Wheetle: A Little Wagon with a Big Heart

A red wagon whose handle resem- bles an eager, openhearted face, Wheetle loves being relied on by his insect neighbors, albeit possibly to a fault. Each day, he transports everything from “pungent dirt” to bushy ferns, no matter how challenging the journey. As Derby (Oh, Panda) surveys Wheetle’s busy week with a calendar inset, readers will note that the upcoming Saturday is specially marked—perhaps the selfless protagonist is claiming some well-deserved me time? But as he hauls a last-minute load of mud pies, a back tire that has been squeaking all week, finally pops, stranding him in the forest. For a moment, the ever-helpful Wheetle is without help himself, until scads of neighbors materialize to push him toward “his favorite thing in the whole world.” After the event, Wheetle seems to find some balance—he “still helped carry things.... But some days, he didn’t.” As the character both cares for others and finds insects to lean on, mixed-media illustrations immerse audiences in a landscape, awash with radiant colors, that’s populated by a host of eclectic, demanding, and ultimately reliable bugs. Will the protagonist win over young readers, whether he’s lugging logs or sporting spiffy pajamas? You bet your little red wagon. Ages 3–6. Agent: Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary. (Apr.)