PLANES GO!
by Steve Light ; illustrated by Steve Light
Eight flying machines whoosh across Light’s extra-wide board-book pages.
“The seaplane goes, GGRRRRRRRRRRRRR Putt Putt Putt SSSPLAAASHH! // The helicopter goes, PITTATATTATA PITTATATTATA PITTATATTATA.” Readers continue their onomatopoeic journey via jumbo jet, propeller plane, fighter plane and, despite the title, a couple of contraptions that aren’t exactly planes, such as a blimp. Light’s gestural watercolors in bold colors against white backgrounds capture the planes clearly in profile, but as in Trains Go, Trucks Go and Diggers Go, the blocky type in a rainbow of colors animating the expressive text is what propels readers forward. Would-be readers will probably want to give the book a test flight before sharing it with little ones due to the multiple consonants and vowels. While the reference may be a little dated, the inclusion of the space shuttle provides a welcome change in the playful text as well as the book’s orientation: “The space shuttle goes... 3 2 1 LIFT-OFF!”
High-flying fun.
(Board book. 6 mos.-2)