A HOLE IN THE ROAD

Wood’s latest will be a hit with the construction enthusiasts, but her point of view keeps readers at an uncomfortable distance. When a hole is discovered in the road, workers come with a drill to break up the road around it, preparing the way for a new surface. From there, the trucks take over much of the work of hammering, digging up the hole and scooping up the debris, filling the hole with stones and asphalt, smoothing it out and finally sweeping it. Youngsters will learn the names of the different construction trucks as well as the jobs they do, but they never even get a gander at the hole that caused all the trouble in the first place: Wood’s perspective is from the side, Donald Crews–like, limiting the view of readers. Nevertheless, the brilliantly colored and very detailed images of the construction vehicles are sure to please. The busy workers and watchers (of many colors and ages and both genders) will keep young readers intent on scanning the artwork for details. (Picture book. 3-6)