All of the Factors of Why I Love Tractors

K-Gr 2--A book that takes on children's affinity for certain books and why they ask for them to be read aloud again and again, drawn to the topic, words, or illustrations. In this case, Frankie and his mother are going to the library to get something new to read. To the mother's dismay Frankie chooses yet another book about tractors. Tired of reading about tractors, she offers plenty of good ideas for machines that drive, fly, and dig. Frankie knows what he wants and happily lists all of the factors that make him love tractors best. This book is told in catchy rhyme and what makes rereading this book such a smart idea is what Frankie himself admits: he has memorized it and can now "read" it to her. By memorizing the words in the book, he has begun to see that words carry meaning, and eventually he will notice that words have certain letters at the beginning. He uses that knowledge to decode other words that start with B. And so reading begins. The artwork is charmingly reminiscent of the "Little Golden Book" series from the 1940s yet is gender and racially diverse. VERDICT This book will engage children who are fascinated by vehicles and by the lesson that the character's understanding of why he is drawn to tractors is more important than even he knows. A good addition to the beginning reader section.--Joan Kindig, James Madison Univ., Harrisonburg, VA