Nonfiction Monday: Big Rigs and Fire Trucks on the Move

by Judith Jango-Cohen
Lerner Publications
978-0-7613-6023-0

by Candice Ransom
Lerner Publications
978-0-7613-3919-9

We are always happy to see good nonfiction titles for the younger set, and these certainly fit the bill. Boys (and many girls) will always be enthralled with automobiles, so you really can't go wrong with this series.

What's the first thing youngsters do with a toy fire engine? Start making the sounds! That is exactly how Fire Trucks on the Move begins:

WHEE-OOO! WHEE-OOO! What is making such a loud sound?

Text is accompanied by a close-up picture of a siren, and a larger photo showing where it is located on the truck. The rest of the book follows the same pattern, with one or two sentences in a large, clear font paired with bright, colorful photographs.

Big Rigs on the Move lists other terms we might use (semis, eighteen-wheelers), and shows readers some of the specialized types of big rigs far carrying particular cargos. The back of each book includes a diagram, glossary, Fun Facts, and books and web sites for further reading.

There are possibly as many books about cars out there as there are kids who like cars, but the format, information and just overall quality place these way above the mass-marketed dollar store variety. They are perfect for either reluctant or beginning readers, and we give the set a

5 out of 5

We also think this will be the start of our Christmas shopping! Buy your favorite youngster a nice noisy fire truck or pickup, and include a copy of the appropriate book. Stay tuned over the next couple months for more gift ideas* (just 54 shopping days left!)

*for us? Why, how sweet of you to ask! Some goldfish would be yummy. What, and humans don't eat anything disgusting?!