Amelia Jenkins

It’s intermission at the hockey game, and players stumble to their benches over rough ice. Enter the “ice-shaving, snow-eating” Zamboni to smooth out the rink. But time is short, and this machine works slowly—can the (anthropomorphized) Zamboni finish the task in time? The action begins on the title page and verso, as the loud-mouthed announcer bemoans the condition of the ice, setting the stage for Zamboni’s heroics. As Zamboni so eloquently—and calmly—states, “Even if you know how a bumblebee flies or a spider spins her web, it’s still magic.” There really is something mesmerizing about watching a Zamboni smooth out the ruts in a rink, and Jim McMullan both captures this marvel and demystifies the process by which the machine works in a sequence of cutaway shots. The bright orange top half of the Zamboni contrasts nicely with the cool blue of the ice; text color and style vary by spread (and Zamboni’s mood). Fans of the McMullans’ previous books (including I Stink!, rev. 5/02, and I’m Big!, rev. 9/10) will enjoy the machine’s familiar bravado, which is tempered by an amusing dose of nonchalance. Kate McMullan sprinkles wordplay and humorous banter throughout the text (announcer: “Zamboni Machine, ya move like a turtle. Look