Bulldozer’s Big Rescue (Bulldozer and Friends #1)

Bulldozer, an anthropomorphic machine with a human family, has never made a friend before. So when Mom suggests he take cookies to greet their new neighbors the Patels, Bulldozer worries: will his fear of strangers and new experiences prevent him from completing the task? He nevertheless persists, but things get off to a rocky start when Jay, Mrs. Patel’s young son, asks for a ride (“Bulldozer feels insulted. He is so much more than a truck”). Bulldozer reluctantly agrees to Jay’s request and Mrs. Patel insists that Jay’s older sister Millie, who is Bulldozer’s age, join them. To everyone’s dismay, the trio nearly run over a cat. But after they rescue said cat from a tree, Millie warms to Bulldozer and a friendship is born. Despite his metal exterior, Bulldozer is a fully fleshed-out character; young readers will relate to his fears and conflicting desires to appease others and stand up for himself. This sweetly simple story by Broach (Masterpiece) addresses sometimes-challenging issues surrounding meeting new people with a light and understanding touch, and expressive b&w line drawings with muted orange accents by Murphy (Dakota Crumb and the Secret Bookshop) bring Bulldozer and his world to life. Ages 6–9. (Jan.)