Big Truck and Little Truck

This book is just great! I never get tired of reading it to my son. We liked it so much that I looked for the read-along cassette on eBay and now even when I'm cooking dinner or cleaning, he can just pop in the casette (the story is also available on CD) and he can still hear it. This story is great- really encouraging for little kids. They learn about overcoming lonliness and finding the stength to carry on when sad or afraid. It's just a great book with an equally great story-line!!

Big Truck and Little Truck is a story about two humanlike working farm trucks who share a relationship very much like father and son. Big Truck "taught Little Truck everything he knew" about carting in crops from the fields and how to navigate the big city roads on the way to the Farmer's Market each day. One day, Big Truck is unable to start up and he has to be towed away. Little Truck is worried for his "dad", and frightened of the big tasks ahead of him to be completed for the first time alone. Will Big Truck come back okay, and will Little Truck do a good job on Farley's Farm all by himself? We have had this book for about 3 years and two little boys now. I don't know how little girls would react to it, but we love it so much that my older son who is turning 6 soon still asks for it. The two year old has recently discovered how fun it is to look for the whimsical details within the larger pictures, such as the chicken family, the cat, and all the other little residents of the farm. This is a very warmly and brilliantly illustrated picture book for preschool aged children. It speaks to them in a clearly recognizable analogy about the fears kids may have to face if a parent becomes sick or has to be away for a short period of time, and the story shows how Little Truck coped beautifully with his own situation. The bonus is that Big Truck and Little Truck model a great work ethic with lots of love. -Andrea, aka Merribelle

My son, who is now 6, got this book right after he turned 2. In these 4 years we have read the book hundreds of times. It has never lost its appeal nor has he outgrown it. The story is complex (to an adult), it has love, drama, adventure, a strong work ethic and a happy ending. I have always wanted to write to the author and the illustrator to tell them how timeless and wonderful the story and the illustrations are but more importantly, if only to myself, I wanted to let them know that for 4 years now my son has only called me Big Truck. That's become my name, my whole family calls me Big Truck, my son's friends call me Big Truck. The last time I heard the word "Mama" come from my son's lips was a week after he got the book. I told my husband I want "Big Truck" on my tombstone. To say the book has been influential in our home is an understatement - and we love it.

Big Truck and Little Truck lived and worked together on Farley's Farm and Big Truck took care of Little Truck and taught him everything he knew. That is until the day Big Truck's engine wouldn't start. Little Truck cried as he watch Tow Truck pull Big Truck away. He had never been alone. "I'll be back soon," Big Truck assured him. "Just remember the things I taught you." Little Truck was sad and anxious, but he got right to work. He took all the fruits and vegetables to market. He drove alone on the highway and remembered to keep his lights on the road. And when he skidded into a ditch, Little Truck knew how to go easy and rock back and forth to get himself out. After a few days Big Truck came back home and he looked great. His engine purred and he even had a nice new paint job. Little Truck couldn't wait to tell him all the "big truck" things he had done. But there was no time to talk right then. They had lots of work to do on Farley's Farm..... Jan Carr has written a very tender and sensitive story about love and the fear of separation all pre-schoolers experience, from time to time. Her gentle text is complimented by Ivan Bates colorful and expressive artwork and youngsters will be entranced as they watch Little Truck triumph and become more and more sure of himself. This is a wonderful, reassuring story that helps teach self-reliance and the big lesson that separation isn't forever.

My son spent hours at the bookstore reading this book over and over again. So we had to get it. Amazing illustrations!