Little Truck:

きをつけて

by Taro Gomi

“Toddlers will instantly identify with this simply adorable little hero as he rolls through life.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)   Little Truck is heading out to explore! He’s going fast, climbing hills, and braving tunnels, being just the right amount of careful along the way. But no matter how far he goes, his caring parent is never far behind. This book by beloved author-illustrator Taro Gomi is perfect for toddlers moving onward and upward to big adventures.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Transport, Trucks, Storytime

22 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 3, 2018

About the author

Taro Gomi (五味太郎) is a major children’s illustrator and writer. He has more than 400 book titles to his credit. His work has been widely translated into 15 other languages.


Tarō was born in Tokyo and he graduated from ID department, Kuwazawa Design Institute. His readers range from babies to adults, with an equal number of fans overseas. His work has been appreciated considerably with both domestic and international honours such as the Sankei Jido Shuppan Bunka Award, Bologna Children's Book Fair Award among others.


Along with authoring children's books, he is well-known in the fields of Stationery design, clothing design, production of young children's animated videos, CD-ROMs, essays etc.


His popular books published in English include Everyone Poops, Santa Through the Window, Where's the Fish?, My Friends and The Crocodile and the Dentist.

Reviews

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

8/13/2023 - A cute story about a parent truck and a young truck. I liked the simple illustrations since that’s a lot like how a child would draw.

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm glad the text indicated this was a truck, because I'm not sure I would have recognized what that was supposed to be from the cover. The illustrations are cute and eye-catching, but they have a very "Microsoft Paint" quality that may be a turnoff for those who like more traditionally illustrated kids' books. It's doubtful that will turn off the tiniest tots who will enjoy the bright, simple colors and gentle storyline.

[Alex Baugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pink flatbed truck may be little but he sure likes to go fast as he starts off his day in the company of a bigger orange flatbed truck. It doesn't take long for little truck to past big truck, but when he reaches a steep hill, and begins to slow down, it's a good thing that big truck can help him and give him a push. But now sooner does he reach to top than little truck speeds up again, and heads right into a dark tunnel. Once again, big truck helps little truck out and then puts him onto his flatbed to take a very tired little truck home. This is a sweet, easy metaphoric story for kids (little truck) who are walking and trying out their first independent wanderings not too far from a parent (big truck), with a nice message that someone will always be there for them. The illustrations are Gomi simple - geometric shapes, dots and dashes with few colors. A nice reassuring book for young readers.

[Melody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tested this book on a 2 year old subject who declared it a big success. We read it at least 20 times in one sitting just to be sure. Subject loved both the little truck and the big truck. We discussed fear and friendship and how climbing makes one tired.

I will be adding this to my gift list.

[Khansa Baig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little Truck is speeding off on an adventure. He climbs a big hill, but begins to slow down. A push from his parent truck helps him on his way and he’s speeding ahead again. Little Truck enters a dark tunnel and the big truck isn’t sure where he has got to. The big truck finds little truck and carries him out asleep. It’s been a busy day and it’s time to go home.

This is a cute and concise story about little ones taking their first steps of independence. Little Truck is eager to get ahead but he needs the help of his ever-watchful parent when he gets tired. The simple illustrations are really effective and the text is a lovely read-aloud from the parent’s point of view. The sturdy card pages have a nice glossy finish, perfect for the tiniest readers.

[Charlotte Rice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dad liked the art.

[Miss Kelly · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wish I could spend 15 minutes drawing something and make it a book!

[Shauna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This board book is just the right size for tiny hands. Little Truck is a tiny, hot pink flatbed truck with a square cab. A bigger truck – who is an orange rectangle, and presumably a parent – is always nearby. We get to see Little Truck zoom around – up a hill, through a tunnel – and then Little Truck falls asleep on the back of the bigger truck as they head home.
The illustrations are very simplistic (almost to the point of confusion for me personally, as it took me a minute to figure out what some of the backgrounds were supposed to be – but I suppose they can inspire creativity in young children, showing that books don’t HAVE to include elaborate drawings, thus enticing kids to draw their own book illustrations). Our boys liked the book, and the slight changes in the facial expressions of the trucks are cute.
Thanks to the @kidlitexchange network for the review copy of this book – all opinions are my own.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple and bright illustrations accompany the story of a little truck that has a very busy day. The board book makes it easy for little hands to hold, and the colors are soft, yet they are also visually appealing since there are various shapes present on the pages. The story itself follows Little Truck taking his first halting steps on the highway, picking up speed, needing a little nudge up a steep hill, crossing a bridge, entering a dark tunnel, and heading home. Young readers and their caregivers will enjoy seeing how supportive Little Truck's caregiver is, allowing him to take some risks but sticking close by just in case he needs support. Apparently, he was tired by the time he encountered the tunnel since he fell asleep and needed some assistance in making his exit. This one is a guaranteed hit for youngsters--and the adults in their lives will enjoy reading it more than once.

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little Truck starts driving and is very fast. He passes bigger trucks as he goes. But when he comes to a very big hill, he slows way down and is almost unable to make it all the way up. It just takes a little help from that slower big truck to give him a nudge. Little Truck rushes off again, this time heading into a dark tunnel. But when only the big truck emerges from the dark, what has happened to Little Truck? This board book offers a wheeled version of what it is like to walk with an enthusiastic and energetic toddler. The book has plenty of action, an homage to The Little Engine That Could, and the danger of a dark tunnel. Exactly what little ones will love!

[Tans Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Little Truck written by Tarō Gomi tells a story of a bright pink truck as he is going fast, climbing hills, and braving dark tunnels.

Each double-page spread depicts a scene from Little Truck's journey and is accompanied by one to three sentences of simple text, which often reads as if the bigger truck were speaking with Little Truck.

The illustrations are simple, but effective. Squares, rectangles, and circles are used to create the bodies of the trucks, dots and dashes were used to create eyes, mouths, and rosy cheeks to give them personality.

The sturdy card pages have a nice glossy finish, perfect for the tiniest readers.

[Stephanie Bange · Rating 4 out of 5]

Translated from Japanese (originally published in 2015), this is a charming tale of a little truck who is spreading his wings -- driving fast, climbing hills, entering a dark tunnel -- with Big Truck nearby overseeing his success.

The tone and words of the book are direct and reassuring, much like that of a parent with a toddler. I especially enjoyed that this little truck is the color pink -- making it as approachable for girls as for boys.

This board book will be a welcome addition to early childhood collections in the public library or toddler home.

[David]

The baby and I both enjoyed the illustrations in this book. It really did not matter that the narrative is more like a list of things this little truck did. The illustrations had a playful quality because they were so generalized and so cute - look at the truck on the cover - a great representation of the essential qualities of a truck without the trailer. The colors had plenty of paint textures and variations adding a nice hand-crafted quality rather than completely sterile flat colors. Very cute and captivating.

[Meredith · Rating 2 out of 5]

A little pickup truck goes.

This board book follows a little truck and a big truck as they drive, and the pair are a metaphor for a parent and child with the little truck wanting to be independent and go fast and the big truck helping the little truck.

The illustrations are in a primitive, child-like style. The trucks depicted are kei trucks rather than American style pickup trucks.

Little Truck is pink and is referred to using masculine possessive pronoun ("his"), which teaches young readers that the color pink isn't just for girls.

My child who loves trucks enjoyed this book, but Taro Gomi's master piece is still considered to be Everyone Poops in our household.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This board book is created by an illustrator I recently discovered and this particular title is very well done with the concept of a young truck exploring with the grownup truck not far behind. As I read I was reminded that this was the idea of a young child exploring and the parent being there to ensure the child's safety. Good story and illustrations for the very youngest.

[Asho · Rating 3 out of 5]

L picked this book out for F and we all enjoyed it. The illustrations are very simple and almost look like they could have been drawn by a child. They definitely appealed to baby F. I like that as the story goes along it becomes clear that Big Truck is the parent of Little Truck and there to assist on Little Truck's adventures. Not sure that this one will be overly memorable, but it was cute!

[Alli · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a favorite in our household.

A sweet story about an adventurous little truck who is excited to explore the world on its own but also sometimes needs a little encouragement, a push, or a piggyback ride from big truck.

At its heart, it’s a sweet story about the loving relationship between a baby and it’s parent, which makes it a delight to read with one’s own baby over and over again.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Little Truck is off to see the world, zooming here and there, not always heeding the advice of Big Truck. Will Little Truck get lost in the dark? It's a simply illustrated board book about a universal parent-child experience!

[Andrés · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just feel compelled to keep turning pages to see where Little Truck goes. This falls into the genre of "nothing much happens," but it's an enjoyable read, maybe for that reason and the low-stim illustrations.

[Ame · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beep!

[kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

awwww, cute!

[Bonnie Arriola · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a favorite. Art work is ok. Story has been told before.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I guess it's considered progressive that the truck is pink? I don't know why it ("he") had to be gendered.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 3 year old adoooores this little book and its sweet simple art. It's hard to get him to put it down. Perfect read for any toddler who loves vehicles.

[Rebecca Caufman · Rating 2 out of 5]

A little truck take off excitedly at the beginning of the book and runs out of steam by the end. Cute story for littlest readers.

[Christine Turner]

WU branch.

[Christine Meunier · Rating 3 out of 5]

The kids quite enjoyed this one.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love!

[Madison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story and cute illustrations!

[Annie MacPherson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun to read with a toddler!