It's a snowy winter's night in the city. The bedroom lights are off and it's time to settle down to sleep. But wait! What's that? Strange and scary sounds are coming from the streets outside. What can be making these sounds? Are monsters coming? Don't worry! All will soon be revealed. These monsters aren't here to frighten. They are here to help. Through rhyming text and atmospheric artwork, young readers can first imagine what might be making these mysterious sounds. Then a turn of the page identifies the actual "monsters"--vehicles and equipment like snowplows and garbage trucks--that help keep a city running smoothly. And now that all is well, it's time to go to bed! This clever concept is based on a bedtime ritual the author used with her own grandchildren to assuage their nighttime fears.
From the boiler to the coupling, build a little train along with an engineer and her workers. This rhyming story will have readers chugging along with the team as the train takes shape. Just don't forget the caboose! Woot woot!
Writing in rhythmic text, author Andria Warmflash Rosenbaum (Trains Don't Sleep) explores the many types of watercraft navigating our lakes, rivers, and oceans, including trawlers, tankers, and cruise ships. Beginning with the sunrise, boats of all shapes and sizes are on their way to a full day. Fishing boats with their nets head out for their day's lucky catch. Tugboats guide a freighter safely into harbor, and pleasure craft such as sailboats and speedboats offer hours of enjoyment for their passengers. Then when night comes, even boats take a rest, including a houseboat that is docked with its family warm and cozy inside. Back matter includes detailed descriptions of each type of watercraft mentioned.
Riley has a dump truck, a flatbed truck, a concrete mixer, and a little pickup truck at his lumberyard. When he tells them that they will help him build a children's park, everyone is excited. There's a lot of hard work to do, from hauling trash to pouring concrete. But once the work gets started, everyone but Little Yellow Truck is busy. Is there nothing he can do to help? As it turns out, Riley has just the right task for Little Yellow Truck. This picture-book offering from author Eve Bunting reinforces the message that even the smallest helper can make a big impact.
Buster is a sweet little garbage truck. He can't wait to grow up to be a big truck, just like his father. Buster practices driving and lifting and beeping with his friend, Kitty. There's one small problem. Loud noises frighten Buster. When his father takes him to the truck yard to meet the other vehicles, their air-horn blasts and roaring engines send Buster skidding away to hide. He wants to be big and brave, but how can he work with Daddy and his friends when their loud sounds scare him? Buster feels terrible. When Kitty gets into trouble, little Buster musters up his courage to save her.
Walter the ferry dog loved to greet cars as they came on board each morning. Fetching the captain's newspaper and tasting the cook's bacon were Walter's other important jobs. Cupcake the Cat was just about the only thing Walter disliked about being a ferry dog. One rainy day the waves were rough and no one was paying much attention to Walter. Even worse, Cupcake was poking him with her paw and playing tricks as Walter was being blamed. He decided it was time to leave the ferry! Once on land he ran, and ran, and ran. Soon the day darkened, and Walter was lost and exhausted. Wondering who would do his jobs on the ferry, he felt a familiar poke from a familiar paw. Would Cupcake help him get back to ferry where he belonged?
