Loading by the Letter: Alphabet Trucks by Samantha Vamos

ALPHABET TRUCKS!

A IS FOR APPLE TRUCK
CARTING PRODUCE TO THE STORE.

B IS FOR BOX TRUCK
WITH A ROLLING REAR DOOR.

Some like their alphabet costumed as cozy critters. Some desire alphabetical dinosaurs. But in Samantha Vamos' Alphabet Trucks (Charlesbridge Press, 2013), the letters (upper and lower case as well) show up on jaunty trucks rolling down the road.

There are some familiar haulers in their proper order--Ice cream trucks, Tow trucks, Dump trucks, Pickup trucks--but there are some more exotic vehicles for the customers' consideration.

E IS FOR ELEVATOR TRUCK
RAISE THE FORK LIFT--UP IT GOES!

F IS FOR FUEL TRUCK
WITH A METER, PUMP AND HOSE.

There are plenty of unusual trucks to see at work--knuckle-boom trucks, quint trucks with five different gadgets to deploy, even an X-Ray truck bringing the lab to rural lands, and of all things, a zipper truck, lifting and lowering those temporary barriers along the roads. For youngsters who like to learn their letters on wheels, Vamos' clever quatrains and artist Ryan O'Rourke's jolly and bright toters and haulers, lifters and loaders, movers and mixers, are just right to get young gearheads on the road to reading.

Convoy this one with Brian Floca's top-of-the-line Racecar Alphabet (Ala Notable Children's Books. Younger Readers (Awards)) Jerry Pallota's The Construction Alphabet Book and Audrey and Bruce Woods' Alphabet Rescue.