for even very young listeners."Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2009
Preschool In this sequel to Little Blue Truck (2008), a small pickup rolls into a city, and simple rhyme and bright, detailed gouache-and-watercolor spreads celebrate the towering buildings; fast, rushing traffic; and crowded streets. The packed pages are clear enough for young preschoolers to recognize both the aerial views of the traffic jams and the close-ups of all the vehicles: the big, swooshing street sweeper; the taxi with screeching brakes; the busy police car; the frowning bus. The angry traffic standoffs and the small trucks triumph will be welcome fuel for many preschoolers imaginative play.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2010
While visiting the city, Little Blue Truck lands in a traffic jam with a crowd of scowling, pushy vehicles. After Blue wisely admonishes them to go "one at a time," the mayor picks the little truck to lead everyone in a polite parade. The vehicles reform rather too quickly, but the sprightly rhyme is entertaining, as is the portrayal of the city, with its many-windowed skyscrapers.

(Copyright 2010 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)