THE DAY I HAD A BULLDOZER

Wall’s picture book explores the possibilities of youngsters using construction equipment.

Young Luke is eating breakfast one morning when his dog begins to bark at something outside—a bulldozer with Luke’s name on it. After donning a helmet, the boy drives the vehicle to the home of his best friend, Noah, who’s driving a dump truck. The pair set about making a giant dirt pile until another friend, Mikey, rolls up in a steamroller. Mikey’s a bit clumsy with it, so the friends drive to a more spacious park. There, they find Emma, who’s driving a digger and making a path through debris to Mr. Popsicle’s ice cream shop. Some readers may wonder why the shop is open without any way for customers to approach it, but this is beside the point. The book’s clear lesson is that people should always use their gifts to help others. And at another point, Luke remembers his responsibility to get home for dinner on time. The text also includes numerous facts about construction equipment, as when and Noah tells Luke how much dirt a dump truck can hold. However, the side plot about the dirt pile seems extraneous. Duck’s colorful, well-executed cartoon illustrations feature foregrounds that are detailed and clear with sparser backgrounds.

A message-driven tale that will appeal most to young construction-vehicle enthusiasts.