It’s intermission at a hockey game—time for the slow-moving, “blade-packing, ice-shaving, snow-eating” Zamboni machine to do the “coolest job in the world.” Full-color illustrations done in watercolor and gouache.
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Our story begins with a sports commentator narrating a hockey game. A player trips on the rough ice and a Zamboni has 18 minutes “to do his thing.” Can he do it? Readers who’ve read any of the McMullans’ odes to big rigs, like I’m Mighty! (2003) and I Stink! (2002, both HarperCollins)), will already know the answer. Our hero takes the stage with “Chill, Big Talker. I’ve got what it takes to go the job. ‘Cause I’m a blade-packing, ice-shaving, snow-eating, water-spraying, slush-slurping, towel-dragging triple-tank truck. Yup.” He smoothes the ice and the game continues. “Coolest job in the world, right here, baby.” The colorful, grinning Zamboni is whimsical but also educational, as he boasts about the blade and augers that make the job possible. VERDICT The authors are clearly still having fun with this format and their young fans will, too.—Amelia Jenkins, Juneau Public Library, AK
It’s intermission at the hockey game, and players stumble to their benches over rough ice. Enter the “ice-shaving, snow-eating” Zamboni to smooth out the rink. But time is short, and this machine works slowly—can the (anthropomorphized) Zamboni finish the task in time? The action begins on the title page and verso, as the loud-mouthed announcer bemoans the condition of the ice, setting the stage for Zamboni’s heroics. As Zamboni so eloquently—and calmly—states, “Even if you know how a bumblebee flies or a spider spins her web, it’s still magic.” There really is something mesmerizing about watching a Zamboni smooth out the ruts in a rink, and Jim McMullan both captures this marvel and demystifies the process by which the machine works in a sequence of cutaway shots. The bright orange top half of the Zamboni contrasts nicely with the cool blue of the ice; text color and style vary according to spread (and Zamboni’s mood). Fans of the McMullans’ previous books (including I Stink!M, rev. 5/02, and I’m Big!, rev. 9/10) will enjoy the machine’s familiar bravado, which is tempered by an amusing dose of nonchalance. Kate McMullan sprinkles wordplay and humorous banter throughout the text (announcer: “Zamboni Machine, ya move like a turtle. Look—the clock’s ticking! Hit the gas!” Zamboni: “TALKER DUDE! Can’t rush my moves . . . SHAZAMBONI!”), making this book as much fun to read aloud as it is to look at. sam bloom