Construction site Merry and bright

Toddler-PreS--Our friends from the ever popular "Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site" series are back, and this time they are ready to spread some Christmas cheer. Flatbed, Excavator, and Crane each have an important part in preparing everyone's favorite construction site for the Christmas holiday. Each vehicle appears on a sturdy lift-the-flap page that reveals their part in the festivities. Rhyming texts makes for an energetic experience that will appeal to all young children, especially those who love trucks and construction and who have enjoyed the previous installments. "Crane truck dips his boom to look/ then lifts up something on his hook/ holds it high for all to see/ it's a giant Christmas tree." The illustrations and color palette change slightly with each passing page, mirroring the changing hues of early morning through a late night. The winter wonderland is beautifully illustrated at the end and carefully construes the main message, that as important as the decorations may seem, being together is the best part of all. VERDICT Recommended for general purchase, as your construction-loving young readers will delight in this book all year long.--Kristen Todd-Wurm, Middle Country P.L., NY

In their second holiday-themed outing (Construction Site on Christmas Night, rev. 11/18), the hard-working Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site trucks celebrate in a lift-the-flap book. The rhyming text is full of good cheer, and the richly colored wax oil crayon illustrations feature the smiling trucks decked out festively. On Christmas Eve, the gang gets busy decorating the job site, "each one...planning something great!" Six flaps (one on nearly every spread) reveal the surprises: e.g., with Crane Truck's help, Flat Bed's "load of Christmas cheer" is shown to include (under a flap) "a GIANT Christmas tree." Deliveries of a star, wreath, and presents follow; Cement Mixer and Skid Steer add the final twinkling touches. Rinker and Ford's winning formula captures "TRUE Christmas cheer": "a time to gather, give, and share -- / a season filled with love and care." Kitty Flynn November/December 2021 p.26(c) Copyright 2021. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.