In The Digger and the Dark, the delightful fourth book in Joseph Kuefler's lovable series (The Digger and the Flower), Digger and crew are readying themselves for bed after a long day of playground building. Two smiling raccoons show up ready to play, banging in Skid's bucket and hanging on Crane's hook. "We will play with you," Digger relents, "But only for a minute." The trucks race, bounce, and play with their new friends until daylight arrives. The raccoons go to bed; the trucks go to work. The following night, the raccoons return and appeal for food. Crane says it's too late, but Digger again acquiesces: "Just a tiny snack." The raccoons return night after night--"for a chat. For a scratch. For anything other than sleep"--until all the exhausted trucks sleep through their visit. Except, that is, for a "delirious" Digger. This time, the raccoons care for him.
Kuefler's images feature fully saturated colors and clever details, like the moon changing phases, denoting the seemingly endless nights of attention the raccoons demand. The storyline is comforting and hilarious as the trucks go through familiar bedtime routines in their own way: flossing (with Crane's cable), quenching their thirst (with a gasoline fill-up), and reading a construction manual. The anthropomorphized vehicles' bleary eyes and furrowed brows convey relatable exhaustion with kids who aren't quite ready to sleep, while the childlike raccoons remind readers the value of repaying thoughtfulness and compassion. --Kieran Slattery, freelance reviewer, teacher, co-creator of Gender Inclusive Classrooms