Junkyard

K-Gr 2—Supersized robots made from spare parts are sad to find that the yard is such a mess: "Junk as far as the eye can see/not even room for one little tree." The Munching Machines go to work right away, chewing up everything from rusty school buses and broken bed frames to truckloads of stinky fish oil and tubs of toxic waste. Once the yard is swept clean, "They dig hundreds of holes/for hundreds of trees,/and sow hundreds of flowers/for hungry honeybees!," turning the once-disgusting landfill into a beautiful community playground with tire swings, a lake for boating and swimming, and a vegetable garden. Earthy colors dominate the digital illustrations when depicting the messy junkyard, turning to bright greens, blues, and reds when the garden is planted and the park is ready for outdoor fun. The simple sentences and rhyming text create a singsong read-aloud. Children will understand the message about the environment and enjoy these delightful robots.—Kristine M. Casper, Huntington Public Library, NY