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Little Blue Truck
Little Blue Truck
Beep! Beep! Beep! Meet Blue. A muddy country road is no match for this little pickup--that is, until he gets stuck while pushing a dump truck out of the muck. Luckily, Blue has made a pack of farm animal friends along his route. And they're willing to whatever it takes to get their pal back on the road.
Filled with truck sounds and animals noises, here is a rollicking homage to the power of friendship and the rewards of helping others. This bestselling board book now includes a free downloadable party kit and audio, read by the author.
Filled with truck sounds and animals noises, here is a rollicking homage to the power of friendship and the rewards of helping others. This bestselling board book now includes a free downloadable party kit and audio, read by the author.
30 pages, Board Book
First published May 1, 2008
969 people are currently reading
4530 people want to read
About the author
Alice Schertle
76 books173 followersAlice Schertle has written more than 40 books, mostly for children. A mother and former elementary school teacher, Ms. Schertle is a graduate of the University of Southern California. Many of her most famous works are poetic in nature, though she writes about a wide variety of topics.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,291 reviews
January 19, 2021
A dump truck gets stuck in the mud; plucky little blue truck can only get him out with the help of all his friends. Kids learn about kindness and teamwork.
Or...do they?
In the end it's the addition of the little green frog who pushes them over the edge; that last little bit is enough to help the dump truck.
Or...is it?
Let's tell this story another way.
A mighty machine can only be moved by the combined strength of every citizen. Whatever their individual strengths, all must join in the struggle to move the enormous truck. Even if, like the frog, they are not best suited for pushing, they must join equally in the fight. If all pull together, even the largest tasks can be accomplished.
Sound familiar? That's because it is COMMUNISM!
"Everybody is fully occupied in production"
You know what Little Blue Truck sounds like to me? It sounds like Little Red Book, and this story is an allegory for Mao's Great Leap Forward, during which everyone, regardless of their innate ability or training, was set to melting metal down into steel. The real-life result was a lot of bad steel and no one had any pots left. But is any of that acknowledged in this insidious communist propaganda? Of course not!
"With great labor we will fulfill the plan"
Real talk: a frog can't move a dump truck. That's stupid. The American Way is you best call a tow truck, and if you can't afford a tow truck then you have a truck problem. And if you allow your child to be indoctrinated into the Red Army, before you know it she's going to run off thinking she can farm or smelt or push dump trucks or whatever, and let me be straight with you, friend: she can't. She can't do any of those things. You've been reading her cute little rhyming books. She's suited to go to college and become a software engineer. Here's some real propaganda:
Indoctrinate your child at the altar of Atari, friend, or she's gonna learn the hard way what really happens when frogs meet trucks.
Or...do they?
In the end it's the addition of the little green frog who pushes them over the edge; that last little bit is enough to help the dump truck.
Or...is it?
Let's tell this story another way.
A mighty machine can only be moved by the combined strength of every citizen. Whatever their individual strengths, all must join in the struggle to move the enormous truck. Even if, like the frog, they are not best suited for pushing, they must join equally in the fight. If all pull together, even the largest tasks can be accomplished.
Sound familiar? That's because it is COMMUNISM!
"Everybody is fully occupied in production"
You know what Little Blue Truck sounds like to me? It sounds like Little Red Book, and this story is an allegory for Mao's Great Leap Forward, during which everyone, regardless of their innate ability or training, was set to melting metal down into steel. The real-life result was a lot of bad steel and no one had any pots left. But is any of that acknowledged in this insidious communist propaganda? Of course not!
"With great labor we will fulfill the plan"
Real talk: a frog can't move a dump truck. That's stupid. The American Way is you best call a tow truck, and if you can't afford a tow truck then you have a truck problem. And if you allow your child to be indoctrinated into the Red Army, before you know it she's going to run off thinking she can farm or smelt or push dump trucks or whatever, and let me be straight with you, friend: she can't. She can't do any of those things. You've been reading her cute little rhyming books. She's suited to go to college and become a software engineer. Here's some real propaganda:
Indoctrinate your child at the altar of Atari, friend, or she's gonna learn the hard way what really happens when frogs meet trucks.
September 30, 2025
Wonderful book that teaches children the value of friendship! Books like this challenge small children to see that we all have unique personalities and perspectives on given subjects; I think that by understanding this it is a way to integrate more fully into groups. This might be a good choice for a small child having problems making friends.
March 21, 2019
5 sterren - Nederlandse hardcover -
Zo leuk, ik ken het in het Engels. De moraal van het verhaal voor mij is dat al ben je klein, de de grote bromberen van de wereld kun jij helpen, met de hulp van veel lieve vrienden. Eendracht maakt macht. Mooie herfstachtige tekeningen met op elke bladzijde vier regels op rijm. Wat ik erg leuk vind zijn de in aparte kleuren aangegeven woorden de de dierengeluiden weergeven. Zo kan je peuter al snel meedoen in het verhaal. 🐈🐥🐇🦋🦋
Zo leuk, ik ken het in het Engels. De moraal van het verhaal voor mij is dat al ben je klein, de de grote bromberen van de wereld kun jij helpen, met de hulp van veel lieve vrienden. Eendracht maakt macht. Mooie herfstachtige tekeningen met op elke bladzijde vier regels op rijm. Wat ik erg leuk vind zijn de in aparte kleuren aangegeven woorden de de dierengeluiden weergeven. Zo kan je peuter al snel meedoen in het verhaal. 🐈🐥🐇🦋🦋
September 27, 2023
The little blue truck encounters a large dump truck that is stuck in the mud. Can he push the big truck out? This is a wonderful story about friendship, being helpful, and working together to solve a problem. Told in rhyme, young children would love this story!
November 12, 2024
An absolute banger
September 1, 2016
The Little Blue Truck drives through the country, making friends with all the animals. This comes in handy when he gets stuck in a mud puddle trying to help out a big, yellow truck who doesn't see the value of friendship at first.
Filled with rhymes and the opportunity to mimic animal sounds from frogs to goats to sheep to ducks, this one was a big hit with Shortcake. It's a fun book with colorful illustrations that has a good message in there about friendship. I could see us reading this one several more times as Daddy works on his silly animal sounds.
Filled with rhymes and the opportunity to mimic animal sounds from frogs to goats to sheep to ducks, this one was a big hit with Shortcake. It's a fun book with colorful illustrations that has a good message in there about friendship. I could see us reading this one several more times as Daddy works on his silly animal sounds.
April 8, 2015
My toddler is obsessed with this book. We have to read it every morning as soon as he wakes up. He's three, and he's been going through that phase where they won't sit still and you can't read to them, and then suddenly WHAM he loves this book and can't get enough. I usually have to read it, then Little Owl Lost, Sheep in a Jeep, and then Little Blue Truck again. And that's okay! All the rhymes scan, I love the art, and it's not annoying! Hooray for board books that a mommy can read over and over without becoming stabby!
July 3, 2025
Have read this about 30 times in the past few weeks. A true classic. Basically “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” but with better illustrations. As a bonus, my animal noises have really improved, though I don’t think my son has noticed.
January 6, 2020
My son has at least a hundred books at this point, which is impressive considering he's not yet six months old. I've read this one three or four times while trying to keep him occupied. While cute, this is not one of my favorites.
While written in verse, the author plays fast and loose with the number of syllables per line at times, making it a little awkward when I half sing it aloud to him. I like the little blue truck, the green frog, and the others. The yellow dump truck is an asshole, though. The message seems to be about helping others but why should I teach my son to help someone that's been a dickhead to the entire neighborhood? Relax, I'm not as cynical as all that and I've helped my share of dickheads over the years against my better judgement. On a side note, the art is pretty spectacular.
Kidding aside, Little Blue Truck is a cute little book. Just not in the league of the Pout-Pout Fish or the Elephant that Liked to Smash Small Cars.
While written in verse, the author plays fast and loose with the number of syllables per line at times, making it a little awkward when I half sing it aloud to him. I like the little blue truck, the green frog, and the others. The yellow dump truck is an asshole, though. The message seems to be about helping others but why should I teach my son to help someone that's been a dickhead to the entire neighborhood? Relax, I'm not as cynical as all that and I've helped my share of dickheads over the years against my better judgement. On a side note, the art is pretty spectacular.
Kidding aside, Little Blue Truck is a cute little book. Just not in the league of the Pout-Pout Fish or the Elephant that Liked to Smash Small Cars.
December 31, 2023
10/10 children’s book.
I’ve read this no less than 500 times this year. Im counting it towards my goal 🤣
I’ve read this no less than 500 times this year. Im counting it towards my goal 🤣
September 27, 2025
Intriguing story, melodic writing style, and Great character Dynamics. Well executed twist ending where the animals all helped the trucks out of the mud. And, great romance between the little blue truck and the Big Important Dump Truck. Should have spent more time on the Sheep's character development.
I ship the horse and the toad l, and no one can convince me they aren't together.
Generally good book. Would recommend.
I ship the horse and the toad l, and no one can convince me they aren't together.
Generally good book. Would recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 9, 2025
I like to think of myself as a super athlete with great coordination skills. But asking me to press the OINK button and read OINK aloud at the same time??? Bridge too far. I’m just a normal dad not a superhero!!!
November 26, 2022
Never got to find out how it ended because nephew was turning the pages too fast
February 16, 2024
Isaac's visual interest 👀 (3 is top): untested
How good it is as a book for me to read aloud while breastfeeding 🍼 (3 is top): 🍼🍼🍼
I'm currently obsessed with this book! I teared up in my first read!
How good it is as a book for me to read aloud while breastfeeding 🍼 (3 is top): 🍼🍼🍼
I'm currently obsessed with this book! I teared up in my first read!
February 1, 2020
5 stars for the experience of this book...I sang it. While reading it aloud my daughter said it reminded her of a country song hahaha, so I turned it into one and sang the whole book. We had some laughs. So the memories created gave it 5 stars.
The book it's self 4.
The book it's self 4.
April 30, 2024
I’m an LBT Stan. Fun noises, good morals, and good storyline! What more could you want?! Baby book perfection.
September 16, 2023
I’ve learned a valuable lesson here!
October 1, 2023
Too preachy but cute; good rhyming though the author doesn't know a bay horse from a brown horse (or maybe it's the illustrator who doesn't); simple story line; toddlers and threes enjoy the pictures and the word play and enjoy reading it over and over.
October 22, 2021
Beep! Beep! Beep! Meet Blue. A muddy country road is no match for this little pick up--that is, until he gets stuck while pushing a dump truck out of the muck. Luckily, Blue has made a pack of farm animal friends along his route. And they're willing to whatever it takes to get their pal back on the road.
Filled with truck sounds and animals noises, here is a rollicking homage to the power of friendship and the rewards of helping others
Filled with truck sounds and animals noises, here is a rollicking homage to the power of friendship and the rewards of helping others
May 22, 2025
I love the adventures of this little blue truck even tho I have so many questions about the world. Like why does sentient car need to driven by a toad? Or does Little Blue simply allow toad to sit behind the wheel because they’re friends? We may never know. But I do know I love reading these books to my daughter.
December 15, 2019
An absolute masterpiece.
A lot depends on a helping hand from a few good friends.
Let's arrange our society around this message.
A lot depends on a helping hand from a few good friends.
Let's arrange our society around this message.
December 27, 2025
My most read book in 2025 deserved a permanent spot on my shelf. Didn’t meet my Goodreads goal, but read this probably more than 365x this year. A timeless tale about friendship, helping others, and one surprisingly buff toad who saves the day. I could recite this book in my sleep.
September 12, 2019
Yeah, that’s right. I’m giving myself credit for reading this book. A baby book, hard pages and all. And I’m giving it five whole stars. Because this was one of the least-dumb baby books I’ve read, and we’ve been reading a lot of them lately.
Don’t be hating. That’s for big fat dump(truck)s.
We’re lovers in this family, just like the little blue truck, bitches.
Don’t be hating. That’s for big fat dump(truck)s.
We’re lovers in this family, just like the little blue truck, bitches.
February 24, 2021
This is the best children’s book. Definitely my favorite. Lots of friendly animals and vehicles. Also the illustrations are fantastic.
August 21, 2025
By far the book I’ve read the most this year
July 4, 2025
A respectable entry into the world of farm equipment/heavy machinery literature, but it can't hold a candle to the bestest book of all time, Bob the Backhoe, which mysteriously went missing around the same time that my aunt Lydia volunteered at the local library book sale.
I'm sure it will turn up again soon.
I'm sure it will turn up again soon.
March 14, 2012
What a treat! I love the blend of farm animals, vehicles, and rhymes--all popular with little ones; when combined in such a winsome and skilled fashion, with Schertle's fine text and McElmurry's adorable, expressive illustrations, they make one great story about friendship, compassion, humility and staying true to yourself. This would make a superb read-aloud!
January 14, 2016
We have been reading this a lot lately. It's so cute. Love the rhyming, love the illustrations, love the story.
January 25, 2018
What a charming little book this is with a lesson to little ones on how being kind, friendly, and caring brings its own rewards. The rhymes and the country setting make me automatically add a twang to my delivery as I'm reading it to my son.
Sheep said, "Baaa!"
Cow said, "Moo!"
"Oink!" said a piggy.
"Beep!" said Blue.
It sort of makes me feel like I'm calling out a square dance which adds to the entertainment value. No doubt this one will age well, I can see my little twanging along and singing out the noises along with me as he gets older.
Sheep said, "Baaa!"
Cow said, "Moo!"
"Oink!" said a piggy.
"Beep!" said Blue.
It sort of makes me feel like I'm calling out a square dance which adds to the entertainment value. No doubt this one will age well, I can see my little twanging along and singing out the noises along with me as he gets older.
August 14, 2022
Lovely illustrations and a sweet message.
Read as part of my new "Settle back Sunday" initiative where I take advantage of access to children's books I can borrow and give back. When I was a kid, the weekly trips to our town library were some of the few things I loved about my childhood. And the pile of books mom would bring home, from picture books to chapter books, were the things that got me through many a terrible time.
Read as part of my new "Settle back Sunday" initiative where I take advantage of access to children's books I can borrow and give back. When I was a kid, the weekly trips to our town library were some of the few things I loved about my childhood. And the pile of books mom would bring home, from picture books to chapter books, were the things that got me through many a terrible time.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,291 reviews