School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-What do monsters do on the 364 nights of the year that aren't Halloween? They drive monster trucks, of course. Each spread of Keller's clever picture book is devoted to one monster, or in the case of the "skeleton crew," several of one type of monster, operating the perfect truck for its temperament or special powers: the mummies are ambulance drivers, the werewolf runs an excavator. The text begs to be read aloud; the couplets scan well and the rhymes are unforced. Saburi's digitally created illustrations feature thick outlines, saturated colors, and a slightly wonky perspective. Her monsters appear cheerful and nonthreatening. The smiling witch wears a pointed black hat over her yellow hard hat as she drives her street sweeper, which has special kitten-washing attachments. The ending (monster bedtime, naturally) is sweet and satisfying. VERDICT A terrific read-aloud and a welcome addition to the truck (and monster) shelves.-Jennifer Costa, Cambridge Public Library, MA © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
On hiatus from their Halloween activities, various monsters "shift into a different gear" by taking on roadside work. Debut author Keller gets plenty of mileage from the titular pun, playfully matching monsters to appropriate trucks: a yeti sits behind the wheel of a snowplow, a witch "trades in her trusty broom" for a street sweeper, and a mummy rides an ambulance ("She'll patch each monster's bump and scrape/ with lots of bandages and tape"). In digital drawings with thick, chunky lines reminiscent of woodblock prints, Saburi shows each creature hard (and happily) at work. Keller offers extra reassurance for readers who may worry about a visit from this spooky bunch: "At rest in your bed, tucked in tight,/ don't fear these monsters in the night." After a hard day's work, they are "much too tired to crawl and creep." Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Mary Cummings, Betsy Amster Literary Enterprises. Illustrator's agent: Kirsten Hall, Catbird Agency. (Aug.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
