Big Rig - Hardcover

Jamie A. Swenson received her MFA from Hamline University. She works as an early literacy storyteller and librarian at the Hedberg Public Library in Janesville, Wisconsin where she shares fabulous books with children and adults. Jamie lives with her husband, two daughters, two dogs, and one lazy cat. Jamie would love to go on a trip with a big rig like Frankie-URRRRNNNT-URRRRNNNT! Cruise on over to her website www.jamieaswenson.com.

Ned Young is a self-taught painter and illustrator whose work has been published on a variety of merchandise, including prints, calendars, puzzles, mugs, and greeting cards. He is the author and illustrator of the Zoomer series. He lives in Brigham City, Utah. Visit him at www.nedyoung.com.

Frankie is a big truck with an even bigger personality. The lightning bolt on the side of his shiny blue trailer shows that he is ready to roll, and the loopy chrome grin on his grill shows that he is going to love every minute of it. There’s lots to look at as Frankie takes on cargo and then hits the road, passing a waterpark, a farm, and a retro diner before reaching his destination—Dinosaur Land! Speckled with convincing onomatopoeia and sound effects (“URRRRNNNT-URRRRNNT!” goes Frankie’s horn) and jazzy CB slang (handily defined in a glossary), the text has an unpredictable edge, making it a vibrant read-aloud, while sharp realistic paintings with lots of background detail will capture prereaders’ attentions. A friendly, peppy addition to the canon of books for truck-obsessed tots that already includes Kate McMullan’s I Stink! (2002), David Gordon’s The Three Little Rigs (2005), and Chris Gall’s Dinotrux (2009). And as Frankie advises, “Keep the shiny side up and the rubber side down!” Preschool-Grade 1. --Paula Willey