Synopsis
Old Blue is Chuck’s truck. When Chuck gets ready to go to town, his barnyard friends gather around. Into the truck climb the duck Luck, dogs Nip and Tuck, the burro Buck, workhorse Huck, the chicken that goes “cluck,” Sue and Lou, and the goat Flo, too. So come along, jump in Old Blue—there’s still some room just for you!
Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz - Children's Literature
Chuck and his truck accumulate a series of passengers, each giving Anderson a chance to play with words. First she begins with "uck": so we have a duck named Luck, a chicken who goes "cluck," a dog named Tuck, Buck the burro, and Huck the workhorse. The rhymes then change for Fat Cat Pat and Sue and Lou. By the time the jam-packed truck reaches town, it breaks down and must be towed. Handyman Hugh and his crew "know exactly what to do." They "make the truck like new." Chuck and company are very happy with the truck that "will NOT break down!" And readers will enjoy the word play in the simple story. The double-page scenes are filled with the rusty blue pickup and the very friendly animals that fill every space. Smiles change to expressions of concern, then sadness and complaints, finally to smiling joy when the repaired truck arrives with its bright blue paint job. The comic presentation and fine sense of active page design keep the action moving. 2006, Walter Lorraine Books/Houghton Mifflin Company, Ages 3 to 7.