Move Your Caboose -- Picture Book Review Blog
- cynthiacenterbar
- Mar 29
- 1 min read
Updated: Jul 14
In Travis Jonker's CABOOSE, "opposites attract" prose joins hands with Ruth Chan's artistic choreography, creating a humorous story that makes you want to move.
Characters: Caboose the hippopotamus protagonist, and his classroom cast of animal caricatures (fish, alligator, turtle, giraffe, etc.
Themes: It takes practice and perseverance to master a new skill
Conflict: The page turns are motivated by an urge to know the answer.
Plot: Caboose tells us about his passion to be first and shows us all the skills he has mastered to ensure he is at the head of the line.
When he takes it too far, Caboose's teacher sends him to the back of the line. This is a problem for Caboose because he has no back of the line skill, causing him to fail.
After a lesson about opposites, Caboose realizes he just needs to learn a new skill. Caboose practices and practices, eventually becoming the back of the line master, but once again, he takes it too far.
Can Caboose master yet a third skill?
Perspective: First-person, with Caboose as the narrator
Setting: An early education school and playground
Picture Book Reviews
ISBN-13 | 978-1419765032 |
Publisher | Abrams Books for Young Readers |
Publication Date | February 2025 |
Page | 40 |
Age | 4 to 8 |
