Synopses & Reviews
Wheels are busy. On banana carts, theyand#8217;re pushed; on dog wagons, theyand#8217;re pulled. On bikes theyand#8217;re pedaled forward; on tow trucks, towed backward! "Wheels work, and wheels play. / Thatand#8217;s what WHEELS do all day!" The rhyming text is written in both English and Spanish in this dynamic board book, each language clearly differentiated with color. Larocheand#8217;s extraordinary three-dimensional paper-relief artwork makes every colorful scenario pop, whether the wheels are spinning, whirring, racing, or rolling.
Review
"The sparse, yet powerful text contains both alliteration and occasional rhyme, making it a pleasure for readers and listeners alike. Roca's masterful paintings capture both the spirit of the times and of the expansive bridge." and#8211;and#8211;School Library Journal, starred School Library Journal, Starred
"The design is crisp, the story is told with real poetry, and Roca's paintings are rich and warm. Both text and illustrations reflect the grandeur, if not the delightful absurdity, of this historic event." and#8211;and#8211;Booklist Booklist, ALA
"Using a rich palette of glowing golds and browns, Roca imbues the pachyderms with a calm solidity, sending them ambling past equally solid-looking buildings and over a truly monumental bridge-which soars over a striped Big Top tent in the final scene." and#8211;and#8211;Kirkus Reviews Kirkus Reviews
Review
andquot;In his first book as both author and illustrator, Laroche uses his trademark collage technique, combining drawing, painting, and cut-paper. This isnandrsquo;t a lift-the-flap, question-and-answer title to browse through quickly. The minute detail celebrates the awe-inspiring constructions with a focus reminiscent of David Macaulayandrsquo;s work. This will have many grade-schoolers poring over the pages for a long time.andquot;--
Booklist andquot;Bas-relief cut-paper collages and brief text take readers on a tour of unique architectural structures around the world.andquot;--Kirkus Reviews
andquot;The text is good, the organization is clever, but itandrsquo;s the art here that is truly masterful. The illustrations are made from layers and layers of cut and painted paper, and in fact may be considered sculptureandndash;the visible dimensionality gives each page a deep tactile quality. Animals, people, domestic scenes, and landscapes both natural and manmade are depicted with skill and charm: the intricacy of this art will hold readers spellbound. The book is brought to a satisfying close with a loving re-creation of a North American small-town street and the interior of a lighted room in which two children create ziggurats and temples out of blocks and read Whatandrsquo;s Inside?andquot;--School Library Journal
andquot;Laroche deploys the guessing-game structure and fabulously detailed collages to intrigue an older set of readers . . . structurs hold visual surprises . . . This is an obvious draw for viewers who delight in . . . detail, and also an inspiration for kids with scissors, paper, and patience.andquot;--The Bulletin
Review
"A short rhyming text in very large type provides the framework for Laroche's impressive bas-relief cut-paper collages. . . . Best of all, the wide, single-scene spreads create their own staccato rhythm, with wheels of all sizes punctuating the pages like beats of a drum." --Horn Book, starred Horn Book, Starred
"This handsome, large-format picture book points out common uses of wheels in a short, rhyming text, brightly illustrated with distinctive collage illustrations. . . . A simply written, well-illustrated picture book." and#151;Booklist Booklist, ALA
"The striking collage art consists of paper cutouts that have been layered to provide dimension and enhanced by drawing and painting. . . . A fun choice for storytime."and#150;SLJ School Library Journal
Synopsis
A rolling, racing, spinning story for preschoolers about the many different things wheels do. This board book has rhyming text in both English and Spanish that focuses on verbs and action words for bilingual babies on a roll!
Synopsis
Wheels are busy. On banana carts, they're pushed; on dog wagons, they're pulled. On bikes they're pedaled forward; on tow trucks, towed backward Wheels work, and wheels play. / That's what WHEELS do all day The rhyming text is written in both English and Spanish in this dynamic board book, each language clearly differentiated with color. Laroche's extraordinary three-dimensional paper-relief artwork makes every colorful scenario pop, whether the wheels are spinning, whirring, racing, or rolling.
Synopsis
What DO wheels do all day? Find out in this bilingual board book brimming with colorful collage art, vivid verbs, and a diverse cast of characters doing many different things on wheels. From biking to driving, skating to strolling, and taking a ride on a ferris wheel, this book's rolling rhyme guides preschoolers through a racing, spinning world. With text in both English and Spanish, set in two colors for maximum readability, this is a great choice for new language learners, bilingual families, and anyone on a roll!
Synopsis
After fourteen years of construction, the Brooklyn Bridge was completed, much to the delight of the sister cities it connected: Brooklyn and New York City.
Fireworks and top hats filled the air in celebration when the magnificent bridge opened in 1883. But some wondered just how much weight the new bridge could hold. Was it truly safe?
One man seized the opportunity to show people in Brooklyn, New York and the world that the Brooklyn Bridge was in fact strong enough to hold even the heaviest of passengers. P. T. Barnum, creator of and#147;The Greatest Show on Earth,and#8221; would present a show too big for the Big Top and too wondrous to forget.
Synopsis
As it takes us on a tour of some of the most unique and beautiful structures, this book shows how the purpose of each structure dictated its design, or location. Here are soaring glass skyscrapers (for working people) and a humble stone barn (for working animals); a sealed tomb hewn out of a limestone hillside (for buried reasure) and a majestic marble building, honoring a goddess. As it reveals what lies inside each structure, this book gives insight into the people who designed these buildings -- into their hopes, their lives, and their concepts of beauty. Included -- for budding engineers and architects -- are statistics such as the year built, square footage, materials used, height, and other little known statistics.
Structures included are: Tomb of Tutankamumn in Thebes, Egypt The Parthenon in Athens, Greece Temple of Kukulcan in Chichen Itza, Mexico Buddha's Place in Shanxi Province, China Walled city of Toldeo in Spain Alcazar Castle in Segovia, Spain Independence Hall in Philadelphia Shaker dairy barn in Hancock, MA A Circus big top tent, which traveled to many American cities The Guggenhem Museum in NYC The Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia The Petrona Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia The Georgia Aquarium in Georgia, Atlanta
Synopsis
Yeah, what do wheels do all day?
Well . . . they push . . . race . . . stroll . . . fly . . . whiz . . . and spin . . . all day long!
Simple, direct text, combined with brilliant cut-paper relief illustrations, captures kidsand#8217; fascination with and#147;things that goand#8221; and opens their minds to the wide variety of wheels and what they do.
About the Author
Giles Laroche lives in Salem, Massachusetts. His amazing paper relief art has illustrated many children's books. This is his first book for Houghton Mifflin.April Jones Prince is a children's book author and freelance editor. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband and young son. Her most recent book for Houghton Mifflin was Twenty-one Elephants and Still Standing, a story about P. T. Barnum and the Brooklyn Bridge.