Truck in the Muck by Sophia Gholz

Today's read just looked and sounded like it would be tons of fun. So, we're going to take a peek at it. I'm hoping for humor, heart, and a mess. Mud is always messy, right?

Get ready for a silly, dirty ride because this one promises to be just that.

TRUCK IN THE MUCK

by Sophia Gholz

Illustrated by Susan Batori

Sleeping Bear Press

Picture Book

40 pages

ages 4 to 8

COMING JULY 15th!!!

Fans of Doreen Cronin and Mo Willems will love this hilarious picture book about a duck who gets his truck stuck in the mud—but winds up having a party when he changes his perspective.

Duck in his truck is making his way to a playdate with friends when a sudden rainstorm turns the trip into a sticky situation. But what luck! Duck's friends come to him and work to get the truck out of the muck. When that doesn't work, Duck changes his perspective and saves the playdate! Truck in the Muck reminds readers that sometimes the problem doesn't need a solution, just a change in the way you look at it.

Bouncy, rhyming text introduces readers to phonics and decodable skills.

GOODREADS    /     PUBLISHER

MY TIDBITS

Make lemons into lemonade or mud into summer fun with a crew which promises smiles and more.

Duck has an appointment and needs to get to his playdate on time, but the rain has made the ground so soft that his truck isn't going anywhere. Determined not to miss anything, he convinces his friends to come and help him get his truck out of the mud, but a truck is a big, heavy thing, and with the constant downpour not letting up, the mud isn't shrinking, either.

This is a book to bring smiles. What starts as an understandably frustrating experience, turns into a hope that, somehow, things will work out, and then, mutates again into something special. The duck's determination is inspiring and the help of his friends is golden. It's hard not to root for this group as they do their best to get that truck unstuck. When the duck, suddenly, turns everything on its head, the plot takes a new direction...which might inspire some listeners to have some messy fun of their own outside. The entire thing engages the reader/listener with emotional familiarity and draws in with humor and fun.

While there is a serious message surrounding working together and finding a way to make the best of things, this book thrives on humor and enjoyment. The text is delivered in rhyme. Not gently flowing or with steady tact, but rather, it holds a lovely, cut style which melds wonderfully with the tale. The phrases are short and pointed to create a read that listeners can giggle at and feel involved with. A light-hearted atmosphere flows with the messy adventure and opens up to the surprising fun. There's an extra twist at the end, too, which rounds off the food for thought while adding another dose of smiles and glee. It's great as a read-aloud for groups and single settings, and is sure to garner the word 'again'.

And here they are...

Sophia Gholz is an award-winning author whose books include Bug on the Rug, The Boy Who Grew a Forest: The True Story of Jadav Payeng, and more. When she isn’t exploring the great outdoors, you can find Sophia in a library, visiting schools or working on her next book.

Susan Batori’s books include Don’t Call Me Fuzzybutt and Letters from Space. She worked in advertising before switching to children’s book illustration. Susan lives in Budapest, Hungary.