Go! Go! Go! Stop!

by Charise Mericle Harper

Overview

One day Little Green rolls into town and says his first word: "Go!" The town is building a bridge, and now everyone has a job to do, from dump truck to forklift. Little Green helps them do their jobs with gusto. Until . . . there is a little too much gusto. They can go, go, go . . . but how will they stop?

This bright, fun book with a bold package captures the endless energy of little boys and the timeless appeal of trucks and machines—both for building and knocking down. Plus, it has an underlying message about working together to get things done.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780375869242
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	02/25/2014
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	99,849
Product dimensions:	10.00(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD480L (what's this?)
Age Range:	2 - 5 Years

About the Author

CHARISE MERICLE HARPER has written and illustrated numerous children's books, including Pink Me Up!; Cupcake; When Randolph Turned Rotten; and the Bean Dog and Nugget series. She lives in Mamaroneck, New York, with her husband and their two children. Charise loves creating art and stories, petting her cat, drinking coffee, and eating pie.

Editorial Reviews

01/20/2014
When Little Green, a smiling circle whose only word is an emphatic “GO,” finds his way to a construction site, things get out of hand in this slightly scattered story. Harper (Henry’s Heart) draws a crew of cheerful construction vehicles, outlined in crayony black line, with photographic dirt and rubble providing a rugged backdrop as they work to build a bridge. Little Green hops up into the bottom of a skinny rectangle held up by a crane (readers will quickly recognize it as a stoplight in the making), where he proceeds to shout “GO! GO! GO!” Although some muddy chaos results, the action and construction efforts aren’t always easy to follow (despite motion lines indicating the trucks’ movements), and a couple plot turns don’t, well, go anywhere. “I’m going to surprise Dump Truck,” says Bulldozer, pushing dirt up a hill, though nothing ever comes of it. Still, Harper (with help from a circle that goes by Little Red) gets across the idea that in a world of go-go-go, some judicious use of “STOP!” can be “just what everyone needed to rest and get organized.” Ages 2–5. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

★ 2014-01-15
Little Green and Little Red learn the power of two simple words (Go! and Stop!) as they direct a construction site's workflow in this entertaining tale that will leave readers raring for more. A cheerful green ball discovers he can speak: "Go!" Overjoyed, he rolls into town and shouts his only word from the top of a crane, mobilizing construction vehicles to work. They happily tow, dump, scoop and lift to Little Green's repeated "Go!"s. But when there's no end to the going, mayhem ensues—until Little Red arrives to yell, "Stop!" After some delightful trial and error, the duo of disks finds a groove. A bridge is built, and Little Yellow arrives just in time to join the other two on the new traffic light. Digital illustrations done in a primitive style effectively introduce basic concepts, such as opposites, traffic symbols and word meaning. The adorable characters, construction setting and primary palette will appeal to the younger set, while beginning readers will proudly help with the recognizable words (in whispers and shouts) as directed by Little Green and Red's cues. A wonderful read-aloud and a lighthearted and lively celebration of action words. (Picture book. 2-5)

Kirkus Reviews

07/01/2015
Toddler—Harper cleverly uses a busy construction site to introduce action words and traffic signals. The story begins with Little Green, who knows just one word—Go! When he arrives at spot where a new bridge is being built, his rousing shout, "Go! Go! Go!" accelerates the lifting, pulling, mixing, and scooping to the point that things "[get] a little crazy." Little Green doesn't know what to do until Little Red rolls along and brings everything to a screeching halt. With a bit of trial and error, they figure out how to work together and get the job done. Fun mixed-media artwork and personified lights and vehicles guarantee that this title will Go! Go! Go!

School Library Journal