A Bus Can't Drive Empty: An Alphaballiteration Adventure

by Davon Miller

It’s the end of the school day and three zebra friends are taking the school bus home when it runs out of gas, oh no! But when Chris the bus driver cleverly thinks of ways to continue on their jubilant journey, they have an adventure through the mountains, in a gondola, on a log and on a pirate ship. Will the zebras finally make it home?

This vibrant and whimsical story is a fun and silly read-aloud for families and educators of young children with its playful combination of alliteration with alphabet learning, using individual letters in rhythmic text across each spread.

64 pages, Hardcover

Published July 22, 2025

About the author

Davon Miller is an author and illustrator, who published his first book at the age of eleven. Starting as a child drawing with crayons, Davon has spent over a decade writing and illustrating children's books, further allowing his art to inspire children to craft their own stories. Davon holds a B.A. in English for Creative Writing from the University of Central Florida. He became a Sunshine Ambassador for St. Petersburg, Florida, for his philanthropic efforts that support literacy. Davon and his works have been highlighted and included in the Tampa Bay Rays reading program "Reading with the Rays."

Reviews

[The Bookish Elf · Rating 5 out of 5]

In A Bus Can't Drive Empty, Davon Miller delivers an exuberant, educational picture book that turns a simple ride home into an unforgettable alphabet adventure. This alliterative journey, led by a determined bus driver named Chris and his three zebra passengers—Zec, Zeb, and Zea—offers young readers a vibrant ride through letters, language, and laughter.

Combining early literacy concepts with captivating illustrations, Miller crafts a book that entertains while introducing foundational skills for children aged 5–8. With a clear nod to phonemic awareness and creative storytelling, A Bus Can’t Drive Empty earns its place among standout children’s titles, continuing the legacy Miller began with his Mr. Tickety-Toc Clock series.

Plot Summary: Fueling Fun with Every Letter

It’s dismissal time at the Academic Academy, and three young zebras can’t wait to hop on the bright yellow school bus driven by Chris. But as the bus zips through the bustling city, it runs into a major snag: the fuel tank is empty! What starts as a routine ride home turns into a whirlwind alphabet escapade as the group searches for a creative route back to the “zoo sweet zoo.”

From downtown delights to mountainous merriment, pirate perils to odd octopus encounters, every page explores a new letter of the alphabet, each cleverly paired with alliterative phrases. The journey becomes a joyful puzzle—how will Chris and the zebras get home next? And what alliterative adventure awaits around the corner?

Storytelling Style: Alliteration With a Purpose

Davon Miller embraces a distinctive literary device—alliteration—to structure and enliven the story. Each page builds a scene around a particular letter, from “Ms. Brown babbies as the bright bus beeps” to “Zala's Zig-Zag Zipper Zoo has Zero Zonked zebras.” The effect is rhythmic, playful, and richly expressive, drawing children into the joy of sounds and syllables.

This isn’t merely a gimmick. Miller uses alliteration as a gateway to phonics, encouraging early readers to anticipate patterns and recognize how words work. For emerging readers, this structure supports:

• Letter-sound recognition
• Vocabulary expansion
• Memory and repetition through rhythm

The book’s language encourages interaction, making it a superb read-aloud experience for classrooms, storytime circles, or bedtime bonding.

Visual Aesthetics: A Crayon Box of Creativity

True to its picture book roots, A Bus Can’t Drive Empty thrives on its visuals. Hand-illustrated by Miller using colored pencils, pens, and Crayola tools, the art is both charmingly homemade and professionally polished. The textures and tones feel inviting and nostalgic, reminiscent of the first scribbles that mark a child’s foray into drawing.

The color choices are vibrant without overwhelming. Each spread balances:

• Whimsical character expressions that communicate joy, confusion, curiosity, or excitement

• Dynamic scenery, such as winding mountain paths, zig-zagging through zoos, and rain-drenched streets

• Movement and motion, crucial in a story that’s all about travel and transformation

Children will want to linger on each page, spotting new details—an umbrella in a downpour, a pirate’s parrot, or a peculiar unicycle.

Educational Value: Where Literacy Meets Adventure

One of the most impressive aspects of A Bus Can't Drive Empty is how seamlessly it blends fun and foundational learning. It’s not a workbook disguised as a story—it’s a true narrative arc wrapped around an alphabet framework. The book aligns beautifully with educational priorities such as:

1. Alphabet Familiarity

Each letter is introduced naturally through context and story. Rather than presenting isolated letters, Miller lets children experience them in action.

2. Alliteration Awareness

This builds phonemic understanding—recognizing how sounds start words and how they connect.

3. Problem-Solving & Imagination

The zebras and Chris don't give up when the bus breaks down. They innovate. From pirate ships to gondolas, their journey reinforces resilience and adaptability, vital traits for young minds.

4. Narrative Sequencing

By structuring the story from A to Z, children begin to understand the basics of order and progression, key to comprehension and writing skills.

Educators and speech therapists will find this book particularly useful for early learners needing engaging material that supports auditory and visual learning styles.

Characterization: Chris and the Zany Zebras

While the book's format leaves limited room for deep character development, Miller manages to infuse personality into the main cast. Chris, the ever-patient and creative bus driver, embodies responsibility and quick thinking. His passengers—Zec, Zeb, and Zea—bring exuberance and camaraderie. Together, they make a delightful team navigating challenges with heart.

This trio of zebras brings more than just stripy charm—they offer a touch of absurdity that children love, and their interactions provide gentle, silly humor without resorting to slapstick.

Author Background: A Voice Nurtured in Crayons and Creativity

Davon Miller isn’t new to children’s literature. Having published his first book at the age of eleven, he has since developed a body of work that reflects his passion for inspiring young readers and writers. His previous Mr. Tickety-Toc Clock picture book series introduced children to themes of routine, time, and structure, presented through colorful, character-driven stories.

With A Bus Can't Drive Empty, Miller expands his creative toolbox, focusing on phonics, play, and positivity. His background in English for Creative Writing and his work as a Sunshine Ambassador for literacy reflect not just artistic flair but a genuine commitment to educational enrichment.

Comparison and Shelf Companions

Fans of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and Z Is for Moose by Kelly Bingham will find A Bus Can't Drive Empty a worthy companion. It holds a unique place by combining alphabetical storytelling with a linear narrative adventure, something many ABC books forgo in favor of simple letter listings.

For teachers or librarians creating alphabet-focused reading sessions, this book bridges the gap between educational primer and read-aloud storybook.

Why It Works: A Quick Recap

Here are just a few reasons A Bus Can’t Drive Empty deserves a place on every young reader’s shelf:

• Alliteration is used purposefully, not just playfully
• Illustrations are inviting and made with heart
• The structure is perfect for learning but never feels like a lesson
• There’s humor, action, and gentle messages of perseverance
• It’s a celebration of creativity—both in content and design

Final Thoughts: A Journey Worth Taking—Again and Again

A Bus Can’t Drive Empty by Davon Miller is more than just a ride through the alphabet. It’s a joyous tribute to the power of words, the importance of adaptability, and the playful potential of picture books. Children will laugh, learn, and linger over its pages. Educators will find endless opportunities to teach through its text. And adults? They'll enjoy the cleverness that threads through every line and letter.

This is a book that invites rereading—not just for its educational value, but because it’s genuinely fun. Whether you're a parent seeking enriching bedtime reads or a teacher building a library of literary tools, Davon Miller’s latest creation rolls in with charm, purpose, and plenty of “Zig-Zag Zipper Zoo” magic.

[Melissa (Nissa_the.bookworm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔
👩‍🏫 want to learn your ABCs
🚌 took the school bus as a kid
😞 have ever gotten lost
🧒🏼 have young children

• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓

It’s the end of the school day and three zebra friends are taking the school bus home when it runs out of gas, oh no! But when Chris, the bus driver, cleverly thinks of ways to continue on their jubilant journey, they have an adventure through the mountains, in a gondola, on a log, and on a pirate ship. Will the zebras finally make it home?

This vibrant and whimsical story is a fun and silly read-aloud for families and educators of young children, featuring a playful combination of alliteration and alphabet learning, with individual letters used in rhythmic text across each spread.

• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒

This was a cute read that made use of the alphabet in a fun way! My five year old and I read this one together and he loved looking at the hand made drawings. He thought that the incidents with the bus driver and the students were all really silly too. I loved that each page incorporated one of the letters in the alphabet in its entirety. My son and I will definitely be reading this one again and again!

[Country Mama · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Bus Can't Drive Empty by Davon Miller is a children's book about the alphabet and the adventure that you can have with it as a reader! We loved the illustrations in this book, they were so similar to a young child's drawing, which makes the book oh so much more relatable to the readers. We loved the story and how the author incorporated the words of the alphabetic letter into the book pages and illustrations. This is such an excellent book for teaching your young child how to read the alphabet and also great for beginning readers who sometimes need a book that reads with similar words to start reading with. The story is amazing and rhythmic in the way the author tells it and you can tell he loves to work with and write for kids, it really shows! I can not wait to see more of his books in the future for kids and their learning journey!
I highly recommend this book to kids of a young age!

[Mrs.MakesReadingFun · Rating 4 out of 5]

A school bus filled with three colourful zebras suddenly…breaks down! Hike home? Let's go! What ensues is a hilarious adventure filled with a gondola ride, pirates, unicycles, and a trip back to the zoo.

What a great book to use as a teaching tool: all about amazing alliteration! I would also use this one to teach new vocabulary, and adjectives & adverbs. Would be great for young readers, but I would even use with my grade 4-5 students to inspire them to create their own alliteration poem or story.

The drawings are fun, child-like, and bright! Kids will really enjoy the pictures that accompany the story.

[Bube Ale · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Bus Can't Drive Empty: An Alphaballiteration Adventure by Dabon Miller is a vibrant and uplifting picture book that blends alphabet learning with empowering life lessons. Using clever alliteration and a creative school bus metaphor, it teaches kids the importance of self-worth, positivity, and emotional strength. A fun and meaningful read for young children—with great read-aloud energy and colorful illustrations to match!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Amethyst Maxey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you for the ARC. This was a cute alphabet book about three zebra trying to get home when the bus runs out of gas. It goes through the journey they take while covering the alphabet.

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This rollicking tale of a mishap on the ride home from school will make the alphabet and alliteration fun for young readers. A group of three little zebras are on the bus after school when the fuel gauge hits Empty. Oh, no! Busdriver Chris is determined to get his passengers safely home, so he rounds up Zea, Zeb, and Zec and off they go. Along their “jolly, jubilant journey” they encounter a gondola ride through the mountains, a log flume, and an overly interested octopus. Even though Chris quickly becomes queasy aboard the ship of Polly Pirate, her protection is better than staying in the clutches of the odd octopus. And everyone does make it home to Zala’s Zig-Zag Zipper Zoo by the end of the book.

Illustrations show three zebras with colorful stripes - one with blue, one with red, and one in the traditional black. (I’m showing my age, but they remind me of cheerful ads for Fruit Stripe gum.) They have alliterative remarks in reaction to each new event. When Chris suggests they hike home, each of them responds - “Huzzah!” “Hurrah!” “Hurray!” And when they spot the log ride from their gondola car, one says, “Look!” Another says, “Lovely!” While the third grumbles, “Lame.” Chris himself is a very dapper driver with warm brown skin, neatly trimmed beard, and spotless uniform. It is hard to believe someone so well put together would forget to gas up the tank! Kids who read this may have fun coming up with their own versions and brainstorming words for each letter of the alphabet for the dialogue and to describe the action.