Saturday, December 11, 2010

Trucktown: Garage Tales by John Scieszka

Garage Tales (Jon Scieszka's Trucktown)Scieszka, John Trucktown: Garage Tales, Illustrated by David Shannon, Loren Long, David Gordon. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2008. $12.99.  PICTURE BOOK. 

This book tells three short stories.  In “Uh-Oh, Max” Monster Truck Max jumps off a ramp and lands upside down; it is an ordeal to flip him back over.  In “Pete’s Party” Gabriella Garbage Truck and Jack Truck drive to Payloader Pete’s party; it takes them a while to arrive.  Finally, in “Dizzy Izzy” Izzy Ice Cream Truck tries to get dizzy, but it’s not as easy as one might think. 

While Scieszka’s Trucktown books are not nearly as fun to read as some of his other titles, they still offer some delights.  Garage Tales is no different.  The stories do end with ironic twists and they have fun silliness that parents and children both will at least smile at.  Also, there is the usual wordplay in this book that is common in all Scieszka books, and the illustrations are great.

PreK, EL(K-3), EL, MS – ADVISABLE. Brent Smith, Reading Teacher.

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