Wheetle A little wagon with a big heart

A red wagon whose handle resem- bles an eager, openhearted face, Wheetle loves being relied on by his insect neighbors, albeit possibly to a fault. Each day, he transports everything from "pungent dirt" to bushy ferns, no matter how challenging the journey. As Derby (Oh, Panda) surveys Wheetle's busy week with a calendar inset, readers will note that the upcoming Saturday is specially marked--perhaps the selfless protagonist is claiming some well-deserved me time? But as he hauls a last-minute load of mud pies, a back tire that has been squeaking all week, finally pops, stranding him in the forest. For a moment, the ever-helpful Wheetle is without help himself, until scads of neighbors materialize to push him toward "his favorite thing in the whole world." After the event, Wheetle seems to find some balance--he "still helped carry things.... But some days, he didn't." As the character both cares for others and finds insects to lean on, mixed-media illustrations immerse audiences in a landscape, awash with radiant colors, that's populated by a host of eclectic, demanding, and ultimately reliable bugs. Will the protagonist win over young readers, whether he's lugging logs or sporting spiffy pajamas? You bet your little red wagon. Ages 3--6. Agent: Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary. (Apr.)

A determined young vehicle learns a lesson in self-care. Wheetle, a cheerful red anthropomorphized wagon whose handle resembles a face, greets the day with vim and vigor, ready to help out the other residents of the forest, all the while looking forward to "his favorite morning of the year," circled on his calendar. He carries "slimy things and fragile things…along the roughest road, up…and down the big hill," despite the presence of a squeaky wheel that gets progressively worse as the week goes on. When the circled date arrives, Wheetle enthusiastically starts his journey, only for his wheel to break while he's assisting yet another friend. Thankfully, those he has helped along the way band together to carry him up the hill "just in time to see all the suns come up." Caldecott Honor--winner Derby explores the fine line between being selfless and being taken advantage of; children and adults alike will readily relate. Her mixed-media collage art relies on warm yellows, oranges, blues, and purples to glorious effect, depicting a world that readers will easily lose themselves in. Wheetle himself is utterly expressive, his frustration, disappointment, and, at last, unabashed happiness coming through clearly. Derby's text has a pleasing rhythm and contains charming details, from the many items Wheetle ferries to the "bottle-cap bow tie" he dons before setting out on that special day. An empathetic, gorgeously wrought look at striking a balance between helping others and setting healthy boundaries.(Picture book. 4-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.