C Is for Construction: Big Trucks and Diggers from A to Z »

Exciting photographs are paired with cool facts and simple explanations in this earthmoving ABC. Kids love trucks and diggers and this alphabet book has all their favorites, from the speedy skid steer loader to the giant 797 off-highway truck (one of the biggest trucks in the world!). Seeing real Cat machines at work, digging, hauling, dumping, and lifting, puts young readers right there on the construction site in the middle of the action. (No hard hats necessary!)

Christy Oestreich - Children's Literature

This ABC book helps children learn the alphabet and discover many different types of big heavy construction machines at the same time. Most letters have a full-color picture of the actual machine for which they stand, along with a brief description, for example, G is for grapple, a machine that has four metal claws used for grabbing and lifting scrap metal. The text is simple and explanations are short and easy to understand, and will help to expand the reader's vocabulary skills. The layout of the book is basic and consistent, making it easy for the young reader to follow along alone or with assistance. While reading, children can create various stories about what each machine is being used for, maybe to build a house, make a road, or fix something that is underground. There are also a couple of important safety features highlighted, one of them being to keep out of dangerous area that have signs posted. This is a fun and exciting read for all children who love big trucks, and they will be parallel learning without even realizing it. The book is also great to use in the classroom and/or library to see trucks up close that otherwise might only be seen at a distance. 2003, Chronicle Books, Ages 3 to 7.