Blue Wolf Reviews

Tag: bus

  • You Can’t Take and Elephant on the Bus

    You Can’t Take and Elephant on the Bus

    Back in hard book format for little people the funny, zany and loveable characters of You Can’t Take an Elephant on the Bus have come to life in a small board book suitable for 18 months-4 year olds, as they try and try to get an elephant on the bus, but they can’t because he would cause a terrible fuss, even if he would fit!

    The rhyming text is terrific to read out aloud and perfect for little ones to remember as they learn to understand why it is not a good thing to put a monkey in a shopping trolley or a giraffe in a plane, even if he so desperately wants to fly.

    Now a pig on a skateboard could be something to see, but oh, dear me what a catastrophe and so the absolute silliness that unfolds as the most unlikely animals try to do the almost the impossible, make for a very noisy, fun filled story time. 

    First published in 2015 You Can’t Take an Elephant on the Bus has become an all-time children’s favourite guaranteed to bring on a heaps of laughs and some very funny additions to the rhyming text. How could children resist.

  • Zoe, Max and the Bicycle Bus

    Zoe, Max and the Bicycle Bus

    2020 deserves a book like Zoe, Max and the Bicycle Bus for young readers. It is a verse novel that is delightful to read and music to the ears. The verse is positive, hopeful, and about friendly interesting kids. Steven Herrick has written many award-winning books which acknowledge problems and issues, but also promote cooperation, resilience, and kindness. How refreshing!

    The story revolves around a group of children who go to the same school. They each begin the book with a page or two of verse about themselves which allows the reader too instantly “Know” the character, their thoughts, and feelings.

    Each child comes from a vastly different background and is nervous about starting a new year in school.  They have a wonderful teacher who listens and is attentive to their needs. She rides a bike to school. There is a sticker on her bike that says, “Save the Earth, Ride a Bike.” Almost all the children in the class ride a bike to school and have chosen bike riding as a special activity for Friday’s.

    There is a problem though. The bike lanes in their area are not safe and, in some places, not marked at all. The children have the intention of encouraging others to ride to school but must address the issue of safety. Each child gives this problem consideration, and collectively a group come up with a solution.

    May Steven Herrick write many more wonderful stories about children, friendship, the environment, and a positive future!

    “The sun is shining

    and today feels like an adventure,

    only one I can go on

    whenever I want

    because I have a bicycle.”

  • The Whales on the Bus

    The Whales on the Bus

    The “Wheels on the bus,” is a well-known tune, and this story, The Whales on the Bus, is based on the same music. The bold and bright illustrations on the front cover of the book prepare us for a rollicking story. Joining the whales on the bus are tiny animals, birds and fish, but first we meet the whales. Next, we meet the “Cranes on the train”, then the “Sheep in the jeep.”

    As the reader sings the story the large and colourful illustrations act as a prompt. The humorous scenarios show familiar animals who are instantly recognisable. The animal sounds can be learned here.

    Perfectly written for younger children, this book is full of life and movement. Each double page spread is a different bright colour and if colour and song and movement are not enough, there is the delightful text. “The baboons in balloons float home for tea…” which is possibly a good time to read this book as it is not a quiet bedtime story.

  • We Catch the Bus

    We Catch the Bus

    We Catch the Bus is perfect for the little person who loves anything that has wheels, a bit of a madcap romp and enjoys seeking and finding hidden treasures on the pages of a book. Brightly coloured and full of fun Katie Abey captures the imagination, as well as the many vehicles that come under various categories, and a few other things that simply want to be on the page, as she takes a journey through the world of buses, bikes, cars, trains and vehicles.

    Each vehicle takes up interfacing pages filled with wonderful cartoon style drawings, a cast of outrageous characters who love nothing more than to zoom, zoom, zoom across the pages, sometimes even into the next vehicle.

    Snake enjoys driving the Double Decker bus, while Shark in her pink Tutu, enjoys the journey. There is even a Lama bus but the Lama does look a bit confused! The Book bus wants to know to know your favourite story.

    Pigeons patrol in We Drive Trucks, I wonder why. You need to look carefully to find them though and a rabbit asks what is penguin doing? Sailing boats of course need pirates, a party and a protest boat are all amongst the many on the pages.

    Each segment has something for a wide age range which is informative, will create discussion topics and also a huge amount to fun as each of the sections is discovered. Towards the end there are some seriously interesting characters who go to space, in of course a rocket. Perhaps there really is a cow that did jump over the moon?

    Hours of reading, seeking and fun have been built into this bright, cheerful book, so what are you waiting for, seek out your favourite pages and get going to wherever it is you choose to go.

    Have a great journey, enjoy the fun.