Nana's Book Library

• Age: 2+
• Particulars (Out of 5):   
  • Simple, relatable illustrations *****   
  • Happy story ***** 
  • Inappropriate language:  None.
  • Sexual references:  None.  

Reminder: Nana’s Books are rated G.  Anyone could read them, or listen to them being read aloud.

My children loved this book.  Now my two-year-old grandson, who loves all things vehicular, loves it, too.  Back in 1934, when this book was originally written, the world was more rural and the roads less crowded.  The automobile was not too far removed from the “horseless carriage” era – in fact, there are still horses and buggies on the road, along with ducks, chickens and a dog, and a cow in the pasture.  

Mr. Small’s car is basically the size of a buggy.   It is red and shiny.  He keeps it clean, too, washing it after he uses it.  He parks it in a little garage away from the house.  My grandparents, great aunts and uncles all had garages like this; they used to be little barns or stables, and their floors were dirt (although Mr. Small seems to have made the upgrade to concrete).  Cars were messier back then, so Mr. Small puts his overalls on to do some maintenance, including putting air in the rubber tires with a hand pump and topping off the water in the radiator.   In the town, there’s not a stoplight; instead, there’s a policeman holding a “Stop-Go” sign.  There’s also a trolley.

Except for a flat tire, which he fixes, Mr. Small has a lovely trip to town and back.  Wouldn’t it be nice to make that drive with him?

  This book is available used on Amazon.  It is also available used on eBay and Abebooks. 

©Janet Farrar Worthington

Note:  I am an Amazon affiliate, so if you do click a link and buy a book, I will theoretically make a small amount of money, but I’m just starting this thing, so I don’t even know how that works.   Still, full disclosure, etc.