Little Excavator

Pitch perfect...[Dewdney] has constructed a solid winner for one of her final books, with an appealing main character, vibrant illustrations with varying perspectives, and an action-packed, rhyming text with sound effects just begging to be read aloud with dramatic effect. An A+ for Little E and his creator.

Little E, the smallest construction vehicle at the site of a future park, is eager to do his part in this raucous rhyming outing from the late Dewdney (the Llama Llama series), which is stuffed with noisy vehicular sound effects. "Little E tries lifting up some junk junk junk!" she writes, but the load is too much for him, and "there goes Little Excavator--over with a clunk!" The big trucks are kind and ready to rescue him, but they're also busy (children will almost certainly think of the adults in their own lives), and it proves dispiriting for Little E to be constantly reminded that he's neither independent nor helpful ("Not yet, Little Excavator... Someday when you're big"). The story is familiar, but Dewdney's little hero is so chipper and gung-ho--he breaks into a small, confident smile whenever he's had a success--that it's impossible not to root for him. When he finally gets a job that's a perfect fit for his diminutive size, his happiness and the bow he takes are both well deserved. Ages 2-5. Agent: Deborah Warren, East West Literary. (June)

Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

PreS-K--Little E, a baby excavator, busily tries to help the big rigs as they work to build a park, but he is either too small for the task or in the way. It's only when the construction is nearly done that there's a job that none of the mighty machines can get to, and it's Little E's turn to shine. The cheerful, anthropomorphized machines are illustrated in Dewdney's signature, child-friendly style, and there is onomatopoeia galore as each truck is introduced and gets to work. Fans of Dewdney's "Llama Llama" books will find the rhythm of the text and the positive tone familiar. VERDICT A fun first purchase for all preschool collections.--Kelly Roth, Bartow County Public Library, Cartersville, GA

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.