Clement's sophomore picture book should delight truck lovers every bit as much as its predecessor, Drive (2008). Over the course of a day on the job, a burly construction foreman, referred to only as "Boss," makes good on his name and bosses around a bulldozer, excavator, dump truck, and other vehicles. "Boss says, 'Scoop that rock,' " and a loader moves in, "slides its bucket and takes a big scoop." Featuring the same brand of bold digital artwork seen in Drive, this book also makes excellent use of perspective to play up the machines' immensity and power; when Boss commands a crane to "Lift that stone!" readers get a worm's-eye view of the action from behind his boot, his shadow in the dirt showing him with his arms raised like a minor god. While no children appear until the end (when it's revealed that all this hard work has gone into making a community park), it's in no way a problem: Boss is the ultimate reader surrogate, wielding unquestioned power over the mightiest of machines. What more could a kid want? Ages 2Ð6. (Mar.)
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JOB SITE - Kirkus Reviews - Feb. 2011

In his debut, Drive (2008), Clement profiled a single 18-wheeler and its driver; here he explores the ever-popular realm of construction trucks. Unlike many similarly themed books, which focus on humans, this one details the part each truck plays in a single job, with the final spread showing a completed park. Throughout, the pointed finger and other hand signs of the African-American "Boss" direct the trucks to their respective duties. "Boss says, 'Pour a slab.' / And the mixer swings its trough and pours cement." About half the time children are given the opportunity to guess which truck will be needed for the job before a page turn reveals the answer. The highlighted trucks include a bulldozer, excavator, loader, dump truck, compactor, mixer and crane. While the text does not rhyme, it has a welcome simplicity that suits younger readers just as well, even as it uses real vocabulary for the trucks and their parts. The computer-rendered illustrations, while sometimes seeming flat in perspective, nonetheless have crisp, clean lines with bold, rich colors and textures appropriate to earth, gravel and cement. The large format of the book itself, as well as alternating views of long shots and close-ups of trucks makes this a good choice for group sharing. Pair this with Sally Sutton's Roadwork (2008) for a similar treatment of a different job site. (Picture book. 2-6)

DRIVE - Publishers Weekly - 1/14/2008 - STARRED REVIEW

Clement makes a noteworthy picture book debut with this day-in-the-life story of a trucker, as told through the eyes and succinct words of his young son. Aficionados of the truck genre won't find any big surprises here in terms of the shape of the storyÑDaddy is a skilled, unfailingly polite and conscientious driver. "Daddy's on time," notes the boy after his father is shown taking a coffee break at a truck stop, "because there is more work to do," and while Daddy is up before dawn, he makes it back home in time to play a sunset game of backyard ball. It's Clement's visual storytelling that sets this book apart, and gives many of the images all the power of a six-cylinder, 16.1-liter diesel engine. Working in big, streamlined shapes; flat, bright colors; and shiny, airbrushed-like surfaces, he evokes a deco-esque world where the combustion engine reigns supreme and humans and trucks are closely related species. Unusual and often cinematic perspectivesÑa thigh-high view of Daddy gripping the gear shift, a bumper's-eye view of a traffic jamÑplunge readers into the action and give the compositions a red-blooded energy. Some kids may still find the pictures a bit chilly, especially as the face of Daddy and other people are never seen. But most will take one look at his awesome truck, his strong hands and his beefy physique, and see all the makings of a hero. Ages 2Ð8. (Feb.)

DRIVE - Kirkus Reviews - January 1, 2008 - STARRED REVIEW

Striking graphics accompany a child's narration of a truck-driving dad's day at work, from his departure before dawn to his arrival home at the end of the day. The simple text advances spread by spread, describing both the workÑloading freight and navigating traffic--and the person performing it--watching out for others and always saying hello. An ever-varying sequence of images both in and out of the cab add up to a total truck experience for the reader; the father's face is never shown clearly, allowing every truck-loving toddler to imagine his own dad's--or, perhaps, his ownÑfacial features superimposed on it. The images and sans-serif typeface are reminiscent of Donald Crews in their boldness and simplicity, perspective and angle emphasizing the immensity of the truck and the heroism of its working-class driver. Indeed, in its strong, steady lines and depiction of a deeply pastoral Midwest, this offering could well be seen as the Great American Truck Book. (Picture book. 2Ð6)