PICTURE BOOK REVIEWS: Go, Little Green Truck! and Bucky and Stu vs. the Mikanikal Man
ABOUT THE BOOK
Ready, set, go!
Little Green is ready to rumble.
He is a happy, busy little pickup truck who loves helping out on the farm.
Until...
He wakes up one morning to find a big new blue truck ready to take his place.
But can Big Blue take on all the jobs? Even the small and gentle ones?
With some love, care, and paint...
Ready, set, go!
Little Green is ready to rumble again, all the way to the farmers' market.
REVIEW
Just like Otis is Otis by Loren Long, Little Green faces a crisis when he is replaced by Big Blue, a bigger, stronger, tougher truck. But like Otis, Little Green too discovers a new place for himself when Fern, the farmer's daughter finds him sitting alone in a field and decides he would make great transportation to the upcoming farmer's market. The old-fashioned feel to the story is sure to bring on bouts of nostalgia for grandparents reading this book to their grandchildren. But the story also rings true for rural areas where small family farms still exist and farmer's markets can still be found. Little Green makes for a cheerful, adorable character that it's easy to cheer for. A book I can recommend for home libraries and school/public libraries like mine that can never have enough truck books.
ABOUT THE BOOK
It’s the adventure of a lifetime when best friends—and self-proclaimed superheroes—defeat bad guys of their own invention.
It’s wonk ’em time when Bucky and Stu have to stand up to Phat Tyre, TrashMan and Hose-Nose. No matter that the bad guys are all made out of household items that Bucky and Stu have assembled themselves—these bad guys don’t stand a chance against the boys’ power moves. Still, it’s quite a surprise when their latest villain, the giant Mikanikal Man, gets zapped during a lightning storm and comes to life! The battle—and thrill—of a lifetime ensue. Full of surprises and laughs, this upbeat, action-packed story celebrates imagination, creativity, and friendship in even the most unexpected forms. Cornelius Van Wright’s hilarious illustrations are full of surprises and are perfect for portraying the high-speed antics of two enthusiastic boys.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Cornelius Van Wright (www.corneliusvanwright.com) wrote and illustrated When an Alien Meets a Swamp Monster, and has also illustrated several other picture books, including Princess Grace (by Mary Hoffman) and Jingle Dancer (by Cynthia Leitich Smith). His work has appeared on Reading Rainbow and Storytime and has been exhibited with the Society of Illustrators. He lives in New York City.
Check out the downloadable CCSS-aligned curriculum guide!
REVIEW
Young readers who enjoy pretending to be superheroes are bound to thoroughly enjoy this story. bucky and Stu have pledged to protect their town, the world, and their favorite TV show. At first fighting 'pretend' garbage bad guys is plenty of good time, but then Bucky introduces Stu to the ultimate "villain' the Mikanikal Man. When the Mikanikal Man comes to life thanks to a zap of lightning, the boys must face their toughest challenge yet. This provides a fun read for young superhero lovers. I even got some laughs out of it. These little boys remind me so much of some boys I know, it's bound to be a favorite.
Dear Heidi Thank you for your fun review of Bucky and Stu vs The Mikanikal Man. It is my hope that this book will help stoke kid's imagination to be creative with the things around them. Please visit buckyandstu.com for some fun animations of the Duo. Thanks again for the kind review. Best,Cornelius Van Wright
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