EMERGENCY!

Mayo and Ayliffe move from one favorite set of vehicles—heavy equipment (Dig, Dig, Digging, p. 574) to the other—the ones that make noise and tear through the streets, sky, and waterways. “Whee-oww! Whee-oww! Pull over, make way!” Children will practically hear the sirens wail as a succession of emergencies brings out appropriate rescue vehicles: a police car for a break-in; a tow truck for a wrecked car; a fire truck, a snowplow, ambulance, lifeboat, helicopter, and more. Ayliffe’s collages depict them all as big, blocky, brightly colored shapes, generally seen in action, then retreating afterwards to their respective garages—“all tucked away, / Ready and waiting for the next 911 call.” There is a bit of disconnection between pictures and text, as according to the often-repeated refrain help is always coming—“It’s on the way!”—but never seems to arrive. Still, like Gail Gibbons’s Emergency! (1994), this sends a message at once exciting and reassuring. (Picture book. 5-7)