________________ CM . . . . Volume VII Number 10 . . . . January 19, 2001

cover Hard Working Wheels. (Mighty Wheels Series).

Debora Pearson. Illustrated by Chum McLeod.
Toronto, ON: Annick Press, 2000.
24 pp., pbk. & cl., $6.95 (pbk.), $15.95 (cl.).
ISBN 1-55037-614-4 (pbk.), ISBN 1-55037-615-2 (cl.).

Subject Headings:
Motor vehicles-Juvenile literature.
Machinery-Juvenile literature.

Preschool - grade 1 / Ages 3 - 6.

Review by Helen Arkos.

*** /4

excerpt:

"What's that rumble? What's that roar? Hard-working wheels are on the go.
A tractor drags a heavy plow that combs the lumpy earth. Soon seeds will be planted there.
Load up some kids, load up some books, load up some lunches, and add lots of noise.
Then trek to school and let out the load - that's what a school bus does each day."
image A huge, brightly coloured vehicle on each page presents parent and child reading together with many opportunities to discuss the names and the uses of each of the "hard-working wheels." What a great way to introduce new vocabulary on the heavy-duty machines that can be seen working or in traffic every day! The book contains the expected and always popular fire engine, ambulance and police car with their exciting sirens. Then some more unusual choices are included, such as a zamboni machine, a cherry-picker, a snack truck and even a bookmobile! An introduction to the book is full of good suggestions on how to share the book with young children. It suggests talking about what is noisy and what is quiet, what is close and what is far away, and imagining what you might choose from the snack truck.

      School age children may enjoy using the detailed yet simple illustrations of each vehicle as a model for their own drawings. Each machine, painted in vivid watercolours, is shown "on location," each helping out in its own way. A second title in the "Mighty Wheels" series, this book will appeal to the young action vehicle enthusiast.

Recommended.

Helen Arkos is a teacher-librarian at John Pritchard School in Winnipeg. MB.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.

Published by
The Manitoba Library Association
ISSN 1201-9364

TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THIS ISSUE - January 19, 2001.

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