20 BIG TRUCKS IN THE MIDDLE OF CHRISTMAS

Two children count and name the trucks that bring Christmas festivities to the center of their town.

First, there is the doughnut truck, which parks on the road while the children sled nearby. Next come a snowplow and a sander, clearing the road as the children look on. Then comes an enormous evergreen tree on a long flatbed. A digger makes the hole, and a crane lifts the tree to place it in the hole. More and more trucks arrive, bringing decorations, ladders, a band, a Christmas village, a generator, Christmas llamas, and more. When the star (carried aloft by the boom truck) falls to the ground, the children offer a creative solution to top the tree. After the Christmas scene is complete, “friends and families” sing and dance and enjoy doughnuts and cocoa together. The text rhymes lightly, with a rhythm that is not as catchy as it could be but effectively carries readers through the story and includes the trucks’ names and numbers for a satisfying counting and pointing experience. The clean-lined illustrations have a flat feel, but the winter activities and the proportions of people, trucks, and tree invite interest in the scenes. The two children are White, and there is some diversity among the townspeople; notably, Santa, from afar, appears browner than most.

Ideal for truck lovers seeking a holiday fix.