Little Yellow Taxi and His Friends — Ruth Ainsworth

The little grey car who lived at the Sunshine Garage could never settle down to sleep at night. He flashed his lights, sounded his horn, rolled to and fro, and chattered all the time. In fact, he talked and fidgeted so much that he kept everyone else awake, which was very tiresome as the blue school bus, the mammoth lorry, and all the other vans and cars worked hard all day and needed their sleep. Then the garage owner had an excellent idea. The little grey car was painted a bright glossy yellow, given new number plates and a lighted sign on his roof, and transformed into an all-night taxi. Now he could dash happily through the dark streets at night, and doze peacefully in the garage while the others were out working. In these beguiling stories of the little yellow taxi and his friends, Ruth Ainsworth blends the reassuring details of everyday life and the magic of a world where cars speak and sing and go joyriding by themselves.