The Village Garage (review)

Abstract

Reviewed by: The Village Garage Elizabeth Bush Karas, G. Brian . The Village Garage; written and illus. by G. Brian Karas. Ottaviano/Holt, 2010. [32p]. ISBN 978-0-8050-8716-1 $16.99 Reviewed from galleys R 4-8 yrs There's no rest for the weary in this small-town public works department. Spring is cleanup time, when dead branches are gathered and mulched. Summer brings on pothole patching, and even some bridge reconstruction after a particularly heavy rainstorm. In fall, the "elephant truck" that sucks up leaves is on the prowl. Just when the winter crew thinks they'll get some downtime, the snow blows in and the plows roll out. A little boy and his dog are never far from the action, fascinated—as will be the audience—by the specialized vehicles and machinery that keep the village in good trim, and by the spontaneous playfulness with which the crew lighten their workload: splashing under the truck-wash hose, riding the front-end loader at a July 4th party, playing cards and singing karaoke in the staff room. Any kid who's clapped eyes on a Karas illustration will recognize the style: spidery pencil lines robustly filled with textured gouache, and round-headed figures that could have been plucked from Charlie Brown's family tree. Select this as a seasons book, a community helpers book, or just a behind-the-scenes tour of Anywhere, USA. [End Page 486] Copyright © 2010 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois