Your Truck

Your Things

by Jon Klassen

"[A] standout board book series starter. . . .Minimalism motors toward an expansive experience in this smart work that puts youngest readers in the driver’s seat." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

From Caldecott Medalist Jon Klassen comes the first board book in the Your Things series for the youngest of children.

This is your truck.
It is yours to have.

Your truck is red, but it could be other colors too. It can carry things around, like a chair and table, a dog, or a horse. It will wait for you until you tell it to go, then it will go wherever you want, as far as you want, whenever you want. At the end of the day it will sleep, and you can sleep, too. Jon Klassen brings his minimalist’s touch to a soothing story of a simple object that a child can command and befriend, one that is there whenever the child chooses to visit it. Building on the quiet but evocative world he created in Your Farm, Your Forest, and Your Island, Jon Klassen invites young children to consider more things that are theirs and theirs alone, reinforcing that they have a right to things like solitude, exploration, and companionship.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Transport, Trucks, Juvenile, Canada

28 pages, Board Book

Published January 6, 2026

About the author

Jon Klassen received the 2010 Canadian Governor General’s Award for his illustrations in Caroline Stutson’s Cat's Night Out. He also created illustrations for the popular series The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place and served as an illustrator on the animated feature film Coraline (2009). I Want My Hat Back is the first book he has both written and illustrated. Originally from Niagara Falls, Canada, he lives in Los Angeles.

Reviews

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Someone has to say it: The printing makes the truck look orange not red.

I really like this one--maybe even more than the Your Places books? There's something very charming about the dog and this one really worked very well.

[Beau Manglass · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wouldn't mind if when I die, Jon Klassen narrates my journey to the spirit world in his soothing, eerie second person voice

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this series, Your Things, much better than the other series Your Places that Klassen did. I did like the text of this one as I am partial to red trucks as I own and drive one. However, that said my eyes though the truck looked more orange than red and the other truck colors seamed to be off shade also. Most real trucks currently on the highway are deep shades of color.

[Shanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 because the book clearly says the truck is red, but it is orange in the picture. Otherwise, stellar book with a fun message and illustrations! Love Klassen’s books!

Mia’s 2nd Year of Books: Day 338

[Becs · Rating 4 out of 5]

So here's the thing: these are very, very simple books. For example, a page which will just say "this is your truck" followed by one that may say "it is a red truck", and whilst that is almost painfully simple it is somehow so compelling to little (vehicle enthused) readers and so it just works!

Some of Jon Klassen's books don't work as well as this one does, but this one works so well not just because of the vehicle aspect - which is often all you need for a small reader to be interested in it if that's their special interest - but more so this time because it offers ownership. It is YOUR truck. This instantly captures the attention of a child who loves vehicles; a simple, small but absolutely effective win.

Is it the most visually impressive book for children? Not at all. But does it work as well as one? It's hard to argue otherwise.

ARC provided from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Roben · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great board book! And thank you to Jon Klassen for sharing it with us on Substack.

I watched Jon reading this one, so I haven't held the actual book in my hands. But I love what I have seen on line. I love the eyes and watching where the eyes are looking. It talks about colors and all the things you can put in your truck. And where you will go! But not right now - because your truck is going to sleep. So instead, you can dream about all the places your truck will take you.

The book provides so many open-ended opportunities for kids to provide opinions on their trucks and what they would put in them and where they would go.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is really, really hard to write good board books and this is probably Jon Klassen's most successful (IMHO). There's an actual concept here, a convincing use of white space. This one really could work well for babies and toddlers. Except for these are those terrible single-ply board book pages that are bendable and super not-durable. The choice to have matte paper-textured pages is confounding, as soon as a little gets their hands on this book it will be trashed. Also, we love a color concept book, but these beige-toned "colors" are really not going to help with color identification. What a cute little book that's truly here for a good time and not a long time.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finding ways for young readers or those being read to learn that they can choose the way they want things, like choosing the truck's color, what to carry in it, or when to go fast. That's Jon Klassen's ingenuity, talking directly to the reader, showing how they can also wait because it's bedtime, and choosing comes tomorrow! That truck comes to life through the clever use of eye movement. Everyone will love "Your Truck" which really can become yours!

[Marcie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't get this back when it was nominated so read your forest instead. This I was able to get both the Spanish and English edition which pushed it up to 5 stars as I like the Spanish translation even better than the English. The eyes in the illustrations will be great for art teachers and building expression.

[Jane Healy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a perfect bedtime book for toddlers who love things that GO! The subtitle really tells you what you need to know. This is an empowering book where a child can make choices, but the story spins along until night, when truck, dog, and child close their eyes and go to sleep.

[SamSamSam · Rating 2 out of 5]

Klassen tells stories weird, and I love that, and I think it's quite fun. This particular book was more boring than fun, it was like an anti-story. It probably has an audience but I'm not the librarian for this one.

[Karen Duvall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect for my almost 2 year old boy. We found this at the library and may need to add it to our "to purchase" list as he carries it around everywhere and wants it read and loves how the truck changes color and best of all -- a DOG is driving!

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Klassen, in his strangely reassuring, quiet style, narrates a simple story about a truck and all the places you can go in it, but right now it's naptime for you and the truck. It manages to be oddly soothing for both adults and kids.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I continue to enjoy Jon Klassen's books. The children I share them with love them.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

EARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Jon Klassen does not disappoint, and I can see this unique bedtime story being asked for multiple re-reads.

[SABRINA · Rating 2 out of 5]

I absolutely love Jon Klassen... BUT the printing made this truck orange.. which defeats a few pages in the book.

[Paulette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to remind myself it’s a board book, so my expectations must change, so it works in that regard. The artwork is minimalistic, but beautiful nonetheless!

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was cute and good for playmat time!!

[Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Has this man won a genius grant yet?

[Maeve · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the sun comes up, a truck is filled up and ready to go fast for a little one.

Simple and charming.