Smash! Crash! by Jon Scieszka, illustrated by David Shannon, Loren Long and David Gordon (S&S, $16.99, 9781416941330/1416941339, 40 pp., ages 3-7, January 2008)
The author of The Stinky Cheese Man goes to town--Trucktown, that is--in this inaugural title in a multi-book series. Scieszka, recently named the first-ever National Ambassador for Young People's Literature (Shelf Awareness, January 3, 2008), clearly has children's interests and skills in mind, as he introduces a cast of four-wheel (or more) vehicles poised to party and tells their tale with a limited vocabulary. "Jack Truck. Dump Truck Dan. Best friends." With hoods that resemble baseball caps and plenty of attitude, they set out to do some damage. " 'What should we do, Jack?' 'What we always do, Dan . . .' Smash! Crash! Smash-Crash!" One can almost hear the chorus of kindergartners at the refrain. But sometimes Jack and Dan help. When Monster Truck Max faces a pile of barrels to be sorted, the boys create a sculpture ("Smacked, whacked, . . . and stacked to the max!" says Max), and when the girl trucks want to play pirates, Jack and Dan construct a pirate ship. As the trucks go about the city, the illustrators convey a plethora of construction sites that seem to invite the smashing, crashing duo. In a terrific twist, Scieszka creates a character that follows the boys with a recurring, "Hey, you two. I want you . . ." in very large type, as a shadow leaks across the spreads. Just when you think it might be a parent or principal, Scieszka reveals a voice belonging to the biggest smash-crasher of them all. With their distinct voices and charming visual characteristics, these characters will be sought out, book after book.--Jennifer M. Brown
