cover image Little Pups in Big Trucks (Adurable)

Little Pups in Big Trucks (Adurable)

Bob Shea, illus. by Brian Won. Dial, $7.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-593-32589-6

Using big trucks and deductive reasoning, three well-intentioned pups collaborate in this lively series kickoff, which toys with basics of child development. When Dig Doug, Cheddar, and Puddles take the wheels of three trucks on the first day of puppy school, they’re clearly excited about the arrangement: “They are cute pups! They are in big trucks! They are...// ADURABLE!” But after some enthusiastic parallel play lodges the instructor’s red jeep beneath a pile of rocks, the hounds seek to fix things, learning about object permanence (“The big rocks do not go away just because you cannot see them”) and comparative sizing (“The rocks look smaller, but they are still very big and I am still very stuck”) before making an inference that saves the day. Shea’s smartly wry narration, coupled with Won’s unlined digital art, are the ideal vehicle for this tale of cheerfully indefatigable protagonists, construction equipment, and revelation—a deadpan board book delight. Ages up to 3. (June)