School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-Joe, a bus driver, takes readers on his route through the rolling hills to a little town. Full spreads with minimal text show him picking up dogs or cats at each stop. When the bus is packed with five dogs and five cats, it's time to drop them off at either a boat, train, or plane. Happily, Joe still has one passenger left at the end of the trip: his own dog. The beautiful, bold colors produced in Adobe Photoshop are attractive, while the use of simple, childlike shapes and few words will make it easy for student to concentrate on the new skills of reading and counting. The large, square format is clean and inviting. This book is perfect for independent readers but can also be shared one-on-one or with a group. Parents can encourage youngsters to count the number of pets on or off the different types of transportation.-Diane McCabe, John Muir Elementary, Santa Monica, CA (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
In 2001, when Barton's My Car was published, gas could be had for less than $2 per gallon, so it makes sense that he's turned to public transportation in this companion book. Rather than explaining how his bus works, driver Joe is focused on telling readers about his animal passengers, whose pickups and drop-offs turn the book into an informal primer on addition and subtraction ("At my last stop, four dogs get on my bus. There are five dogs and five cats on my bus"). The lurid palette and elementally simple shapes of Barton's digital artwork are made for grabbing eyeballs, and his chunky characters and vehicles give the impression of playroom toys come to life. Ages 4-8. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.