ALA Booklist
(Sat Jul 01 00:00:00 CDT 2017)
It's a rip-roaring ride for young truck-lovers in Stein's newest book about a wide variety of heavy-duty vehicles. "Wide truck, thin truck, / out truck, in truck. / Hot truck, cold truck, / big bad BOLD truck!" This exhaustive transportation collection is a tribute to the importance of big rumbling vehicles in their many forms around the world. Stein's high-energy rhymes bounce entertainingly along, and their propulsive rhythm will enchant little listeners. Staake's brightly colored scenes are a perfect complement to Stein's catchy poetry. An attention-grabbing mix of all things angular and whimsical, Staake's illustrations are full of boxy, bold vehicles with a variety of facial expressions. While Stein's text rolls along, the trucks are busily at work in factories and farms, traversing highways and byways, and hauling loads at construction sites, even a space center! Kiddos still unconvinced about the allure of these massive means of transportation will likely be convinced that "Trucks are COOL they're number one!" by this lively picture book.
Kirkus Reviews
Staake and Stein keep on truckin' when madcap tomfoolery and heavy machinery go hand in hand. Having rendered bereft of all dignity the worlds of automobiles (Cars Galore, 2011) and playthings (Toys Galore, 2013), the author and illustrator have clearly decided trucks at last must have their due. In bouncy, rhyming text, these kings of the road are described in a wide variety of ways. They are thin and wide, hot and cold, weak and strong, chock full of cows or pigs. What starts as a straightforward list becomes rapidly more imaginative, particularly when "outer-space" trucks descend unannounced and pirates fill their trucks with flounder. As in their previous collaborations, Staake meets Stein's seemingly impossible descriptions (how do you draw a "bushy-beard truck"?) with aplomb, putting his highly original stamp on the proceedings. The brightly colored computer art endows each scene with a sometimes-frenzied energy. Though not quite as delightfully bonkers as their previous books, this is sure to lure in both hardcore preschool truck enthusiasts and their truck-curious compatriots as they pore over the details on every page. Put the pedal to the metal and track down these trucks for your favorite back-seat drivers. (Picture book. 3-6)
School Library Journal
(Fri Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2017)
PreS-KFollowing up on Cars Galore and Toys Galore, this book is an entertaining romp through the world of trucks. In bouncy Seussian rhyme, Stein describes vehicles of all sizes, shapes, and abilities, and Staake showcases them on brilliantly bold and action-packed spreads. The lively, detailed, cartoony illustrations are paired humorously with a spirited, page-turning rhythmic narrative, making this title an excellent read-aloud or one-on-one choice. "Strong truck, weak truck,/hide-and-seek truck./Rock truck, dirt truck, YumDESSERT truck!" Truck-obsessed children will be entertained for many for re-readings. VERDICT Pair this title with Richard Scarry's "Things That Go" books or Hope Vestergaard's Digger, Dozer, Dumper for unmatched imaginative, detail-rich reading fun. A playful purchase for all picture book shelves.Brianne Colombo, Fairfield Free Public Library, NJ