A very silly--but internally consistent--explanation of storms, lightning, and thunder. It was fun to talk about what other trucks could be responsible for /good/ weather and other explanations we had heard of or imagined.

I can especially see it appealing to a kid during a "big truck" phase. ( )

I thought Thunder Trucks offered a fun and unique perspective for storms, and really enjoyed the scientific facts mentioned at the end. The authors took the time to explain how storms really work, which was a nice contrast to their imaginative story about impossibilities in the sky.

My son isn't really afraid of storms, but one of my girls doesn't like the sound of thunder. She'll cover her ears and tell me it's too loud, and sometimes leave her hands over them for the duration of a storm. I believe she really liked thinking of thunder with this creative lens, because she's fascinated by tractors, fire trucks, etc. We'll see how this impacts future storms at our house!

I did notice that all of the characters were female, and I'm not sure if that was intentional or not. It's not a bad thing, just something I noticed while we were reading it.

Overall, I thought this was a wonderful portrayal of storms and a very simplistic view of how they work. A lot of children are afraid of the sights and sounds associated with lighting and thunder, and I think Thunder Trucks makes the phenomenon a little more lighthearted and playful.

Originally posted at Do You Dog-ear? on September 17, 2019. ( )

Co-authors and long-time friends Cheryl Klein and Katy Beebe present an entertaining bedtime reassurance tale in this new picture-book, describing in their rhyming text how a nighttime storm is created by various Thunder Trucks. As the doughty vehicles create the rain and wind, lightning and thunder, a young boy remains snug in his bed. The book concludes with a goodnight wish for the Thunder Trucks, and a brief afterword about the science of storms...

Although truck books are not really a personal favorite of mine, there's no denying how popular they are at work, and with many young picture-book readers and listeners. Thunder Trucks is definitely a book that will please many young fans of the form, and combines something many of them love (trucks and other construction vehicles) with something many of them might fear (loud storms). The narrative is engaging and reads well, and the accompanying artwork from illustrator Mike Boldt is boldly colorful and quite appealing. All in all, a fun little book, one I would recommend to young trucks lovers, and to anyone looking for stories to reassure children who find thunderstorms frightening. ( )