Early Book Review: Dan the Biggest Dump Truck by Chris Adams, James Donahower

Dan the Biggest Dump Truck is a picture book written by Chris Adams and illustrated by James Donahower. It is currently scheduled for release on February 1 2017. Dan is the biggest dump truck in the whole wide world. He can fit one hundred elephants in his tipper, and his horn is louder than thunder! Dan wants more than anything to be helpful and work on a construction site, but he’s far too big to help build houses, and he’s even too big to build a bridge. Come ride with Dan in search of new friends and his perfect job. 

Dan the Biggest Dump Truck is a picture book with a story about finding your place and your strengths. Dan is a giant dump trunk, too big for most construction jobs that he finds. However, his persistence pays off and he saves the day wen a big project goes wrong. I think most children, and adults, know what it is like not to fit in, or to be too something to be accepted. Dan feels bad about it, but he does not give up the search for the perfect job. I do not like that he really cannot work at any of the jobs he is turned down for, rather than trying and just not being good at it. I think this gives the idea that it might be okay to exclude someone because they are too something, rather than letting them try, but we are talking construction rather than playground games so hopefully that will not carry over. 

  Dan the Biggest Dump Truck did a good job getting its story across, and the illustrations are nicely matched to the story. However, it did not blow me it. It was good, and will definitely appeal to many young readers, it just did not stand out as spectacular in a market that has been increasingly populated with great picture books.