TRUSTY BUS

A chipper brown bear named Dee and her yellow school bus—the aptly named Trusty—take their jobs seriously.

After all, the lives of many little ones rest in their steady hands, er, wheels. After a safety check, Trusty moves slowly through the streets, making multiple stops to pick up a pigtailed frog, an overall-clad pig, and other anthropomorphic young animals. Bighearted Trusty couldn’t be more patient; he cheerfully waits for passengers who are running a bit late or who need one more hug from a caregiver. Trusty also halts so a family of ducks can cross the street safely, but everyone still makes it to school on time. All that work’s gotten Trusty a bit dusty, so Dee gives him a wash, fills him with gas, and adds air to his tires. Trusty’s dependability and kindness don’t go unnoticed; the passengers have a surprise for him when he arrives to take them home. The exuberant, onomatopoeia-laden text makes for a satisfying read-aloud, although there are a few clunky rhyming lines. Alternating between full-page illustrations and spot artwork for variety, the digital artwork brings Trusty to life, carefully portraying his expressive, watchful black eyes and handsome yellow body and making evident his concern for his passengers—this is one bus readers can count on.

A simple story to allay children’s fears about riding the school bus.