The Bridge Is Up!

Simple and funny book that my 3 year old daughter loves. The lesson is simple, it teaches a preschooler how to be patient. Very easy to follow as my little one tries to "read" along.

We got this out of the library for our 3-year-old, and he loved it so much he wanted to read it every night. He very quickly knew the story well enough that he was "reading" it himself on each page. We're buying this for him for Christmas, and I fully expect it to be one of the books that teaches him how to read. The repetition is great for that, and it enables us to read it in a silly way, and read the "so everyone has to wait" pages in an mockingly exasperated, impatient voice that he has learned to mimic as well. Highly recommend.

Kirkus ReviewsThis enthusiastic read begins, "The Bridge is up! The bus can't go, so everyone has to wait." Following the bus and joining the queue come various modes of transport, from a bike to a bulldozer. Each vehicle is tacked on to the end of the refrain, building repetition. When the bridge finally descends, everything is repeated again, only this time, the bus can go! Hefferan's illustrations have cottony edges with an oil-base crayon vibrancy to the colors. The drivers and passengers, animals all, are expressive and charming. The font is expansive and jaunty, part and parcel with the artwork. Slightly bothersome, though, are the perspectives. Throughout the story the automobiles shift, inexplicably, from forming a line to sitting side by side. However, children will enjoy identifying the vehicles and watching the bicycle-riding monkey wander about before joining the motorcyclist. Whether to a crowd of one or many, this read-aloud is sure to be a pleaser. (Picture book. 3-6)