Click here to buy Dumpy to the Rescue! (My First I Can Read)
This is an “I Can Read Book”so I wasn’t expecting it to be big on plot. I was surprised to see it was published in 2004. It has the look of a much older book. I expected something a little less ‘traditional’ than an old red dump truck and a white male farmer with a white boy assisting him especially when you consider the diversity of children reading early books. Even the illustration style seem to be from the 1960s.
Dumpy is the farm truck. He brings hay for the cows, oats for the horse, chicks for the corn, but then can’t find the baby goat. As the farmer searches for the goat and feeds more animals, he discovers missing nuts, roses, milk, apples and even a hat. He finds baby goat in the barn full from all the food he has pilfered.
Just because the book is an early read, doesn’t mean it can’t have zest. Even with such a simple plot, the illustrations could’ve had punch and made children laugh. I honestly think most children would be bored stiff reading this.
When posting this review, I discovered there is a whole series of Dumpy books. Oh, well. Different tastes for different readers I guess.
Bonnie Ferrante - Books and More for Children 