La camioneta de las buenas noches

August 16, 2024

Baby-Toddler-As workers and children return home, the sun is setting down, a baby is crying and hesitant to go to sleep. Their father and grandmother decide to take the baby, referred to as "the little passenger", for a ride around town in their Ford pickup truck to calm the child and make it fall asleep. With Grandma at the steering wheel, they pass by different buildings, community members, parks, and fields in their small town. Will this scenic ride finally put the little passenger to sleep? The narrative of a tired parent and struggling with crying babies will resonate with caregivers and mirrors an exercise done by many of these working parents. The colorful and mildly cartoonish art shows big eyes and faces, portraying a loving and supportive family with brown skin. There's just one hitch, whether in English or Spanish: despite a cute construct and warm story line, the overall effect is that of a commercial for Ford trucks in picture book form. VERDICT Even though trucks are a popular topic among toddlers, this one is optional.-Sujei Lugo

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