Kirkus Reviews QR Code
SUNNY'S TOW TRUCK SAVES THE DAY! by Anne Marie Pace

SUNNY'S TOW TRUCK SAVES THE DAY!

by Anne Marie Pace ; illustrated by Christopher Lee

Pub Date: March 5th, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4197-3191-4
Publisher: Abrams Appleseed

A family is just setting out on a family picnic when, wouldn’t you know it? Their plans are foiled by a flat tire!

So they call for a tow and wait for help to arrive, and they wait, and they wait, and they wait. It is going to take a little while; it is a busy day for everyone. When Sunny’s Towing finally comes to the rescue, repairs are made, and they are back on the road—only to find out their picnic lunch is long gone. It’s Sunny’s tow truck to the rescue again! Rhyming text makes this engaging story a quick and easy read-aloud to share with preschoolers: “Pack the cooler! / Picnic day! / Nine o’clock. / We’re on our way.” Those children who love cars, trucks, and things that move will find many details to pore over in this book, which is full of many different types of motor vehicles. Lee’s digital illustrations are bold and colorful; with their sharp edges and simplified faces, they have a commercial look, but by depicting the characters as multicultural, they add depth. The picnicking family is interracial, with a white-presenting mom and a dad and children with brown skin; Sunny is a woman of color. Delightfully, the family passes over Rick’s and Harry’s and chooses the only obviously woman-owned towing business available.

A likable little story that will be a hit at storytimes.

(Picture book. 3-6)