THE LITTLE SNOWPLOW

Despite skepticism from bigger vehicles, the small, new-kid-on-the-block snowplow works to stay fit, sure that he will be useful one day soon.

“On the Mighty Mountain Road Crew, the trucks came in one size: BIG. That is, until a new snowplow joined the crew. ‘You’re such a little snowplow,’ the big trucks said. ‘Leave the heavy lifting to us.’ And off they roared.” So begins the tale, accompanied by an appealing, full-color illustration of a shyly smiling little snowplow looking up at an array of larger trucks, all of them sporting comical, doubtful facial expressions. In spring, summer, and fall, the little snowplow performs tasks secondary to those of the big trucks, as in creating leaf piles when the bigger trucks mound “mountains of salt and sand.” His early-winter training includes such whimsical exercise as raising and lowering his plow: “Ten times. Fast!” His strength, speed—and, yes, his small size—eventually allow him to be a snowstorm hero. Will, the human road-crew foreman and snowplow driver, enters the story at an appropriate time, taking the little snowplow out for his inaugural blizzard. There is a pleasing combination of Little Toot and The Little Engine That Could to the book, in both text and illustrations. Droll humor and excellent layout add to the fun.

There’s always room for another well-told yarn espousing the themes of small-is-beautiful, hard work pays off, and, of course, “I think I can.” (Picture book. 3-6)