TRUCKER KID (Capstone, June 2023)
From Amazon:
“Although Athena misses her truck-driving daddy when he’s on the road, she thinks he has the most amazing job in the world. She loves showing off her love of all things trucking. But her classmates don’t quite get her or why she calls herself Trucker Kid. Can Athena change their minds and show the other students that it’s cool to be Trucker Kid?”
Written by Carol Gordon Ekster with lively illustrations by Russ Cox, this book teaches kids about the life of a trucker’s family and is full of trucking similes and metaphors that both kids and adults will enjoy.
REVIEW
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| “When she heads inside, she deflates like a flat tire.” |
She stays busy playing with her trucks, drawing trucks, and reading about trucks.
Her answer is simple:
After Athena tells her friends how she holds the mic for the CB radio and sleeps in the truck’s cab, they decide they want to be trucker kids too.
The story ends perfectly on the play
ground with a “traffic jam of drivers” joining Athena.
AUTHOR INTERVIEW
I came home and took out library books on trucks and trucking. I knew nothing! About one month later I started e-mailing the dad to ask some questions. A month after that I brought the manuscript to a critique group.
There have been so many critique buddies weighing too many revisions to count. It gathered close to one hundred rejections! But then during COVID, I pulled it out again. I had seen how trucks and their drivers were during this difficult time. I added in back matter to show how we rely on trucks and tightened the manuscript. It ended up being one of three manuscripts that helped me secure my first agent.
That agent sent it out on a small round of submissions. Capstone editor, Chris Harbo, acquired it. He was a dream editor and included me in all aspects of the process. Capstone requested a title change from Trucker Girl to Trucker Kid, and of course, I said yes! Almost ten years after that night at the restaurant, I held the book in my hand.
I love the mysteriousness of this writing life. What if we had not gone to that restaurant at that time or sat next to that family? Trucker Kid was meant to be! My illustrator, Russ Cox, has a son who happens to be a trucker!
I agree, Becky! Your name is in the hat.
Oh do I have a market for this book! I have often wondered about kids and truckers. This looks like a great read!And a great gift for my trucker friends.
LInda, Carol will be thrilled to read your comment! Thanks for sharing her book with your friend.
Yes, Carol. I am thrilled to read Linda's comment. I know trucking families will love the book!
I can't wait to have a copy of this book! I think it would be great to have a trucker come out and visit the libraries in my school district and read this book to the students! mollywalker04@yahoo.com
thanks Molly. Are you an educator? If you are, I'll put your name in twice. Or, start following my blog and I'll enter your name twice that way! Thanks for your email address.
Molly, I did a library visit to read Trucker Kid where the librarian asked her town's DPW to bring trucks and it was wonderful!
How fun, Carol!
I would love to win a copy for my classroom library. It’s such a great book!We had a virtual visit with Carol last year and she explained how she got the idea for this book.
Thanks, Donna, for your comment. Unfortunately I already picked a winner. I hope you subscribe to my blog for more giveaways!
A cute story and illustrations about a trucker kid and her family! Thanks for a review of a book I may not have ever thought to rread!
Thank you, Kathy!