TRUCKS ZOOMING BY

A second-generation truck lover indulges in a favorite pursuit.

“It’s time to get up now. / We’re ready to load. / Goodbye to the city. / Hello to the road!” A ponytailed kid climbs aboard their parents’ truck to accompany them on a haul. Along the way, a plethora of fellow vehicular travelers catch the narrator’s eye: fire engines, trailers, flatbeds, and more. Finally the delivery is made (mom and dad trade off driving, which makes for a nice touch), and the protagonist is left to dream of having a truck of their own someday. Backmatter includes two pages of different types of trucks accompanied by additional information. While young enthusiasts who devour all things truck related will be appeased, there is not much to distinguish this book from the scads already on the market. The rhymes are unexciting (“A trucker will haul things / A very short way / Or far across country / In one single day”), and there is the occasional odd illustration choice, as in the image of two Dalmatians sticking their heads up into the air from the body of a fire engine. Dad presents white while mom and child have a slightly darker skin tone.

Ten-four, good buddy; there are plenty of trucks to ogle, but unless you’re a fanatic, just drive on by.