Buster the Little Garbage Truck

February 15, 2015
Buster's got a big problem: He's not big enough.Little Buster is looking forward to growing up and working with Daddy. He practices going fast in the garage with his kitty. He practices lifting paper cups and soup cans (mostly empty) over his head. He tries to honk loud, but it's just a tiny beep. When his father shows him how it should be done, the blare scares Buster so much that he hides behind his mother. He's also scared by his father's co-workers when Daddy takes him to the truck yard. Buster's concerned parents tell him to keep practicing...but practice can be scary too. Will Buster ever be able to work with his Daddy? He's not sure he'll get over his fear of loud noises-until the day he sees his kitten in danger. Buster must honk very loud to save her, and suddenly all is well. Berneger's picture-book debut is wordy and predictable. Children may identify with Buster's fears, but they will not care to listen to the stilted text. Zimmer's digitally created illustrations feature trash trucks of all kinds with big eyes, a kitten and not much else. He does skillfully convey the trucks' emotions with "body" positions, bumper mouths and those huge eyes, but at one point the visual sequence of events does not seem to match the text, creating potential confusion in listeners. Bibliotherapy for timid children obsessed with vehicles. (Picture book. 3-5)

July 1, 2015
Young garbage truck Buster, scared of loud noises, has a meek toot of his own. When Daddy truck almost scoops up his pet kitten playing in a trashcan, Buster is forced to overcome his fears, blasting a honk that makes even the veteran trucks shiver. Colorful digital illustrations of the trucks are generic, and the tale of finding one's courage is didactic and timeworn.

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)