Review by Booklist Review
Here's an engaging homage to the truck-stop community that serves long- and short-haul drivers. Told from the point of view of a boy whose parents and uncle run the diner and repair shop, the narration is simple but offers enough well-chosen descriptors to make children feel the tires rumbling, see the bright lights, and smell breakfast cooking. The family's day begins before sunup as they prepare breakfast and open shop for the regulars who come rolling in: Eighteen-Wheeler, Milk Tank and Maisie, Pete and Priscilla's Tow Truck a diverse group who orders coffee, eggs, sausages and pancakes (they resemble their breakfast dishes). But Green Gus, the old pickup, is missing. As the boy rides Big Yellow Bus to school, he spots Green Gus broken down on the side of the road and knows just who can help. Colorful multimedia paintings capture the warmth and camaraderie. This slice of Americana is just right for little truckers, who will also enjoy poring over endpapers illustrated with a variety of trucks.--McDermott, Jeanne Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-K-A boy describes a morning at his family's truck stop. He and his parents get up early and prepare for customers who have breakfast at the diner. Uncle Marty turns on the lights in the garage. All the regulars start arriving, including Maisie, who drives a milk tank, and Dan, who drives a moving van. Everyone has a "usual" order, like sausage and pancakes with lots of syrup. But the man who drives a green pickup is missing, and no one has seen him. Soon the Big Yellow Bus comes by and, on the way to school, the narrator spots Green Gus by the side of the road. The boy asks the bus driver to call the truck stop, and he knows that Pete and Priscilla's Tow Truck will come by, that Uncle Marty will fix the problem, and that the driver will have bacon and eggs sunny side up. Tomorrow the morning routine will play out all over again. The simple text and mixed-media illustrations tell the story well, and the endpapers display 16 different kinds of vehicles.This book will be a hit with youngsters who love trucks.-Ieva Bates, Ann Arbor District Library, MI (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
"Yes! We are OPEN" proclaims this book's cover. Once inside, readers get a behind-the-scenes tour of a truck stop run by the young narrator's family. Work starts before sunrise, and the dark-hued illustrations, lit with headlight beams of passing trucks, bring the early hour to life. "Another good morning has come!" pipes the chipper narration as the child describes, in easy-to-read text, the truck stop's workings. It serves fresh-squeezed orange juice and hot breakfast, and there is a gas station as well. Steady traffic from the regulars includes a diverse cast of drivers and many different vehicles: an eighteen-wheeler, a milk tank, a moving van, a tow truck, and the boy's school bus. Some tension is introduced when one regular doesn't show up ("Where is Green Gus?"), but the narrator saves the day by being an observant, quick-thinking problem solver. Rockwell's straightforward, high-energy text keeps this tribute to trucks and truck stops appealing for even the youngest truck fans. Iwai's mixed-media collage art uses texture, bright colors, and a variety of perspectives to draw readers in. Endpapers show the many types of vehicles that visit the truck stop. julie roach (c) Copyright 2013. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A day in the life of a truck stop as told by its youngest worker, whose love for the place is very clear. A little boy and his parents start out before the sun is up to go to work at their busy truck stop beside the highway. The routine of their day will soothe readers: They prep the food, Uncle Marty opens the garage, and they wait for the regulars to make an appearance. "I love how they come rumbling their wheels, / and with air brakes whooshing." Sam and Eighteen-Wheeler are first. Uncle Marty checks tires while Mom puts in Sam's usual order. It's coffee and doughnuts for Maisie, who drives Milk Tank. Then come Diligent Dan's Moving Van and Digger riding on Flatbed. But where is Green Gus, the old pickup? Once Pete and Priscilla arrive in their Tow Truck, it's time for the boy to board Big Yellow Bus. Along the way, he spies Green Gus. Pete and Priscilla come to the rescue, and Uncle Marty gets to work. The trucks and drivers go their separate ways, but only until tomorrow. Iwai's mixed-media collage illustrations invite readers into the scenes with their bright colors and interesting textures. While a truck stop is a business, the text and artwork together spin a web around the boy and his family that make it seem quite homey, complete with good friends and good food. For truck lovers everywhere. (Picture book. 2-6)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
