I'm Dirty!

Starred review from July 24, 2006
As they did in I Stink!
and I'm Mighty!
, these creative collaborators introduce a spunky anthropomorphic character—in this case a backhoe loader who relishes his dirty work. "Who's got a boom, a dipper stick, and a bucket with a row of chompers? Me
! And that's just my rear
end," he announces proudly. After a flatbed truck carries him to a lot filled with discarded items, the backhoe digs in with gusto, providing an alliterative countdown as he cleans up 10 torn-up truck tires, nine fractured fans, eight busted beach umbrellas, etc. "Hope ya like noise," he says gleefully, as he drops his load in a dumpster, creating quite a din ("Clank! Bang! Bong! Clunk!
"). The cheerful, chatty fellow then uproots a tree stump ("Aw Stumpie—loosen up") and fills in the hole, a job he deems a "piece of cake. Make that a mud
cake with dirt sprinkles and a scoop of Rocky Road." After taking a mud bath and flattening out the lot, the machine, much to his delight, is dirty indeed. Energetic illustrations capture these mucky goings-on with a large dollop of humor, as type of varying sizes cavorts playfully across the pages. Abundant sound effects make this a high-spirited read-aloud. Ages 4-8.

Starred review from September 1, 2006
PreS-Gr 2 -With a style familiar to fans of "I -m Mighty!" (2003) and "I Stink!" (2002, both HarperCollins), McMullan introduces a sassy backhoe loader who relishes his dirty job. He brags about his equipment and then heads to work, where he cleans up an abandoned lot. -Cleaning up this mess? Easy as pie. Make that a "MUD" pie. - Counting down from 10 to 1, the backhoe removes the alliterative trash: -4 cat-clawed couches, - -3 scuffed-up signs, - -2 tossed-out toilet seats, - -1 wonky washing machine. - Then, he pulls out a tree stump, takes a mud bath, and back-drags his bucket over the dirt. Throughout the story, the machine becomes progressively dirtier, with a repeating motif of mud. The text flies about the pages, changing size, shape, and orientation. With its saucy tone and dynamic color cartoon illustrations, this picture book exudes energy." -Suzanne Myers Harold, Multnomah County Library System, Portland, OR"

Copyright 2006 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from September 15, 2006
The irresistible, growling garbage-truck star of the McMullens' " I Stink! "(2002) collected legions of small fans. This follow-up's narrator, a swaggering, dirt-loving backhoe loader, is just as likable. The books' formats are similar. " Stink" weaves an alphabet game into the text; here, there is a counting exercise as the backhoe loader lists the piles of clutter it moves, from "10 torn-up truck tires" to "7 loused-up lawn chairs," while clearing a vacant lot. As in the previous title, the high-octane, boasting voice and energetic, bold-lined illustrations transform the machine into a loud-mouthed, fully anthropomorphized character that will instantly captivate kids. The short, choppy phrases, filled with sound, are just right for jolly, raucous read-alouds: "Ugh! Arrrrrrrgh! Mmmmmmmmmph! Tim-berrrrrrrr!" Pint-size gear-heads will love the spreads showing the backhoe loader using all of his features, from front claw to back wheels, and most kids will find plenty of vicarious fun in the grinning, powerful monster machine that creates and conquers chaos and loves a good mud bath.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2007
This backhoe loader may not have the brawn or bite of the garbage truck in [cf2]I Stink![cf1], but he determinedly sinks his jagged yellow teeth into the job of cleaning up a trash-filled lot. The art's heavy black outlines and robust palette befit a character who isn't shy about announcing his presence: "Hope ya like Noise. CLANK! Rattle! BANG! Bing! BANG! BONG! BONG! Clunk!"

(Copyright 2007 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)