Trucks

ea. vol: illus. by author. unpaged. CIP. Crowell. May 1986. PSm $3.50; PLB $7.89. PreS-Gr 1 Simple books describing four distinct modes of transportation. In each volume, different types of each vehicle are presented (rowboats, tugboats, fireboats, etc.) as well as some of the usual scenes surrounding each (e.g., workers checking a passenger plane). Brightly colored illustrations outlined in heavy black convey a bold and simple first impression, yet they portray a good number of accurate details that preschoolers find so fascinating. The people shown are Barton's charming generic representations, differentiated largely by clothing, skin and hair color. The repetitive nature of the minimal text is choppy and results in some monotony, but such constructions do make the series valuable for beginning readers. Visual stand-outs in any toddler, preschool, or beginning reader collection. Linda Wicher, Lincolnwood Public Library, Ill. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Barton's transportation books--with their simple, direct texts and black-outlined, color-blocked pictures of various boats, planes, trains, and trucks--are now available in oversize board book editions. The sturdy books are ideal for those young vehicle enthusiasts whose exuberance might otherwise result in ripped pages. [Review covers these titles: Boats, Planes, Trains, and Trucks.] (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.