OFF GO THEIR ENGINES, OFF GO THEIR LIGHTS

Milusich combines colors and vehicles and turns the resulting mixture into a volume perfect for bedtime. As the sun sets in the city, a yellow taxi picks up a fare. On its journey, it passes other city vehicles. A red pumper truck has helped put out the fire in the corner store. Its job is done: “Off goes its engine. Click. Off go its lights.” A brown delivery truck, a green dump truck, a black-and-white police car, a blue ice-cream truck end their days, and finally it is time for the taxi to head for its own rest in the parking lot. Repetitive phrases will involve younger children but will also set the stage for somnolence as they say goodnight to each vehicle. Gordon’s poster-like artwork, reminiscent of Donald Crews’s, is full of realistic details, depicting the workers doing their jobs and where their vehicles go at night. Expressive headlight-eyes and radiator-mouths tie into the story line and allow readers to see the vehicles going to sleep. Click. (Picture book. 2-6)