BUG ON THE BUS

Don’t let the skunk drive the bus!

High-spirited antics are the name of the game in this beginner book centered on public transportation. At a typical bus stop, atypical passengers are boarding. “Bug ran to the bus.” An odd-looking six-legged creature clutching the strap of a bright purse runs pell-mell toward the vehicle. “Hop on.” The bug is followed by a veritable array of critters, including a pig, a pup, a bat, a fox, a hen, a cat, and a slug. When a skunk joins the proceedings, everyone—including the pale-skinned human bus driver—suddenly has an urge to disembark. Everyone, that is, but the bug, who joins the skunk on a trip to the beach, where they play a game of badminton. Keeping the text admirably short for early readers, Catrow still manages to milk optimal humor out of things like the slug’s ridiculously slow boarding time. For those who notice that the slug has feet, Catrow has written a note addressing this fact. “His full name is Slug J. Caterpillar,” an allusion to the very real slug caterpillar species (though he notes that he’s given his character more legs “because he has so many things to carry”). Catrow’s style suggests chaos at every corner, yet he keeps the frenzied activities contained within his hairy watercolors. It’s an impressive accomplishment on every level.

A brilliantly simple paean to short vowels.