Big Machines

The Story of

Virginia Lee Burton

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
(HMH Books for Young Readers)

(pub. 9.5.2017)
48 pages

A True Tale with
A Cherry On Top   

A uthor: Sherri Duskey Rinker
      and illustrator: John Rocco

C haracter: Virginia Lee Burton

O verview from the jacket flap: 

     "In this book, you will find ... a train that goes 'choo, choo!'... a steam shovel named Mary Anne... Katy, the brave tractor ... and even a little pink house (surprise!)
     Big Machines were the stars of Virginia Lee Burton's classic picture books. But in this loving tribute to her life and legacy by the New York Times best-selling creators Sherri Duskey Rinker and John Rocco, Burton and her big imagination take center stage. So come along to seaside Folly Cove to catch up with old friends, make new friends, and celebrate Jinnee's magic."

T antalizing taste: 
      

     "First there is just paper: white, white, white,
      Jinnee touches it and .... POP!
      With a whoosh of black and
      some strokes of red and green,
      Aris and Michael meet ... Katy!

      Katy is a beautiful, bright crawler tractor,
      She can roll on her thick black reads.
      She can push with a bulldozer blade attached.

      But best of all, Katy can plow!"

 

and something more: The back matter of Big Machines talks about Virginia Lee Burton's California and San Francisco connections (which I appreciated): "Jinnee spent most of her childhood in California, and there fell in love with dancing, music, and later, art.  Jinnee was intelligent, hardworking, talented, and - to all who knew her - lively and beautiful.   
     After graduating high school Jinnee won a scholarship to attend the California School of Fine arts in San Francisco. She studied art, and, with equal passion, also continued to study dance. During the long travel to school by train ferryboat, and cable car, she began drawing from her memory and from what she saw, often making quick sketches of other passengers (they never knew!)"