Digger, Dozer, Dumper (Vestergaard)
©2013 by David Slonim

FLOCA, Brian. Locomotive. illus. by author. 64p. diags. maps. notes. S & S/Atheneum/Richard Jackson Bks. Sept. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-4169-9415-2; ebook $12.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-8522-8. Gr 3-5–It all started with “a new road of rails/made for people to ride” where “covered wagons used to crawl.” Almost 150 years ago–just after the Civil War–the completion of the transcontinental railway radically changed both this country’s landscape and the opportunities of its people. The book traces the advent of cross-country train travel, focusing on an early trip from Omaha to Sacramento. As in Moonshot (2009) and Lightship (2007, both S & S), Floca proves himself masterful with words, art, and ideas. The book’s large format offers space for a robust story in a hefty package of information. Set in well-paced blank verse, the text begins with a quick sketch of “how this road was built” and moves abruptly to the passengers on the platform and the approaching train. The author smoothly integrates descriptions of the structure and mechanics of the locomotive, tasks of crew members, passing landscapes, and experiences of passengers. Simply sketched people and backgrounds, striking views of the locomotive, and broad scenes of unpopulated terrain are framed in small vignettes or sweep across the page. Though a bit technical in explaining engine parts, the travelogue scheme will read aloud nicely and also offers absorbing details for leisurely personal reading. Substantial introductory and concluding sections serve older readers. There’s also a detailed explanation of the author’s efforts and sources in exploring his subject. Train buffs and history fans of many ages will find much to savor in this gorgeously rendered and intelligent effort.–Margaret Bush, Simmons College, Boston

PINKNEY, Andrea Davis. Martin & Mahalia: His Words, Her Song. illus. by Brian Pinkney. 40p. chron. discography. further reading. Little, Brown. Aug. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-316-07013-3. LC 2012005499. Gr 2-4–As in Sit-In (Little, Brown, 2010), the Pinkneys present important figures and a pivotal moment during the Civil Rights Movement in a fresh and visually compelling manner. Readers are invited to follow a path and a dove throughout–both images being rich in multiple meanings. The narrative starts with Martin Luther King, Jr.’s upbringing, which trained him to speak the gospel. Rendered in cool blues and greens, the fluid watercolor and ink compositions are less about capturing a likeness than conveying the charisma and soul of this preacher. Mahalia Jackson is portrayed in warm oranges and reds. (When together, purples envelope the pair.) Readers learn that she sang the gospel, from church choirs to recordings, and performances for presidents. Overlaid with ribbons of key words and rounded lines suggesting ripples from the characters’ auras, the pictures provide emotional content for the author’s smart and stylized descriptions. This fascinating new lens for children on the often-depicted “Dream” speech during the March on Washington reveals how Jackson’s powerful voice stilled the crowds for King’s: “She rolled her brass and butter with a MIGHTY DOSE OF THUNDER.” Author and artist indicate how, in the call-and-response manner so familiar to both, it was Jackson who admonished King to, “TELL THEM ABOUT YOUR DREAM, MARTIN!” Ideas and fervor build and important phrases appear in bold colors. Historical context and artistic inspirations wrap up this informative approach to the two icons and the effect of their partnership on history.–Wendy Lukehart, District of Columbia Public Library

VESTERGAARD, Hope. Digger, Dozer, Dumper. illus. by David Slonim. 32p. Candlewick. Aug. 2013. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-5078-0. LC 2012947724. PreS-Gr 2–These delightful, finely crafted, informative, fun verses can serve as Common Core exemplar texts while satisfying truck and poetry fans. Each rig’s function is described with great care and attention to language with seamless rhymes, alliteration, and assonance gracing the selections. Nothing seems forced about Vestergaard’s rhymes; they’re smooth and sure, and easy to set to memory: “After the asphalt’s dumped and spread/in sticky, long black lines,/the road must cure. You can be sure…/Steamroller’s close behind….” About the cherry picker, Vestergaard writes, “The picker pauses in the sky,/plucks its target,/then…/gently, slowly, gracefully, sets it down again,” and in a tour-de-force ending: “digger, dozer, dumper, grader/backhoe, roller, excavator/….” Each poem is presented on a spread with lighthearted acrylic and charcoal illustrations that often include a girl and two boys of various hues and a yellow hard-hat-wearing pup, as well as the rigs themselves with hints of personification in their headlight eyes. There are 16 machines in all: garbage truck, forklift, street sweeper, and so on. The cartoon children are depicted operating the machines, but the final illustration reverses the relationship of object to child; suddenly the children are quite big and their trucks are small and handheld. This book is intelligent and informative, with craft, rhythm, great art, and entertainment.–Teresa Pfeifer, The Springfield Renaissance School, Springfield, MA

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Preschool to Grade 4 Nonfiction

CLAFLIN, Willy. The Bully Goat Grim: A Maynard Moose Tale. illus. by James Stimson. 32p. glossary. w/CD. August Little Folk. 2013. Tr $18.95. ISBN 978-087483-952-4. LC 2012008626.

COLEMAN, Janet Wyman. Eight Dolphins of Katrina: A True Tale of Survival. illus. by Yan Nascimbene. 40p. bibliog. photos. Houghton Harcourt. Aug. 2013. RTE $16.99. ISBN 978-0-547-71923-8.

CUMMINS, Julie. Flying Solo: How Ruth Elder Soared into America’s Heart. illus. by Malene R. Laugesen. 32p. bibliog. further reading. websites. Roaring Brook. July 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-59643-509-4. LC 2012029743.

DEMIR, Cengiz. Tales from Nasreddin Hodja. tr. from Turkish by Serdar Aşlar. illus. by Öznur Kalendar. 144p. Tughra Books. 2013. pap. $12.95. ISBN 978-1-59784-285-3.

FORD, Bernette. reteller. Little Red Riding Hood. illus. by Tom Knight. 32p. (A Story House Book Series). Boxer Bks. 2013. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-1-907967-38-2.

GORDON, Nick. Army Night Stalkers. ISBN 978-1-60014-874-3. LC 2012032062. ––––. Marine Corps Force Recon. ISBN 978-1-60014-875-0. LC 2012032050. ––––.Marine Expeditionary Units. ISBN 978-1-60014-876-7. LC 2012032984. ea vol: 24p. (Epic: U.S. Military Series). further reading. glossary. index. photos. websites. Bellwether Media. 2013. PLB $22.95.

HAMILTON, John. A-10 Thunderbolt II. ISBN 978-1-61783-685-5. LC 2012946022. ––––.AC-130H/U Gunship. ISBN 978-1-61783-686-2. LC 20129945705. ––––.B-52 Stratofortress. ISBN 978-1-61783-687-9. LC 2012945706. ––––.F-22 Raptor. ISBN 978-1-61783-688-6. LC 2012945865. ––––.UH-60 Black Hawk. ISBN 978-1-61783-689-3. LC 2012045707. ea vol: 32p. (Xtreme Military Aircraft Set 2 Series). glossary. index. photos. ABDO. 2013. PLB $27.07.

HENEGHAN, Judith. Love Your Cat. ISBN 978-1-4777-0184-3. LC 2012026234. ––––.Love Your Dog. ISBN 978-1-4777-0185-0. LC 2012026233. ––––.Love Your Hamster. ISBN 978-1-4777-0186-7. LC 2012026641. ––––.Love Your Rabbit. ISBN 978-1-4777-0187-4. LC 2012026642. ea vol: 32p. (Your Perfect Pet Series). glossary. index. photos. websites. Windmill. 2013. PLB $25.25.

HOLLAND, Mary. Ferdinand Fox’s First Summer. 32p. Sylvan Dell. 2013. Tr $17.95. ISBN 978-1-60718-614-4; pap. $9.95. ISBN 978-1-60718-626-7; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-60718-638-0. LC 2012030121.

JOSLIN, Mary. reteller. The Lion Classic Wisdom Stories. illus. by Christina Balit. 128p. Lion Children’s Books. 2013. Tr $19.99. ISBN 978-0-7459-6369-3.

KIM, Young-Ah. Some Days Are Lonely. tr. from Korean. illus. by Ji-Soo Shin. 32p. Magination. 2013. Tr $14.95. ISBN 978-1-4338-1287-3; pap. $9.95. ISBN 978-1-4338-1288-0. LC 2012035886.

LEPPANEN, Debbie. Trick-or-Treat: A Happy Haunter’s Halloween. illus. by Tad Carpenter. 40p. S & S/Beach Lane. Aug. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-3398-4; ebook $12.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-3399-1. LC 2012004906.

LEWIN, Ted. What Am I? Where Am I? illus. by author. 32p. (I Like to Read Series). Holiday House. Sept. 2013. RTE $14.95. ISBN 978-0-8234-2856-4. LC 2012039289.

LYON, George Ella. Planes Fly! illus. by Mick Wiggins. 40p. S & S/Atheneum/Richard Jackson Bks. July 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-5025-7; ebook $12.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-5026-4. LC 2012030310.

MINOR, Florence. If You Were a Panda Bear. illus. by Wendell Minor. 32p. further reading. glossary. websites. HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen. July 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-195090-2.

NUNES, Shiho S. Chinese Fables: “The Dragon Slayer” and Other Timeless Tales of Wisdom. illus. by Lak-Khee Tay-Audouard. 64p. Tuttle. 2013. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-0-8048-4152-8. LC 2012029059.

OWEN, Ruth. Arctic Foxes. ISBN 978-1-4777-0222-2; ISBN 978-1-4777-0240-6. LC 2012026936. ––––.Beluga Whales. ISBN 978-1-4777-0221-5; ISBN 978-1-4777-0239-0. LC 2012026640. ––––.Musk Oxen. ISBN 978-1-4777-0219-2; ISBN 978-1-4777-0237-6. LC 2012020685. ––––.Puffins. ISBN 978-1-4777-0224-6; ISBN 978-1-4777-0242-0. ––––.Snowy Owls. ISBN 978-1-4777-0223-9; ISBN 978-1-4777-0241-3. ––––.Walruses. ISBN 978-1-4777-0220-8; ISBN 978-1-4777-0238-3. LC 2012025846. ea vol: 32p. (Polar Animals: Life in the Freezer Series). further reading. glossary. index. maps. photos. websites. Windmill. 2013. PLB $25.25; ebook $25.25.

PIVEN, Hanoch. Let’s Make Faces. illus. by author. 40p. S & S/Atheneum. Aug. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4169-1532-4; ebook ISBN 978-1-4424-8186-2.

POLISAR, Barry Louis. Something Fishy. illus. by David Clark. 32p. glossary. Rainbow Morning Music. 2013. Tr $14.95. ISBN 978-0-938663-53-9.

ROSE, Deborah Lee & Susan Kelly. Jimmy the Joey: The True Story of an Amazing Koala Rescue. photos by Susan Kelly. 32p. further reading. maps. websites. National Geographic. July 2013. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-1-4263-1371-4; PLB $25.90. ISBN 978-1-4263-1372-1.

SHAPIRO, David. Tool. Time. Twist.: A Brief History of Tools Through Time. illus. by Christopher Herndon. 48p. Craigmore Creations. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-9844422-7-0.

WEGERIF, Gay. Up Close. illus. by author. 30p. Abrams/Appleseed. 2013. BD $12.95. ISBN 978-1-4197-0391-1.

WHEELER, Jill C. Dav Pilkey. ISBN 978-1-61783-577-3; ISBN 978-1-61480-724-7. LC 2012946383. ––––.Rick Riordan. ISBN 978-1-61783-578-0; ISBN 978-1-61480-725-4. LC 2012946385. ––––.Yuyi Morales. ISBN 978-1-61783-576-6; ISBN 978-1-61480-723-0. LC 2012946367. ea vol: 24p. (Children’s Authors Series). glossary. index. photos. reprods. websites. ABDO. 2013. PLB $17.95; ebook $17.95.

WILD, Margaret. The Dream of the Thylacine. illus. by Ron Brooks. 32p. photos. Trafalgar Square. 2013. RTE $16.99. ISBN 978-1-74237-383-6.

WINTERS, Kari-Lynn. Buzz About Bees. 32p. charts. diags. further reading. glossary. illus. index. maps. photos. Fitzhenry & Whiteside. 2013. RTE $19.95. ISBN 978-1-55455-202-3.

WORTH, Bonnie. Hark! A Shark!: All About Sharks. illus. by Aristides Ruiz. 48p. (The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library Series). further reading. glossary. illus. Random. 2013. Tr $8.99. ISBN 978-0-375-87073-6; PLB $12.99. ISBN 978-0-375-97073-3. LC 2011048247.

WRIGHT, Danielle, ed. Korean Nursery Rhymes: Wild Geese, Land of Goblins and Other Favorite Songs and Rhymes. tr. by Jenny Wang Medina, Binna Lee et al. illus. by Helen Acraman. 32p. w/CD. Tuttle. 2013. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-0-8048-4227-3. LC 2012029066.

YOLEN, Jane. Wee Rhymes: Baby’s First Poetry Book. illus. by Jane Dyer. 112p. index. S & S/Paula Wiseman Bks. 2013. Tr $19.99. ISBN 978-1-4169-4898-8. LC 2012015136.