Children's Books with Trucks

Title: I Stink!

Author: Kate McMullan; Illustrated by Jim McMullan

Publisher: Joanna Cotler Books

ISBN: 9780060298487

Obtained: Library copy

Why this book?:

I chose it because it looked like a book my youngest nephew (2yo) would enjoy.

Comments:

When I first opened this to start reading, I looked at the first page, decided it wasn't what I hoped and put it back.  But then the kiddos were visiting and the nephew I had originally had in mind when checking it out wanted it read.  It turned out to be rather entertaining with sound effects and lots of attitude.  Not one of my favorites, but he enjoyed it.  And I suppose it was informative with vocab and terms.

A video clip can be found here.

Title: What Can a Crane Pick Up?

Author: Rebecca Kai Dotlich (Resume); Illustrated by Mike Lowery

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf

ISBN: 9780375967269

Obtained: Library copy

Why this book?: It looked like a book my youngest nephew would enjoy.

Comments:

A very cute book with rhymes.  I don't remember it as well now that I'm writing this, but I know I enjoyed reading it to my nephew, and that it was fun to read aloud.  Definitely an imaginative book.  What kinds of things do you think a crane might pick up?  

Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site

Title: Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site

Author: Sherri Duskey Rinker; Illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld

Publisher: Chronicle Books

Series: Untitled Transportation Series, Bk 1

ISBN: 9780811877824

Obtained: Library copy

Why this book:

I saw it on Amazon and it looked and sounded like something I'd want to try with the kiddos.

Trailer:



Comments:

I read this to my youngest nephew (2yo).  It was cuter than I expected, and is a great bedtime book.  As I read it each machine started off loud and busy and ended up quiet and peaceful at the close of day.  I don't know how else to explain this but it seemed perfect for calming hyped up children.  Especially for those, like my nephew, who have a special interest in anything cars/trucks/planes/trains...

No wonder this was a bestseller, and I look forward to reading Steam Train, Dream Train.

Children's books are a piling up...

Shark VS. Train by Chris Barton; Illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld (library copy)

I picked this with my youngest nephew in mind (he LOVES trains), even though I figured the story was a bit older.  Basically two boys get into their toy box.  One pulls out Shark.  The other pulls out train.  And shark and train have at it.  Who wins when they're selling lemonade?  Or trick-or-treating?  It goes back and forth including finding some things that both shark and train are bad at.  It ends when it's time for lunch...until next time, that is.  Best one line - Shark: "I'm gonna choo-choo you up and spit you out."  lol!

If All the Animals Came Inside by Eric Pinder; Illustrated by Marc Brown (library copy)

I picked this because it looked fun.  I thought it might be like another book - one I absolutely love - called A Bear for Breakfast by Jennifer King.

Anyway, it did turn out to be fun with a nice rhythm for reading aloud, as well as including some vocabulary, rhyming, and onomatopoeia.  Plus it has bright colorful illustrations.

Something of note: the rhinos were watching TV.  Guess what they were watching?  Arthur.  Why is this important?  The illustrator for this book, Marc Brown, is the author/illustrator for the Arthur series.

hello! hello! by Mathew Cordell (library copy)

I was seeing this everywhere on the blogosphere.  And everyone had nothing but praise.  So I requested my library purchase it and waited patiently while continuing to see recommendation after recommendation.  After ALL THAT HYPE I did not, unfortunately, fall in love with it the way everyone else did.  Don't get me wrong.  It was cute and all.  The animals all following Lydia in her burst of discovery were great.  Especially the whale in the sky and the dinosaurs.  And I appreciated the message.  I think it was more one of those cases where your expectations get built so HIGH that the book can hardly meet them.

If a Monkey Jumps Onto Your School Bus by Jean M. Cochran; Illustrated by Jennifer E. Morris (library copy)

I picked this because I thought it'd make a bus ride sound fun.  That is, my 5yo nephew has been having issues with not wanting to ride the bus and not wanting to go to preschool.  I thought, well, maybe this might make a bus ride more appealing.

Turns out the monkey on the school bus is just one page, but that's okay.  It was still a nice bouncy sort of read.  I didn't end up reading it to my nephew though (read it to my niece instead), so I didn't get to test my theory.

There Was a Tree by Rachel Isadora (library copy)

This is that song.  I obsessed over the tune to that song for half my shift, trying to remember it and now as I blog this it's stuck in my head.  But you know the song (maybe?).

"There was a tree in the hole, and a hole in the ground, and the green grass grew all around, all around, and the green grass grew all around."

Anyway, this is that song with pictures filled in for words (and a rebus key afterwards), lovely illustrations, and the song (complete with notes and whatnot) at the end.

Finishing up 2012 with some Children's Books, Part 1

Title: Bedtime is Canceled

Author: Cece Meng; Illustrated by Aurélie Neyret

Publisher: Clarion Books

ISBN: 9780547636689

Obtained: Library copy

Comments:

As soon as I saw the title on Wowbrary, I knew I had to read this.  The story did not disappoint.  First, the concept is such a fun idea.  What happens when bedtime is canceled?  Second, the flow of the writing was wonderful.

And, of course, the illustrations went well with the book.  You could see how everybody felt about this new bit of news.  I especially enjoyed seeing how mischievous Maggie looked, and whenever his parents were looking at him, Maggie's brother had the perfect look of false innocence.

Title: My Race Car

Author: Ace Landers; Illustrated by David A. White

Publisher: Scholastic / Cartwheel Books

ISBN: 9780545436465

Obtained: Library copy

Comments:

This is a shiny board book in the shape of a race car with the window/top of the car acting as a handle).  I had to check it out for my youngest nephew (1 almost 2 yr) who has a special fondness for various modes f transportation.  With the repetition, rhyme, and brevity, the book was easy for him to sit and listen.  Then he spent extra time looking at the flashy cover and other illustrations.

Title: Never, EVER Shout in a Zoo

Author: Karma Wilson; Illustrated by Doug Cushman

Publisher: Little, Brown, and Company

ISBN: 0316985643

Obtained: Library copy

Comments:

I loved this book, it's such fun to read as you're told why you should:

Never, EVER shout in a zoo...
because if you do...
anything might happen.
And don't say I didn't warn you.

The story is very cause and effect.  You shout, you scare the bear.  Only then you're told how this isn't just any bear, because it's giant.  And not only giant, but grouchy.  And I'm having trouble not just typing up the story for you, which would be plagiarism, so I'll stop.  But you see the vocab in there?  And there's even better vocab as you go along - you may know (if you've read any of my past posts on children's books) that I especially appreciate books that emphasize vocab.

But beyond that it's just so much fun.  I enjoyed reading it aloud to the kiddos; I got to be very dramatic while doing so.  And the book was humorous (for me at least) all the way through to the last illustration.

Title: The Shelf Elf

Author: Jackie Mims Hopkins; Illustrated by Rebecca McKillip Thornburgh

Publisher: Upstart Books

Series: Shelf Elf, Bk 1

ISBN: 1932146164

Obtained: Library copy

Comments:

I couldn't help but think, as I read this that we certainly don't have any of these elves at my library (currently under construction and, as you can imagine, very dusty).  The little quips from Scoob's book about library manners and book care were cute and put me in the mind of the Spiderwick Chronicles.  The first one, about shelf markers, intrigued me because I honestly didn't know anything about them.  In all my years as a library patron (school, academic, and public libraries), library school, and currently working at a library, I somehow managed to miss this idea.  I found the description of what a shelf marker's purpose is enlightening.  Other things of note include:

One page asks the reader to identify three books put back incorrectly.  My 3 (nearly 4) yo niece had trouble with this, but I assume an older child wouldn't.

The tip about keeping books away from little ones and dogs that chew was amusing.  The books I've seen come in that obviously weren't kept away from babies and dogs are numerous.

The librarian's name is Paige Turner. (lol!)

There's a list of things to search for at the end (right up the kiddos alley).  Suddenly the interesting (but unlikely) objects to be found among the books in all of the illustrations made sense.

Apparently there's a follow-up book, titled The Shelf Elf Helps Out, that I may get around to checking out at some point.