The Trucker - Hardcover

School Library Journal
(March 1, 2004; 0-439-43180-8)

Gr 2-5-Smith captures the colorful language and vivid images of the game: "Hey batta-batta-batta-batta-battaaaaaaa!- Show me something batta. Put me to work.- My feet are falling asleep out here" ("Waiting Game"). The author is especially skilled at creating shaped poems, like "There it Goes!!" which mimics the arc of the ball on its way from the pitcher to the batter. "Diamond Vision" is shaped like a baseball diamond and "To the Moon" like a baseball. The energetic, playful language begs to be read aloud. Combined with bright colors, bold print in a variety of fonts, and exceptional photography, this book is a winner.-Lee Bock, Glenbrook Elementary School, Pulaski, WI Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Booklist
(March 1, 2004; 0-439-43180-8)

Gr. 1-4. A celebration of America's pastime that inventively utilizes a jazzed layout, multiple fonts, and enhanced photography. It's baseball as played by young people, and by older people in memory, that Smith takes as his theme. Some of the more nostalgic pieces will tug more at adult rather than child readers. Smith uses rhymed verse, dialogue, and heightened narrative in engaging ways: B-I-N-G-O and Waiting Game reproduce the patter on the field, rhythmic as rap. To the Moon catalogs just how far the ball went, and Listen,id . . . provides a handful of beloved baseball bromides. In What's My Name? a pitcher hurls his nicknames (Dominator . . . Strike Activator . . . Accumulator ) along with his pitches. Opposite the poem is a close-up photo of the pitcher's hand holding the ball behind his knee, his pants overlaid with the shadowed lattice of the fence. Richly festive and fun. --GraceAnne DeCandido Copyright 2004 Booklist

Publishers Weekly
(February 23, 2004; 0-439-43180-8)

Just in time for spring training, Smith (Rimshots; Hoop Queens) offers up an irrepressible, visually bold paean to everything baseball. As with his previous books, each spread bears an evocative title and showcases an impressionistic, color-saturated photo-in this case, from Little League play. The typography often seems as rowdy as a hometown crowd. In "Hear That Sound?!" a baseball is seen at the moment it tips into a fielder's glove (the batter's shadow appears on the ground), while on the opposite page, a stack of onomatopoeia in an array of type sizes and colors explodes off a bright yellow background-"Pop!/ Scratch/ Whiff!/ Whack!/ Whooooosh!" Other poems' pacing and banter capture specific positions on the field: "Diamond Vision" takes the calm, watchful perspective of a catcher ("From behind the mask/ my eyes do see/ the game unfold/ in front of me"), while the pitcher narrates in a rapid-fire rap-style in "What's My Name?" ("They call me/ The Dominator/ Mound Intimidator,/ Missile Throwing/ High and Tight/ Strike Activator"). The book isn't quite a home run, however. The dense copy blocks in a number of poems plus the hyperkinetic type may eventually try readers' patience. But for youngsters who can think of little else once baseball season starts, this may be almost as satisfying as knocking one out of the park. All ages. (Mar.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

PreSchool-Grade 2-Wesley begins his day in his room playing with his red semi-flatbed rig. Suddenly, the toy becomes a full-sized semi that the boy drives on an all-day adventure, through sun, rain, and "bubble trouble" (a flat tire). As he nears his destination, he awakens to find himself in his father's real truck, and Daddy describes the same ride that Wesley dreamed. While most of the story flows smoothly, the transition from dream to reality is a bit bumpy. The text is sprinkled with trucker jargon, which adds a touch of authenticity but the language sometimes seems forced. The phrases are translated at the story's end. The artwork was created with an unusual combination of acrylic, sand, and road dirt. Loose, textured brush strokes and the gritty materials give a dreamy quality to some paintings. In others, the technique captures the glare of the bright sun, dusty haze, or a sudden downpour. These images contrast neatly with the smooth photographic realism of Wesley's face, uniting to create pleasing spreads that capture the child's enthusiasm. Truck lovers will enjoy the ride.-Carolyn Janssen, Children's Learning Center of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, OH
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