If I Had a Snowplow
reS-Gr 1-In short vignettes, this caring and clever book tells the story of a boy's love for his mother as seen through his play with his toys. Each spread begins with "If I had a-" (truck, tractor, cement mixer, bulldozer, etc.) and tells what the boy would do for his mother. ("If I had a loader, you know what I'd do?/I'd feed the cattle, just for you-.") The art and the story line form a beautiful montage; each text box is set in an arched frame with the month of the year and an illustration of a toy at the top, accompanied by a larger illustration of the boy playing with the vehicle described. The framed picture on the facing page depicts the vision the words describe. The realistic and yet imaginary style of the art really captures the text. Each vignette is touching and shows the child interacting with the mother. His growth throughout the year and the joy and love shared between parent and child make this a special book. It is great for one-on-one reading, and offers a new twist on the ever-present need for more truck books.JoAnn Jonas, Chula Vista Public Library, San Diego, CACopyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.