Axle Annie

by Robin Pulver, Tedd Arnold (Illustrations)

Winter packs a wallop in Burskyville. But it doesn't matter how hard it snows, because Axle Annie is the best school bus driver who's ever lived. "Do snow plows plow? Do tow trucks tow? Are school buses yellow? Of course I can make it up Tiger Hill," she says, and that's why the schools never close. The laziest bus driver in town is not pleased at all, so he comes up with a scheme to keep axle Annie off the road. But he's not counting on Axle Annie's gumption. Of course she'll make it up Tiger Hill—won't she?

"With hilarious over-the-top characters, this satisfyingly outrageous tale will tickle readers' funny bones."— Kirkus Reviews

"Arnold's cartoons add just the right amount of humor."— School Library Journal

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Humor, School, Buses

32 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1999

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I disliked this book. Really:

>how are these "the luckiest kids" if they never get a snow day?
-one of the upsides of plodding through cold, snowy days is that sometimes school closes due to that weather

>why are the adults going out on such a day?

>Do these parents not care about their kids being out in that weather?
-maybe Axle Annie can drive it but Shifty Rhodes could not, and his bus was full of children too

>How does the superintendent think that the teachers and support staff are going to get to work?

>Why go out in that snow even if one bus driver claims to be able to drive in it?

>How is a clunky school bus able to make it through when other cars are not?
-yes, being a good driver is part of it but on an unplowed mountain no one really has the advantage

>Why are the roads not being plowed?

>Seriously?!? Why not just have a snow day?!?

At the end of the day, what is wrong with the occasional snow day? As mentioned above, snow days are one of the upsides of living in a place that has that kind of snow.

[Kaylee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book in my practicum class. The students really enjoy reading this book because it becomes predictable and they are able to read aloud with the teacher. I saw this book used to discuss protagonists and antagonists, especially kindness and helping others.

[Jillian Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The perfect book to read when it just didn’t snow enough to cancel school. Kids will chant along to some of the repetitive phrases in this one. My only issue was one character named Hale- wish it would have been Hal.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would be a really fun read aloud for snowy days

My students grades k-3

[Libby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute story to share during winter!

[Kurt Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun plot, fun pictures, great names! A little long in the text for the picture book age group.

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story about perseverance. I love the illustrations so fun! One of my favorite illustrators.

[Forrest Murphy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Axle Annie is a book about a worker colluding with management at the expense of her fellow workers. She comprises the safety of every child that goes to Burskyville to feed her massive ego.

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not like this book at all. What kind of kids would be happy about never getting a snow day? I think Axle Annie was the villain in this story.

[Angieleigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was amused that a few days after we returned from our vacation at Disney World that my nephew would choose a book that's about snow!

Axle Annie is beloved by all of the town as she's not afraid to go out during a snowstorm, no matter how blizzard-y it is, to get kids, and stranded motorists, and take them to school (or work!).

When one of the school's grumpiest bus drivers meets the local ski resort owner whose business isn't doing so great, the two hatch a plan to stop Annie in her tracks, and give the town a much needed sow day!

Ah, I love the togetherness of the kids, the pride Annie has on making sure that everyone gets where they need to go, and the town's love for her. Such a great book for kids to read and learn about character.

[Allyson Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about a school bus driver named Axle Annie in the small town of Burskyville. All the kids love her because she makes riding the school bus fun. Whenever there is a snow storm the superintendent calls her to see if she can drive her bus up Tiger Hill, the toughest hill in town. One of the other bus drivers, Shifty Rhodes, hates that there are never snow days and hates Axle Annie. When Annie finally gets to the hill she almost does not make it over, but all of the people she has given rides to on the snowy days come to help push the bus over the hill. I thought that the story was cute but I did not find it one I would keep in my classroom. The story did not flow and I do not see how any students would want to read a book about never having snow days. The illustrations in this book were fun and are easy for children to connect to.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

With a snowstorm raging outside our school, I read this book to 2nd and 3rd graders today. They loved answering Axle Annie's rhetorical question responses to the superintendent and very much enjoyed the story about this fearless and determined bus driver. It gave us an opportunity to talk about the seriousness of the job our bus driver's do and how dedicated and caring they are to safeguard our children each morning and afternoon, especially on these days that Axle Annie loves so much. This book will definitely make future appearances on snowy days!

[Jennifer Heise · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was amused by this story of an unbeatable bus driver, who always makes it up the steepest hills in the worst weather, and the grumpy colleague who partners with a ski resort owner to try and defeat her, because her skill means that school *never* closes for snow. She's a great heroine even though I have my doubts about the practicality of her daredevil driving!
However, I have to admit that my firstgrader, who does ride a bus, had no interest in this book.

[Louise · Rating 2 out of 5]

Axle Annie is a relentlessly cheerful school bus driver who always manages to get the school bus up Tiger Hill the biggest hill in town. Shifty Rhodes is a lazy bus driver who always wants a snow day, but never gets one because of Axle Annie. He tries to thwart her, but of course doesn't. I found it all a bit ho-hum

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok - there will be several books that I'll be reading now thanks to my kids goals in school. But, this book (and the other in the series) is truly adorable. I love the illustrations. But, the story is really great. If I can just keep finding books like this to help encourage my kids to reaching their reading goals - we will both be happy.

[Zahra · Rating 5 out of 5]

axle annie is about a bus driver named axle annie who could ALWAYS get up the steepest hill of all...tiger hill!but grump a grumpy bus driver wanted to stop her.i learned that to never have hatred on someone for someday you will be sorry.!

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story about a school bus driver who was always ready to face the huge hill on her bus route even when a blizzard came, despite some trickery by some other drivers who always want school to shut down. My kids always love Tedd Arnold's fun illustrations.

[Kati · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cute -- great for little kids as it has several repeating lines throughout.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great read-aloud book with colorful illustrations and silly school bus adventures

[Reepacheep · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was quite a pleasure to read and the illustrations quite well done. The way it is written lends itself very nicely to reading out loud to the kiddos.

[Keeko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super cute and what a treat to read a children's book where the author and illustrator understand kids. Two Thumbs up!

[Tori]

2009- Not sure the preschoolers I read this too actually ""got"" it.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok story--I'm not sure students will connect with main character of Axle Annie, the bus driver who never allows school to be cancelled due to snow.

[Beth]

With Axel Annie, school never needs to be closed even on the snowiest days because she will make it. Students are happy to have her as a bus driver.

[Beverly · Rating 3 out of 5]

humorous story

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tedd Arnold's illustrations add to this humorous story about a bus driver who can drive in any snow storm.

[MaryJane · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read-aloud book!

[Alisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun to read, fun to discuss with the kids. Appropriate level of villains plus suspense.

[The Brothers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun little story about a bus driver making it through the snow.

Great illustrations by Tedd Arnold.

[Sherri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun picture book about a stubborn bus driver who always makes it up the steep hills--even when it snows.