I am excited to announce the book launch of Alphabet Trucks by Samantha Vamos! I adore her last book, The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred!
In celebration of her book launch TODAY, I am doing a giveaway of her new book and hosting a short Q and A with Samantha.
Alphabet Trucks by Samantha Vamos
An alphabetical treat for truck lovers.
Everyone’s heard of a tow truck. And a pickup truck. An ice cream truck? Of course! But what about a quint truck? A lowboy truck? A knuckle-boom truck? Readers will learn about these kinds of trucks—and many more—while learning the alphabet in Alphabet Trucks.
Each letter of the alphabet is accounted for in this introductory concept book for young readers. From the familiar to the unusual, Samantha Vamos writes in snappy verse to present twenty-six different kinds of trucks, explaining where they work and what they do. From a dump truck that unloads a pile of dirt containing the letter “D,” to a fuel truck filling up with a tank shaped like the letter “F,” Ryan O’Rourke’s playful and light-hearted illustrations involve the letters in supporting roles in each scene.
5 Question Q & A with Samantha Vamos
1) How many trucks could you identify BEFORE you started writing this book?
I could identify a mere eight out of 26! My initial group of five included a dump truck, ice cream truck, pickup truck, snow plow truck, and tow truck. I wasn’t certain that I would be able to create a complete alphabetical list. As I researched and discovered more trucks, I became really intrigued. Through writing Alphabet Trucks, I’ve learned about so many interesting trucks. A new favorite is a Quint Truck. It’s a fire service truck with five important features: a hose, tank, two ladders, and a pump. The Quint Truck therefore offers the pumping ability of a fire truck and the extendable ladders of a ladder “Q” is for Quint Truck is also one of my favorite illustrations in the book. Illustrator Ryan O’Rourke’s retro style has made all the trucks so charming. He included letters (both uppercase and lowercase) in every scene and it’s really fun to spot hidden letters.
For example, check out the earring on the news reporter on the letter “N” page, and notice that the fireman on the Quint Truck is rescuing the “Q.”
2) What is your favorite truck?
It’s a competition between the Ore Truck and the Zipper Truck. I love them both.
The Ore Truck is so immense. Most have wheels that are eleven to thirteen feet tall. The Ore Truck in Alphabet Trucks is loaded with letter O’s.
Zipper Trucks are fascinating. They move temporary medians from one lane to another in order to accommodate traffic. Ryan illustrated repeat letter Z’s along the Zipper Truck’s median.
3) How long did it take you to write this book from concept to final?
It took me eight months to complete all the work. After I had identified 26 different trucks, I wrote rhymes that concerned a feature or function of each truck.
4) How many times did you revise your manuscript?
I have to confess that I revise anything I write multiple times. I revised Alphabet Trucks over twenty times.
5) What’s next?
In between summer activities for my son and family, I’m trying to revise my novel. I need to really reveal much more about my protagonist. I’m also revising a children’s picture book manuscript about a dog. I am dog-obsessed and love writing about them. In between, I’ll be working on edits for Alphabet Trains, my fourth children’s picture book (publication in 2015), and a companion or follow-up to Alphabet Trucks.
Picture Book Giveaway for Truck Lovers
Samantha attended Georgetown University Law Center (L’89) and practiced law in Washington, D.C. and Chicago, IL. Her new children’s picture book, Alphabet Trucks (Charlesbridge, 2013, illustrated by Ryan O’Rourke) is a rhyming, alphabet book about twenty-six different trucks (both familiar and unusual!) and how they serve people and their communities. Her second book, The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred won a Pura Belpré Illustration Honor and starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews and School Library Journal. Alphabet Trains (Charlesbridge), a follow-up book to Alphabet Trucks, was published in 2015.
To examine Alphabet Trucks more closely at Amazon, please click on image of book.
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My books:
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World
- Junior Library Guild Gold selection
- Massachusetts Book Award Long List
- Selected as one of 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023 by dPICTUS and featured at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair
- Starred review from School Library Journal
- Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
- 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist
- Green Earth Book Award Long List
- Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids
Amazon / Barefoot Books / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Scholastic / Signed or Inscribed by Me
I would love a copy of this book for my story time!
Thanks for entering Anne! I hope you win too so you can use Alphabet Trucks for your story time!!
This book sound like a winner for preschoolers. I am impressed with the research and dedication that went into producing this book.
Hi Barbara,
I agree! My son would have loved this book during his truck phase 5 years ago. Thanks for entering!
I’m such a sucker for trucks- I’ve always loved cement trucks the best because of their big, bold stripes and how can you not love a truck with a spinning back?! This book looks just wonderful.
Hi Jeanette,
Me too! And who knew there were so many kinds of trucks?! Clearly, I need this book because I have a lot to learn about trucks!
I’ve loved Samantha Vamos’ prior books so I cant wait to see this one!
Hi Rosamaria,
She is a wonderful author!! Thanks for coming by!
I’ve always liked dump trucks.
Hi Christina,
Thanks so much for entering! Dump trucks also make such great toys!
I love the quint truck! I love this book! Its amazing and every child i know loves it too!!
Hi Susie,
I’ll need to ask you what a quint truck is again! I forget! I need to review this book again LOL! Thanks for entering!
I saw a zipper truck in action 20 years ago and was blown away. I’ve tried to describe it many times (without success), then BOOM! There it is in Samantha’s newest book. This book is a winner, just like her other titles.
Hi Joey,
I need you to explain what a zipper truck is to me! I love her book too! It’s what all parents of boys need!
I saw the preview of this book and it looks really great. I want a copy for my waiting room (I am a psychologist). 🙂
Hi Nancy,
It would be perfect for a waiting room!!! I’d read even without a kid in tow! Thanks for entering!
Thanks for the chance at winning, Mia!
It looks like such a fun book! I loved your Cazuela book, Samantha.
I know the perfect 18mth old girl who adores trucks, so she’d be so delighted with this one!
Hi Maria,
Loved her book The Cazuela too! I meant to gift it to someone but ended up keeping it because I just could not give it up! Thanks for entering Maria!
Thank you, Maria. All the best, Samantha
Thanks so much for popping in Samantha! There is a lot of enthusiasm for your Alphabet Truck book, I am noticing!! Yay!
I forgot to write about my favorite truck in my post above! That would probably have to be a either a backhoe, or those cute little bobcats for snow removal!
Hi Maria,
My son loved the backhoe so much that I learned about it by reading many, many books about trucks to him during his truck phase. We dreamed of sitting in one but that never happened!
These look cute! I like the idea of this book!
Thanks Erik! Do you want to review Alphabet Trucks for your blog? I can ask Samantha Vamos for you! I love your book reviews!!!
I would love to! Thank you for thinking of me! 😀
Hi Erik,
I’ll send you an intro email! Doing it right now!
I have always liked dumptrucks, not sure why. Maybe because they can carry so much stuff, and then get rid of it so easily?
I love books with little details, like those you described in this book!
Hi MaryAnne,
Thanks for entering! I think you will love this book to read with your kids! Johnny into trucks yet?
My favorite truck? An ice cream truck, of course! The sounds and tastes of summer! As the mother of two boys, this book is surely going to be a winner!
Hi Margo,
Oh yes!! Count me in too for the Ice Cream Truck! Especially during the summer! I think this book is going to be a winner too. I wonder if girls will read it to? They should!! I hope so!
I like vintage pickup trucks, like from the ’50s.
Hi Larissa,
Oh yes! Me too and I only ever see then in parades! Thanks for entering!
Dear Mia – Thank you so much! I loved having ALPHABET TRUCKS featured on PragmaticMom . Seeing the contest entries increase has been fabulous. Ryan O’Rourke’s illustrations are really charming. I hope people enjoy them. All the comments are wonderful. I’m so thrilled people enjoyed THE CAZUELA THAT THE FARM MAIDEN STIRRED as well. August 1 was a big day for both books as CAZUELA released in paperback that day. Thank you so much for including me and my books, Mia. Love PragmaticMom and being interviewed has been a blast! All best, Samantha
Hi Samantha,
Wow, two books by you released on the same day. The stars and planets really lined up for you on August first!! Now that I know Alphabet Trucks, I’m not sure how I ever survived without it! My son had a serious truck phases when he was three or four! I remember checking out every non fiction truck book I could find but there were very few for preschoolers. We read them all but it was maybe only 5 or 6 different trucks. I love that you have 26!!!
Looks like a great book! I work with kids with Autism Spectrum Disorders as a SLP & kids yoga teacher and have several patients who have a high interest in vehicles & trucks. This would be a great way to take their high interest area and channel it towards early literacy learning. Thanks for offering the giveaway 🙂 I found your page via Giselle at Kids Yoga Stories.
Thanks so much for entering Angela! Alphabet Trucks would be perfect for patients who have high interest in trucks. I hope you win!
Forgot to mention my favorite truck: pickup truck (great memories driving with my Grandpa in his) 🙂
Hi Angela,
What a great classic truck the pick up! How wonderful you have special memories of pick up trucks with your grandpa!!
favorite truck? hmmm dump truck
Hi Alvina,
Thanks so much for entering. I like that classic dump truck too! And it makes such a great toy!
my fav truck is the old wood side panel trucks, but I drive a ford f150!
Hi BarginMom,
What a lovely vintage truck! Haven’t seen those in a while! Thanks for entering!
I’ve always been fond of cement trucks but my 2 year old is currently obsessed with back hoe loaders. This would be a sure fire hit with him.
Hi Ingrid,
My son loved back hoe loaders and now whenever I see one, I have renewed appreciation for it! I like cement trucks too but I am always worried the cement will harden up inside.
My youngest loves trucks and cars. She would love this!
Hi Cassie,
I’m so glad that girls love trucks and cars too! Yes! She would love this book. Thanks for entering!