Backhoe Joe by Lori Alexander, illustrated by Craig Cameron Ages 3-6 40 pages HarperCollins September 2014 Hardcover     The backhoe in this story is a stray, and he growls like an animal. But his big smile and shy disposition have attracted the attention of Nolan, a boy who “always wanted a pet backhoe.” He treats it like a dog, but instead of feeding it dog treats, he feeds the backhoe rocks. He gives it a name (Joe), and like kids who want pets badly, he begs his parent for it to stay. His mother and father are not convinced that a pet which tracks dirt, digs up lawns, and knocks over garbage cans is a good idea, but they allow him to train Joe. After Nolan finishes training his new pet to learn commands, he sees a lost poster stuck on a tree. When Nolan sees that the photograph looks like his new pet, he realizes he must find Joe’s owner because they both must be missing each other. The identity of the owner was a surprise to me, but very fitting with the end of the story because it allows Nolan to see the backhoe in action, at home. By the end of the story, Nolan has proven he can be responsible for a pet. From his drawing and dialogue, the reader thinks he wants a cat next, but the last page has an illustration of a cement mixer on it! I look forward to reading this picture book at storytime because I am pretty sure the kids and the adults will like it a lot.     web reviews   Tanya Boudreau/2015 for curled up with a good kid's book   For grown-up fiction, nonfiction and speculative fiction book reviews, visit our sister site Curled Up With a Good Book (www.curledup.com)