In his third entertaining chapter book, Sam the Man's "plan" involves attempting to convince his car-shopping parents to buy an awesome monster truck instead of a boring used minivan. Second grader Sam continues to be an endearing protagonist, supported by his amusing (and amused) family and older close-friends-and-neighbors Mr. Stockfish and Mrs. Kerner. Sketchlike black-and-white illustrations enliven the text and extend Sam's plan.

When his family goes car shopping, Sam thinks big: why not a monster truck? Scaling back, he tries to convince his parents to buy a used van and paint it to look like a dragon. He might not succeed, but whenever Sam makes a plan, things get interesting. Like the two previous volumes in the Sam the Man series, this beginning chapter book has fairly large print, engaging line drawings, and well-developed characters, young and old. The ongoing portrayal of Sam's relationships at home, at school, and in the neighborhood creates an increasingly strong backdrop for the stories. A satisfying addition to the series.