Long, Loren. Yellow Bus, The. Loren Long, Illus. Roaring Brook, 06/2024. 48pp. Picture Book. Trade $19.99. 978-1-250-90313-6. GRADES Preschool–2. OUTSTANDING.
A town and environs, minutely rendered in soft gray graphite and pencil, are the backdrop for the profound and charming life journey of a bright yellow school bus. Perspective shifts from sweeping aerial views to ground-level observation. Deceptively simple, the art and repetitive text pack a punch and make a superb readaloud. As community members onomatopoeically step aboard the bus, they become vibrantly hued. Each useful job-shift fills the bus with joy. Rarely has the march of time been so delightfully, and surprisingly, explored. An afterword describes the inspiration and artistic process. Diverse socio-economics, races, ages, and abilities are portrayed.
Melissa McAvoy—Retired