Bound To Stay Bound

Bulletin for the Center... - 06/01/2002 Don’t try any sweet euphemisms on this guy—no “department of sanitation vehicle” or “refuse transport conveyance” for him. Our redolent narrator’s a hard-workin’ garbage truck, plain and simple, and he’s dang proud of it. Thirty-two pages of nonstop attitude demonstrate that he’s got one of the most important jobs in town: “Go on, hold your nose, but think about it—WITHOUT ME? You’re on Mount Trash-o-rama, baby.” Kids who delightedly followed the rounds of Zimmerman’s trash collector in Trashy Town (BCCB 5/99) ascend here from the garbage can to the dumpster league. McMullan’s Garbage Truck is an exercise in voracious power (“ten WIDE tires,” “totally DUAL OP,” “Rev me to the MAX”), roaming the night streets of a big city with nothing but breakfast on his mind: “Feed me! Straight into my HOPPER! Nice toss, guys!” He pauses long enough between courses to expel a satisfied, kid-pleasing, double-spread full-bleed “BURRRP!” that leaves room for another load of alphabetized urban jetsam: “ . . . Moldy meatballs, Nasty neckties, Orange peels, Puppy poo, Quail bones, too. . . .” With a full belly, he’s off to the garbage barge, then home for a hose down, a fill-up, and some well earned Zzzz’s: “See you guys tomorrow night.” Kate McMullan creates an automotive beast whose narrative style reeks of personality, and Jim McMullan’s renderings are a perfect match, coaxing steely features into flexible, expressive shapes. Garbage Truck’s windshield eyes grimace with determination and flicker with mischief, while his front bumper stretches from time to time into a devilish grin. Muscular sweeps of pitch-black outlining emphasize his sinuous, brawny grace. He plows through the textured, jewel-toned night bathed in color—explosive bursts of searing yellow/orange headlights, a purple cloud of odiferous fume, a golden, almost beatific halo that seems to bless his civic-minded efforts. While truck lovers will swarm to this like flies to a you-know-what, there are bound to be plenty of primary teachers prowling for a fresh twist on the venerable community helpers unit, and for them the McMullans thoughtfully leave ajar a couple of doors leading to deeper discussion and exploration. Having polished off his alphabetical petit déjeuner, Garbage Truck poses beside a green recycling can. Does his dialogue bubble reading “Thank you very much” refer to his ample meal, or perhaps to readers’ courtesy in sorting waste properly and lightening his load? Likewise, the garbage barge floats problematically at the dock; Garbage Truck’s job is done for the day, but the refuse lingers, prompting the questions, “Where will it go? What will happen when it gets there?” Once the revving and roaring subsides, kids can consider what they might do to put Garbage Truck on a much-needed diet. (A 2002 Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book) - Copyright 2002 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

School Library Journal - 05/01/2002 PreS-Gr 2-An enthusiastic garbage truck describes the hearty joys of its daily rounds. The personified vehicle, with windows as eyes and a grille mouth, is appropriately unapologetic for the noises and smells that come with the territory. After filling up with trash ("Whoa, those bags are way compacted"), it gives a loud burp, followed by an "alphabet soup" list of items it digests, including "Dirty diapers," "Puppy poo," and "Ugly underpants." Varied perspectives; the creative use of light; and a palette of grays, blues, greens, and yellow visually capture the rewards of garbage collecting in an appealingly gross package. The text appears in letters of assorted size, color, and boldness that aptly fit the lively directness of the narrative. The truck's brash good humor shows in its toothy grin and expressive eyes, but the human qualities do not detract from its obvious truckish essence. When it proudly admits that it stinks ("Whooooo-whee! Do I ever!"), the truck asks readers where they would be without it. The answer appears on the following spread with a garbage-covered city. The simple, but distinctive voice of the narrating vehicle makes this a fun and funny read-aloud, especially for young truck enthusiasts.-Steven Engelfried, Beaverton City Library, OR Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information. - Copyright 2002 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 06/01/2002 Know what I do while you're asleep? asks a grinning truck in an opening spread, Eat your TRASH. This boldly illustrated book celebrates the garbage truck's noise and grinding power in a brisk, lively text filled with sound effects. The truck describes its night rounds with its crew, including an amusing A to Z of garbage, from apple cores to puppy poo to zipped-up ziti with zucchini. Finally, the vehicle dumps its load at a river barge and heads home. The importance of its job comes through clearly: Without me? You're on Mount Trash-o-rama, baby. But mostly this is just a loud, gleeful portrait of a big machine at work, illustrated with pictures that are just the right blend of heavy paint, dark colors, and whimsical humor to show the gritty, urban landscape and the swaggering, macho truck. For children who wonder what happens to the trash after it hits the barge, suggest Paulette Bourgeois' Garbage Collectors (1998) or Paul Showers' revised Where Does the Garbage Go? (1994). - Copyright 2002 Booklist.