THINGS THAT GO
From the Little Kids First Board Book series
by Ruth A. Musgrave
Sturdy pages and large pictures should be a hit for toddlers on the go.
The cover photo of a red sports car promises excitement. Inside, stock photos of readily recognized vehicles invite youngsters to imagine themselves in the drivers’ seats. (Drivers, when shown, wear appropriate safety gear.) Each double-page spread includes a picture of one vehicle; most are on just one page, but the fire engine, passenger train, helicopter, and single-engine airplane pictures span their spreads. Choosing just 11 vehicles to represent all “things that go” leads to some rather specific choices: a double-decker bus, a snowmobile, and hot air balloon. The likelihood of a young child seeing a logging truck is slim outside of logging country, though other types of “tractor trailers” crowd highways all over. The name of each vehicle is printed in contrasting type within one descriptive sentence: “The motorcycle roars down the road.” Another factoid is highlighted in a yellow dot: “Wheels roll to make things go. Motorcycles have two wheels.” Snarky asides (“I never tire”) in white speech bubbles may keep the attention of adult readers but will only distract toddlers. Little kids won’t get the jokes, nor will they sit still for the four-question quiz on the final spread.
Attractive and generally useful but quickly parked on the bookshelf. (Numbered pages) (Board book. 1-4)