The Bridge - Hardcover

Kindergarten-Grade 3 The old wooden bridge rattles when vehicles cross over it on the way to Ben's house, so Ben and his dog always know when someone's coming. To Ben's delight and intense interest, when the old bridge collapses, his father hires a work crew who bring a series of machines and a culvert to build a new bridge. All day long (his mother brings him a picnic breakfast and lunch), Ben watches as workers run the backhoe, the bulldozer, and the loader, fitting the culvert into the brook. Children interested in these huge and powerful machines and how they work will be riveted to the narrative. Himler's beautifully composed watercolors expand the text; if his renderings of people are occasionally awkward, the focus of the bookthe great machines working in harmony in the woodsy settingseems to be painted with effortless realism. Because the story is long and listeners will want to examine the pictures closely, this book will be most enjoyed when shared one-on-one. Susan H. Patron, Los Angeles Public Library
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

The Newbery Medal-winning author of It's Like This, Cat has returned with her first picture book, pleasingly reminiscent in tone of books published in an earlier era. Ben and his parents live in the country. In order for a car to reach Ben's house, it must cross a wooden bridge that seems to say "Rattle-rattle-rattle! Here we come!" One day, the little bridge cracks and falls, and a new one must be built. Neville explains, in near-exhaustive detail, the building of the new bridge and each and every piece of heavy equipment employed. The text is overlong for a picture book, closer to a short, illustrated novel. Yet the interest level of the story (and the age of the hero, Ben) will engage a younger audience than the text-heavy format allows. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.