The Wheels on the Tuk Tuk

Motorized rickshaws are used around the world, and in India and other parts of Southeast Asia they are called tuk tuks. “Tuk tuk wala says ‘Squish in together!’ All through the town,” write the Sehgals (A Bucket of Blessings), a mother-and-son team, in this lovely take on “The Wheels on the Bus,” set in an Indian city. As an overstuffed tuk tuk makes its “bobble-bobble-bobble” way through town, “People in the street jump on and off,” paying their fare with rupees that go “ching ching ching.” Readers get a taste of Indian life as the book nods to Hindi beliefs and customs (the tuk tuk stops for a cow, and readers are taught the greeting “namaste-ji”), poppadoms, and the joyous festival of Diwali. Golden (Snow Dog, Sand Dog)—working in bright watercolors, pastels, and pencils with the texture and hues of Diwali color powder—portrays a busy, friendly metropolis where getting sprayed by an elephant can be par for the course. It’s a wonderfully accessible introduction to daily life in another place. Ages 4–8. Illustrator’s agent: Justin Rucker, Shannon Associates. (Jan.)