cover image Bulldozer Helps Out

Bulldozer Helps Out

Candace Fleming, illus. by Eric Rohmann. Atheneum/Dlouhy, $17.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-4814-5894-8

Fleming and Rohmann subvert expectations several times in this handsomely illustrated follow-up to Bulldozer’s Big Day. Initially, it looks like a familiar too-small-to-help construction story. Then, after Bulldozer is asked to flatten out a section of terrain, it seems like he has fallen asleep on the job. The reality—that he’s protecting a mother cat and her kittens—comes as a tender surprise, which underscores the idea that talents come in all shapes and sizes. Many parents, meanwhile, will likely side with Dump Truck, who quips, “Taking care of babies? Now that’s a rough, tough job.” Ages 4–7. [em]Agent: Ethan Ellenberg, Ethan Ellenberg Agency. (May) [/em]