ALA Booklist (Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 CDT 2018)

The perennially popular McMullan duo specialize in revving kids' engines through entertaining, vehicle-driven stories that tout a personal characteristic that kids can identify with. Having previously covered a smelly garbage truck (I Stink!, 2002), a speedy sports car (I'm Fast!?, 2012), and a hip Zamboni (I'm Cool!, 2015), they turn now to a midcentury-looking pickup truck, built for hard work. The watercolor illustrations have a retro feel to them, suitable to the smiling red truck's vintage. First, the artwork establishes the scene with a lovely view of a working farm. Next, readers see what the truck does on this large expanse. The tone is reminiscent of a macho truck ad, with the truck constantly reiterating, "I'm tough!" Though not the farm's biggest truck, the spirited vehicle determinedly performs three really big jobs: hauling lumber, gravel, and bales of hay. Drama enters the picture as youngsters observe the strain of riding low with an overload and navigating potholes and twisty country roads. The energetic, rhyming text and action words will make this loads of fun as a read-aloud, too.

Horn Book (Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2019)

In the night sky, Little Star and her mother bake a mooncake, the sweet treat associated with the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. As the Big Mooncake hangs to cool, the girl's hunger overcomes her. It's all mesmerizing: Little Star's astral home; her outsized sense of mischief; the dwindling, nibbled-upon cake as a stand-in for the waning moon; and Lin's pleasing, soothing text, perfect for reading aloud to little moon-watchers on Earth.

Kirkus Reviews

The series of vehicles spouting declarative sentences about themselves returns once more with yet another self-confident machine: the not-so-humble pickup truck. This pickup is the first to say, "I'm not the BIGGEST TRUCK in the parking lot," but what it lacks in size it more than makes up for in gumption. "Here I go, ridin' low. Who's got truck squat? Me. I'm HUFFIN' and PUFFIN', but hey, that's nothin'…." After listing its physical attributes (the cab, cargo bed, tailgate, and engine are all highlighted), the truck attempts three very different loads. As with many other books in this series, humans make no appearances on the pages, focusing the attention entirely on the truck when, for example, it receives an extra-long load of lumber. Gravel comes next, and though it's extremely heavy, a shift into four-wheel drive and an ample use of the clutch save the day. Carrying bales of hay on twisty roads can hardly compare in difficulty. Watercolor-and-gouache illustrations keep the art peppy, and the judicious use of bold and colorful typography will aid in making this yet another staple read-aloud.The McMullans' series is now 10 books strong; thanks to its energy and charisma, this one may well end up being one of their most requested. (Picture book. 4-8)

School Library Journal (Mon Oct 01 00:00:00 CDT 2018)

PreS-Gr 1 This new installment in the popular machine series that includes I Stink! and I'm Dirty features a bright red pickup truck. While it might not the biggest truck on the farm, what it lacks in size, it makes up in spunky attitude. The self-proclaimed "tough" hauler shows off its cab and cargo bed, revvs its engine, and gets busy transporting big loads. Undaunted by potholes, puddles, freight weight, or a winding road, the little truck delivers lumber, gravel, and hay bales with a determined grin on its anthropomorphized cab face. As in other McMullan books, there are no people in the story and the truck's cargo flies into the back unassisted; a cow, other vehicles, and a curious dog appear intermittently. The simple boisterous prose has awkwardly placed rhymes, making for a choppy read-aloud. However, playfully laid out fonts in different colors and sizes, as well as the bold full-page illustrations make up for the less-than-polished text. VERDICT Not a must, but a solid addition to many "Things That Go" collections, especially ones where other McMullan books are favored. Yelena Voysey, formerly at Pickering Educational Library, Boston University