20 Big Trucks In The Middle Of The Street (2000) - Plot & Excerpts
“Twenty Big Trucks in the Middle of the Street” written by Mark Lee and illustrated by Kurt Cyrus is an entertaining picture book written in rhymes that teaches children to count and show them that the age is not most important to be wise because even the youngest can sometimes have the best ideas.The story starts when popular ice-cream truck that sells everything sweet will break down and block the middle of street. Right behind it a mail truck will stop and soon the third will come that carries hay, all stopping because the middle of the street is blocked.Then reader will meet a yellow-helmeted boy on a red bike that will slowly count one by one truck, until the twentieth, all of which got stuck in traffic due to a broken ice cream truck. And although no one will expect it, this smart boy in the end will help adults and find a solution to this problem…“Twenty Big Trucks in the Middle of the Street” is nicely designed children book that carries a great lesson while its rhythm and rhyme makes it extremely catchy so children without effort will be able to learn it by heart.Especially beautiful are book illustrations where Kurt Cyrus used bright colors which have high visual appeal showing twenty trucks, big and small, from different perspectives, over the whole page. Although the book title might suggest that the illustrations could be similar or uniform, the illustrator has skillfully avoided that trap using, besides above-mentioned different perspectives, different size and number of trucks on different pages – sometimes one or few, or all twenty of them in bird's eye view.Therefore Lee’s picture book for many reasons will be tempting to young readers - both for those who love trucks because inside its covers different sizes and types can be found, those who love the well-made stories because the author has made an effort to tell his story in perfect rhythm, and particularly to those who love good lesson because on this issue this picture book manages to be special, as well. My little girl mostly liked its rhymes because she is still too small to enjoy other respects, but in any case I can fully recommend “Twenty Big Trucks in the Middle of the Street” for all children from 3 years onwards. 20 Big Trucks in the Middle of the Street, by Mark Lee, is an adorable picture book with captivating illustrations and an utterly addicting rhyming story. A cute little boy narrates this 32 page story, counting the twenty different trucks that get backed up in the middle of his street, all because of one stuck ice-cream truck.The rhyming, sing-song narration flows in the most perfect and pleasing way. Little readers, and those being read to, will love the simplicity and sound of the rhyming rhythm. The bright, physically appealing pictures, by Kurt Cyrus, illustrate the story wonderfully. Each of the different twenty trucks has its own personality and pizzazz and little readers will love pointing the various trucks out and picking their favorites. The illustrations are busy enough to keep little eyes entertained and enthralled, but not too busy to overwhelm.I love that the little boy narrator is the voice of reason and comes up with the big plan to save the day, and I think little ones will get a kick out of this too. The story begins and ends with the stuck ice-cream truck, bringing the story full circle.20 Big Trucks in the Middle of the Street is a delightful little story, perfect for little readers who love cars or who are just learning how to count. The lovely illustrations and addicting rhyming story will have little ones asking for this story again and again.
What do You think about 20 Big Trucks In The Middle Of The Street (2000)?
Oh my word I love Kurt Cyrus's clear, friendly illustrations.
—Carrie
A fun one for a things that go storytime... Great pictures
—speak
