CoComelon The Wheels on the Bus, manna from heaven for pre-k

When you have children that are older than kindergarten you miss out on certain cultural touchstones that might be unique to that generation. Every age and generation has their own thing that they respond to like a Pavlovian dog hearing a bell and knowing what that means. For pre-K and kindergarten ages one of the biggest things now is CoComelon. It was Greek to me until I was flailing about whilst substituting to a group of first graders. The lesson plan I was provided with ran short and I looked in my computer bag that doubles as a book bag, to see what I had. “You have CoComelon”, said one of the kids in a tone that bordered on inquisitive, a little surprised, and just a hint of ‘please don’t tell my friends that I still like them’. Yes, I had CoComelon, The Wheels on the Bus, and the first-grade class was promptly saved, or at least granted a five-minute lifeline until specials started.

Of course, Cocomelon, The Wheels on the Bus was a bit too young for that class. But they gamely played along as I quizzed them on what the show is about, its target audience, and what they thought of the book. It’s an interactive board book with wheels on the bottom of it so that kids can make the book move and further engage their senses.

The book has J.J’s class going on a field trip. To me, J.J. looks like a toddler, far too young to be taking a field trip on a bus. Also, J.J’s friends should not be standing beside the bus driver while he’s actually driving. And what in the world are three of his friends doing hanging out of the bus’ door like they’re imitating The Beach Boys as they pile up behind a series of surfboards? All of this is lost on J.J., as it will be on anyone who knows the enjoyment of CoComelon. They won’t question anything, bus safety protocol that might be lacking, how the mountains in the background still have snow on them-yet the kids are all wearing short sleeves. None of that will matter to kids who are three or older.

As the bus goes on down the county road it has to turn, which means using its signal. It also starts to rain, which means that the wipers have to clear the windshield. Of course, the bus is moving, which means that its motor has to engage in its work. Thankfully for this reading audience, all of these things involve an onomatopoeia or stanza that can be sung. It will be challenging trying to get pre-k students not to sing along to CoComelon The Wheels on the Bus.

While that audience certainly knows J.J and his friends, the book is also shaped like a bus, complete with spinning wheels on its bottom. Like a tan cardigan sweater to a group of Swifties, that is the fact that will have them grinning from ear to ear and questioning their life’s choices before they saw Cocomelon The Wheels on the Bus. But, since they’re most likely three or four years old, they’ll promptly forget about it, grab the book, spin the wheels and poke the pages as they squeal with delight.

That happened when I worked kindergarten one day. It was peak 90s grunge at a Pearl Jam concert and I had just snagged Eddie Vedder’s red and black flannel shirt. The five-year-olds barely let me put the book back into my backpack, so I distracted them by announcing that it was time for specials, P.E, that always breaks the grip. If you have a three-year-old child then CoComelon The Wheels on the Bus will be their jam. It’ll keep them enthralled for a short period of time, then, just like Tom Hanks on SNL or a kitten with a laser, they’ll move on to something else. Unlike those two things, pre-k and early elementary kids will repeatedly come back to this CoComelon board book until the wheels come off.

CoComelon The Wheels on the Bus is by May Nakamura and available on Simon Spotlight, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.

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