Praise for The Yellow Bus
An Instant #1 New York Times Bestseller
An Instant Indie Bestseller
Three Starred Reviews
★ "A must-purchase, this book will leave readers looking at objects around them differently long after its covers are closed." — School Library Journal, starred review
★ "A moving contemplation on the passage of time, The Yellow Bus skillfully drives home the joys of a well-lived life of purpose." — Booklist, starred review
★ "All kids will benefit from the added introspection of the seemingly mundane in the world around them." — BCCB, starred review
"A steady paean to time’s passing and the pleasures found along the way." — Kirkus Reviews
"A saga that paves way for discussions about utility and repurposing, social and structural priorities, change over time, and more." — Publishers Weekly
"A meditation on the passage of time while finding purpose in all seasons of life." — Horn Book Magazine
“A memorable picture book that’s likely to become another modern classic.” — Book Riot
“There’s a long tradition in children’s literature of relating how a creature or object changes hands and purposes over many years. The distinguished illustrator Loren Long adds to the genre with The Yellow Bus.” — The Wall Street Journal
“An instant classic!” – Colby Sharp
“This is a tour de force - bravo!” – Cathy Berner, Blue Willow Bookshop
★ 03/15/2024
K-Gr 2—What happens to the objects around us after they leave our lives? This bittersweet tale evokes Virginia Lee Burton's The Little House as it traces the long life of a yellow school bus. Starting with her intended purpose (the bus, though inanimate, is gendered) of taking children to and from school, as she ages, her purpose changes: she takes older folks to the library, becomes a gathering place for the unhoused, then a playground for goats, until at last she ends up at the bottom of a lake. The illustrations dazzle. In most spreads, the background is black and white, in graphite and charcoal pencil; the bus is painted in bright yellow acrylic paint, drawing the eye and emphasizing the joy of the bus (a repeated refrain in the text). When all hope seems lost, and the bus is in an empty urban lot, the color palette switches and readers view the inside of the bus as black and white, while the background is lit up with the yellows, oranges, and purples of a beautiful sunset. Finally, as the bus is fully submerged, there is a bird's-eye view of a small but strong yellow glow of the bus underwater, still shining amid black and white surroundings. The author's note at the end, describing how the art was made, is not to be missed, and could lead to interesting activities around making a paper village.VERDICT A must-purchase, this book will leave readers looking at objects around them differently long after its covers are closed.—Kadie Seitz
