Synopsis
Through the year and no matter the weather, workers at the Village Garage are always busy. With the help of their trusty trucks, they clean the streets of sticks and leaves in the spring; patch potholes in preparation for summer traffic; pick up the leaves in the fall; and spray the roads with sand and salt during winter. Young truck enthusiasts will love watching the garage workers operate their terrific trucks and keep the roads in top shape through every season!
Children's Literature
Karas takes us through the seasons at a local village garage. Spring is the time to clean up the winter debris, put mulch out for sale, have some fun washing the trucks, and to prepare the roads for summer traffic. A summer storm requires repairs of bridges and phone lines. After the Fourth of July celebration, there are many summer chores. The north wind of autumn brings down cascades of leaves to be picked up and cleaned up. With winter, the crew prepares for the snowstorms that will require clearing the roads while allowing for sledding and snowball fights. Then they all await the springtime to come again. Double page scenes visualize the action in acrylics and gouache with penciled line, delivering the details of each season with a clarity that is crafted with smiles. Smiles rather than frowns also dominate the workers. There is a child-like simplicity to the drawing, but each task is clearly delineated. A young boy and his dog are spectators throughout. Reviewer: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz