Small Walt

by Elizabeth Verdick, Marc Rosenthal (Illustrator)

Overview

“It’s a perfect book for revving up small helpers to pitch in with the shoveling.”—The Wall Street Journal

“Charming and endearing.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“The grit of The Little Engine that Could, the nostalgic illustrations of Katy and the Big Snow, and a touch of modernity from an accomplished author and illustrator, combine to become Small Walt.” —School Library Journal

A tiny snowplow determined to prove his worth battles a blizzard in this supremely charming story in the tradition of Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel and The Little Engine that Could.

My name is Walt,
I plow and I salt.
They say I’m small,
but I’ll show them all.

Small Walt and his driver, Gus, take on a blizzard! All the bigger snowplows doubt that Walt has what it takes to plow the roads in the storm, but Walt is determined to prove them wrong.

Brimming with onomatopoeia and Walt’s affirming chants, this sweet picture book shows that when it comes to strength, size doesn’t matter. Bestselling illustrator Marc Rosenthal’s wintry scenes make this book the perfect cozy read-aloud.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781481448451
Publisher:	Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books
Publication date:	10/31/2017
Series:	Small Walt Series
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	337,352
Product dimensions:	9.20(w) x 9.30(h) x 0.60(d)
Lexile:	490L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Elizabeth Verdick has written more than thirty books for toddlers to teens. She collaborated with Marc Rosenthal on Small Walt, which Kirkus Reviews called “reminiscent of Virginia Burton’s classics” in a starred review; and its sequel, Small Walt and Mo the Tow. She is also the author of Bike & Trike, illustrated by Brian Biggs. She is a graduate of the Hamline University MFA program and lives in Woodbury, Minnesota. Learn more at ElizabethVerdick.com.

Marc Rosenthal is the New York Times bestselling illustrator of many books for children, including the Small Walt collection by Elizabeth Verdick, All You Need Is Love by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, I Must Have Bobo! by Eileen Rosenthal, We Love Fishing! and Mabel Wants a Friend by Ariel Bernstein, and Archie and the Pirates, which he wrote. He lives in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Learn more at Marc-Rosenthal.com.

Editorial Reviews

07/31/2017
After a blizzard hits, it looks as though Walt, “the smallest snowplow in the fleet,” will be left behind in the parking lot, unable to keep up with bigger plows. Then along comes Gus, a worker who knows that Walt is up for the job. Verdick (Peep Leap) assumes a chummy tone in her concise narration and keeps the storytelling taut. There’s just enough vehicular geekiness for aficionados: Gus goes through a four-point checklist to make sure that Walt is in good working order, and there are sound effects throughout. But what gives the story its verve is Rosenthal’s digitally colored pencil artwork, which has a matter-of-fact open-heartedness and a compelling sense of place that recalls the stories of Virginia Lee Burton. Yes, Walt wins the respect of the big machines, but what feels more important is the relationship between snowplow and driver. When the story concludes with Gus tying his blue scarf around Walt’s rearview mirror, declaring “A blue ribbon for my buddy,” readers will know their bond is the real thing. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Mary Cummings, Betsy Amster Literary Enterprises. Illustrator’s agent: Holly McGhee, Pippin Properties. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

A heroic snowplow braves a blizzard in SMALL WALT, a picture book about persistence that brings to mind the Little Engine That Could. In Elizabeth Verdick’s lively telling and Marc Rosenthal’s subtly retro pictures, Walt is a mall red snowplow in a row of powerful yellow monsters. As snow falls from the night sky, Walt is the last to get a driver, but he cheers up when the man check hims over and runs him through his paces. Soon Walt is churning through the snow: “My name is Walt. / I plow and I salt. / They say I’m small, / but I’ll show them all.” It’s a perfect book for revving up small helpers to pitch in with the shoveling.

December 24, 2017 - The Wall Street Journal

Older-than-dirt adult readers will be reminded of Katy the snowplow from Virginia Lee Burton’s Katy and the Big Snow, and indeed Rosenthal’s art channels Burton in its coziness. . . . This will make a fine bedtime story for a snowy night, reassuring listeners that heroes of all stripes are out there keeping the community safe.

BCCB

Yes, picture books featuring personified trucks abound, but libraries should make room for this one, too. It’s really the story of a little guy who gets a tough job done, and little children will root for him all the way.

Booklist

Yes, picture books featuring personified trucks abound, but libraries should make room for this one, too. It’s really the story of a little guy who gets a tough job done, and little children will root for him all the way.

Booklist

10/01/2017
PreS-Gr 2— The grit of the Little Engine that Could, the nostalgic illustrations of Katy and the Big Snow , and a touch of modernity from an accomplished author and illustrator, combine to become Small Walt . Walt is the smallest city plow on the lot. In the middle of a snowstorm, workers gear up to clear the streets, but none are willing to choose Walt to get the job done. That is, until Gus comes along. After checking Walt's components, he determines that they are ready, and off they go. Walt's route is treacherous, but he and Gus handle it with finesse. They never give up, even when faced with daunting tasks. The timeless messages that little people can do big things, one should never give up, and teamwork works best are pervasive throughout. Walt encourages himself with positive rhyming phrases such as "My name is Walt./I plow and I salt./I clear the snow/so the cars can go." Young listeners will eagerly chime in to recite parts of this repetitive phrase, making this perfect as a read-aloud. The digitally colored artwork is delightfully old-fashioned. The snow is bright against the illustrations created mostly in shades of red, yellow, blue, and green, and outlined black. The accessible text and cozy pictures mesh seamlessly to become a new version of a familiar tale. VERDICT A warm and fuzzy dose of positive thinking perfect for seasonal storytimes and snow days.— Amy Shepherd, St. Anne's Episcopal School, Middleton, DE

School Library Journal

★ 2017-07-02
The smallest in a fleet of snowplows always gets picked last in a snowstorm, but he and his driver, Gus, show that teamwork and perseverance pay off.Artwork reminiscent of Virginia Burton's classics begins with a double-page spread of eight snowplows—eyes and eyebrows on their windshields—facing out in front of a tall fence. Lights gleam from town buildings with snowclad roofs, and large flakes of snow fill a darkening sky. The sixth plow from the left is the only one that is tiny and red, but the text simply mentions that the city plows are "ready to fight the snow." At the turn of the page, readers learn what they have probably suspected: all the big, yellow plows are always picked first. At last, Walt is cheerfully chosen by Gus—light-skinned, like the other men. There follows a sweet sequence that shows Gus carefully checking the little plow's readiness, and then off they go. The text is full of onomatopoeia, alliteration, and sudden rhymes as the pair salts roads and pushes through snow. "My name is Walt. / I plow and I salt" is a droll, easily remembered couplet that assumes additions and variations throughout. At the climax, the intrepid team ascends a steep hill—defying the intimidating plow Big Buck—and the expected end is magnified with a special treat from Gus to Walt. Charming and endearing: "ChuggaMmmm-hmmm!" (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews