Truck Dogs facts for kids
Truck Dogs: A Novel in Four Bites is an exciting children's adventure and science fiction book. It was written by Australian author Graeme Base. He is well-known for his amazing picture books, like Animalia. The book came out in 2003. It was even nominated for the CBCA 2004 Book of the Year award for younger readers.
The story takes place in a future world. But it feels like a fantasy land, similar to a desert town in the Australian outback or the western United States. All the characters are special dogs. They are part animal and part machine. Their lower bodies are made of vehicle parts, often from a truck. These "truck dogs" are like cartoon characters, but they act like people.
Contents
About Truck Dogs: The Story
The book follows a young dog-vehicle who dreams of adventure. He meets a group of other young truck dogs. These teens are a bit rebellious, and the town's grown-ups don't like them much. He also becomes friends with an old mechanic who lives alone.
What Happens Next?
A dangerous gang arrives in their town. This gang tries to steal the town's valuable gasoline. They also threaten to hurt people. The young truck dog and his new friends must decide what they will do. They have to choose if they will stand up for their town.
Inside the Book
Truck Dogs has many colorful pictures. These pictures were drawn by Graeme Base himself. They show the different characters and what kind of vehicle parts they are made of. Graeme Base says that his own dog told him the story!
How the Idea Started
Graeme Base shared how he got the idea for Truck Dogs. He said it came from watching trucks and other fast vehicles when he was a child. He noticed how powerful and "animal-like" they seemed.
Book's Journey
When he was writing the book, it changed many times. At first, it was going to be a picture book with a story. Then it became a picture book in the form of a poem. Later, it was even planned as a movie script! Finally, it became the novel we know today.
