The New York Times Book Review - James Sturm
Briskly paced and stylishly staged, this book's celebration of teamwork feels like the bombastic opening number of a musical as each truck gets to roll into the spotlight and strut its stuff. Lichenheld's cartoony oil-pastel illustrations are radiant and capture the grandeur of the construction site as well as the trucks' determination and pride.
Publishers Weekly
★ 11/28/2016
The five industrious vehicles previously spotlighted in the bestselling Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site eagerly start a new day in this sequel, which brings the machines new challenges and welcome assistance. Recharged and revved up, the vehicles review the plan for their new project (“A massive building so immense—/ this giant job will be intense!”) and call for help. Construction aficionados will be eager to see what these reinforcements can do, as they roll onto the site to create a “mighty, massive supercrew.” The work force doubles with five additional vehicles, such as Skid Steer and Bulldozer, and Rinker’s rhymes both introduce them and explain how they operate in tandem: “Skid’s breaker bit blasts rocks to rubble,/ so ’Dozer rolls through without trouble./ Two friends at work—one big, one small;/ they clear the way. They move it all!” Rinker and Lichtenheld are an equally solid team, and their bouncy rhymes and earth-toned images of cheerfully anthropomorphic vehicles keep the tone upbeat and amicable. Another job well done. Ages 2–4. Agent: Amy Rennert, Amy Rennert Agency. (Feb.)
From the Publisher
"Anyone who loves Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site will love its sequel, Mighty, Mighty Construction Site."—Kid Lit Reviews
"A concrete example of cooperation and teamwork."—San Francisco Chronicle
"Another job well done."—Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Sure to be a hit.”-Kirkus Reviews
"People will be revving their engines to get their hands on this sequel."—Booklist
"This book’s celebration of teamwork feels like the bombastic opening number of a musical."—The New York Times
"Truck aficionados and gear jammers everywhere are going to be sold on this fully loaded book."—the Children's BooK Review
"Kids who love vehicles will delight in this vibrant sequel spotlighting each truck's contribution to a team effort."—Common Sense Media
"A rumbustious treat."—The Wall Street Journal
"Another job well done."—Publishers Weekly, starred review
School Library Journal
01/01/2017
PreS-Gr 1—In this follow-up to the wildly popular Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site, the trucks are back, working together to get the job done. This task is a bit too big for the old crew, though, and some new friends make an appearance, including a skid steer loader, a backhoe, a flatbed, a pumper truck, and a front-end loader. Fans of the first title, and vehicle lovers in general, will adore this story that's perfect for reading anytime of day. Filled with vibrant illustrations and rich vocabulary, this rhyming tale is sure to make readers grin as brightly as the smiling vehicles in the book! VERDICT A solid addition for storytimes and one-on-one sharing. Expect high circulation.—Emily E. Lazio, The New York Public Library
Kirkus Reviews
2016-12-06
Vehicles from the popular Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site (2011) are up-and-at-'em in a new title focused on industry and teamwork. As in its companion title, rhyming text follows a fleet of anthropomorphic construction vehicles from one detail-rich spread to the next. This time they're working together to erect an elaborate building—so large and complex that they call in friends to help. Compositions including simultaneous succession (a series of pictures of the same character on one spread) and superimposed panel illustrations help to organize and pace the progression of the story. Two of the vehicles are identified with feminine pronouns (Skid Steer and Flatbed Truck); happily, Lichtenheld eschews the tired, stereotyped girls-with-eyelashes convention. Multiple trucks display tough-looking underbites, but the warm colors and mottled effect lent by Lichtenheld's oil pastels keep the overall vibe comfortably soft. By the book's end, the text declares, "Cooperation got it done; / teamwork made it fast—and fun!"—but the completed building looks oddly incomplete. Is it supposed to be mostly made of glass? The black lines and open space suggest this, but this part of the illustration stands awkwardly out from the rest of the climactic, colorful illustration. Sure to be a hit with fans of the prior title even if they wonder about that odd-looking building. (Picture book. 2-5)
