My Car Board Book
Sam may be a man of few words, but he is certainly eloquent on the  subject of his car. With a bright, bold palette of mostly primary colors,  author-illustrator Byron Barton (Trucks,Planes,Machines at Work, etc.) deftly  depicts the fondness Sam has for his chunky little car and the care with which  he treats it. "I love my car. / I keep my car clean. / My car needs oil / and a  full tank of gasoline." Sam also describes the parts of his car, how to drive  carefully, and where he likes to go in his car. The story concludes with a  twist, sure to delight already rapt readers.Sam and his acquaintances are unusual-looking, blocky figures, with big black  blobs for eyes, and more blobs for nose and mouth. Characters and objects are  reminiscent of the cars, signs, and figures in a child's play station. Small  details are appealing: the mechanic is a woman, and the car's headlights bathe a  portion of the text in yellow. This should be required reading for every  driver's ed student; we can only hope that the repeated readings this book is  bound to receive will sink in to preschoolers' minds for future recall: "I obey  the laws. / I stop for pedestrians. / I read the signs." This is a lovely  picture book. (Ages 2 to 5)--Emilie Coulter--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.