Monster Trucks

Children's Literature

Grave Digger, Gun Slinger, and Beast are the names of some monster trucks featured in this nonfiction book on the topic. Devastation and destruction is what they do best. See the monster trucks crushing an old bus. See the monster trucks driving and racing over old cars. See the monster trucks that weigh more than 10,000 pounds and cost more than $100,000 do jumps, "donuts," and wheelies at freestyle events. See the fans go wild over monster trucks. If this kind of thing turns a reader on, he should love this book. The action photos are large and colorful. Throughout the book, "Blazer Facts" supplement the concise text. Text and photos are packaged in a smart format. A monster truck diagram is provided, along with a glossary, an index, and places to go for additional information. This title is one in the publisher's "Blazers Horsepower" series. 2005, Capstone Press-Blazers, Ages 5 to 8.
—Jeanne K. Pettenati, J.D.

Children's Literature - J. H. Diehl

This photo-illustrated picture book takes reluctant readers into the world of monster trucks. These fearsome-looking vehicles, with reinforced pickup truck bodies and giant tractor tires, are shown in action: racing, making crazy monster moves, and even riding over the top of a line of regular cars. The photographs carefully label simple parts of monster trucks, like the engine and shock absorbers. The pictures also convey how colorful and highly-decorated these trucks can be, as well as their size relative to an adult man. The book's language strikes a good balance between simple sentence structure, repetitive and subject-specific vocabulary, and high-interest content. The text is divided into three sections, which introduces the idea of chapters. The book is part of the publisher's well-conceived "Mighty Machines" series. Back matter includes a glossary, an index, and a brief list of books for further reading. Readers are also directed to Facthound.com, a website sponsored by the publisher. By selecting a grade level and typing in an ID number, students, parents, and teachers can locate other age-appropriate resources where they can find out more information about monster trucks and race cars. Reviewer: J. H. Diehl