EVERYTHING GOES: STOP! GO!

A delightfully playful exploration of vehicles and opposites.

The usual opposite suspects are presented in one-word captions (slow/fast; up/down), but the vehicles are the true stars here. Biggs is a master at drawing quirky cars, trains, trucks and even unicycles that will appeal to wheel-obsessed youngsters and their grown-ups alike. The “Small / Big” page is a prime example of his humor, depicting a teeny compact car being overtaken by an enormous 18-wheeler bearing the words “MAXI Truck Lines.” The concepts are clearly presented, and art pops against bold backgrounds. The companion title, Everything Goes: 1 2 3 Beep Beep Beep!: A Counting Book, is equally energetic and enjoyable. One bus, two RVs, three fire trucks and more count their way up to 10. The endeavor ends on a page depicting a motley assortment of vehicles halted by a sole chicken crossing the road with accompanying text “1 BIG traffic jam!” While the oversize hardcover titles in the Everything Goes series also have strong toddler appeal, these board books have all of the enchantment of Biggs’ cartoons in a smaller, more accessible package.

Here’s hoping more Everything Goes board books are en route.