School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-The dads at this construction site teach by example and encourage their youngsters to strive to do their best. For example, there's Excavator Big, who "helps little Vator dig./They go/ scoop,/scoop,/scoop." The patterned text continues in this vein, "Steamroller Brave/shows little Roller how to pave./They go roll,/roll,/ roll." Other father-and-son teams include Bulldozer and Dozy, Boom Truck and Boomer, Cement Mixer and Mixie, Dump Truck and Dumpy, Backhoe and Hoe-Hoe, Grader and Grady, Forklift and Forky. The action verbs and sound effects (crash, bang, boom!) abound as the adults demonstrate how to get jobs done and extol the virtues of being "strong," "steady," and "true-blue," in addition to being "brave" and "wise." The heavy-outlined cartoon artwork depicts the machines prominently profiled and personified on the page with a simply drawn eye in the passenger-side window or windshield (the only white space on most spreads). There is nothing out of the ordinary about the rhyme or the artwork, but the message of "Mighty Dads say,/'I'm proud of you!/ Tomorrow let's build/something new!'" is just the ticket for vehicle-obsessed youngsters who can't get enough of construction play.-Luann Toth, School Library Journal (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
"Like father, like son" holds true even when Dad and Junior are heavy-duty construction equipment. "Dump Truck Sturdy/ teaches Dumpy to get dirty/ They go fill, drive, dump," writes Holub (Little Red Writing), as Pete the Cat creator Dean shows a hulking blue and red truck create an impressive mountain while his offspring makes an adorable molehill. Like the best 21st-century human dads, the vehicles don't just show their kids the ropes-they also offer plenty of TLC ("Cement Mixer Busy/ gives a hug if Mixie's dizzy") and affirmation ("Forklift Wise/ cheers whenever Forky tries"). Dean's decision to anthropomorphize the construction equipment solely through a highly stylized, often single, forward-facing eye takes some getting used to-imagine a cross between the Eye of Providence on the dollar bill and a Egyptian hieroglyph. But his construction sign-inspired palette and ability to convey calm, steady affection between parent and progeny quickly outweighs this visual idiosyncrasy, making this a book worthy of any young armchair foreman. Ages 3-5. Author's agent: Liza Pulitzer Voges, Eden Street Literary. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
