A story about a boy and his pet backhoe, Joe. Yep, a boy with a pet truck that behaves like a naughty dog. ( )

Cute but maybe a bit too cutesy for me. H likes it though so I'm sure we'll read it about 3 million times before it's due at the library. ( )

A boy and his backhoe. Good for construction equipment enthusiasts. ( )

For some books, you have to be 2 or 3 to enjoy them. Nolan has wanted a backhoe like most kids want a pet, and when he finds a stray backhoe, (yeah, I know, it's a stretch), he treats it like a pet. Joe, the backhoe has eyes that capture every feeling, so kids can follow just how Joe is feeling throughout the slim story. I can picture that kids enamored of machines would go for this one. ( )