DK Readers: Big Machines (Level 1: Beginning to Read) [Paperback]

Karen Wallace (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up | Series: DK READERS

FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. A new park is being built. See big machines in action and find out what they do. A Level 1 DK Reader.

--This text refers to the School & Library Binding edition.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

"Smash! Crash! Scrape! Scrunch!... BIG machines do BIG jobs." Whether they're knocking down an old factory or building a new park with a pond, there's a big machine for every job. Cranes, bulldozers, excavators, and concrete mixers are put to the test, knocking down walls, scooping up rubble, and digging holes.

Eye-catching photographs and illustrations and simple, repetitive text in large type make the absorbing world of heavy machinery a perfect choice for the beginning reader. Dorling Kindersley's four-level learning-to-read series offers age-appropriate stories for all the early reader levels, preschool through grade 4. Children develop their reading skills while increasing their general knowledge. This Level 1 book includes picture dictionary boxes depicting such terms as "rubble," "wheel," and "chute," with a reference to the page number where the word first appears. (Ages 4 to 7) --Emilie Coulter

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2-This title presents photographs of some of the real trucks and tractors employed in constructing a city park, which is disappointingly shown only as a busy cartoon drawing at the end. Through sharp, full-color pictures, readers are introduced to a crane outfitted with wrecking ball, a bulldozer, a front loader, a dump truck, an excavator, and other heavy machinery used in tearing down old buildings and in laying the foundation for new construction. Smaller photographs highlight part of each vehicle-the tailgate on a tipper truck, the chute on the concrete mixer, and so on-although the inserts are a bit confusing since they show clean showroom trucks that are quite different from the dirty machines actually doing the work. Although billed at the easiest reading level ("Beginning to Read-Preschool to Grade 1"), this picture book definitely requires listening from its audience up through first grade. Still, the vivid photographs will certainly grab young engineers' attention.
John Sigwald, Unger Memorial Library, Plainview, TX
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: DK CHILDREN; 1st edition (March 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789454114
• ISBN-13: 978-0789454119
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #166,376 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #18 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Science, Nature & How It Works > Heavy Machinery
  • #22 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Series > Early Reader > Dorling Kindersley Readers
  • #35 in Books > Children's Books > Science, Nature & How It Works > Heavy Machinery

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Big Machines = big readers, July 18, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: DK Readers: Big Machines (Level 1: Beginning to Read) (Hardcover)

Big Machines is great for beginnning readers who may still be struggling. It has machines, BIG machines which engross youngsters. It has repetetive text, which makes it easy to catch on. It even has a dictionary with the page number the word can be found on. The pictures keep the children interested, because he (or she) wants to read it.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Crash, Smash, Whoosh - a review of DK's "Big Machines", February 27, 2006

By 

Pam Tee "Busy Mom" - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Big Machines (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition) (DK Readers: Level 1 (Prebound)) (School & Library Binding)

Okay. My girlie-girl wasn't interested - at all (lol) -in this book. But I'm sure that plenty of other girls and boys would be. There are lots of bright photos of heavy equipment: crane, bulldozer, dump truck, excavator, tipper truck, concrete mixer truck, water tanker, roller, forklift, panel van, big truck.

Plus there is something to learn. For example, I never knew that the big trucks that flattened asphalt (rollers) had their rollers filled with water.

I particularly like that all of these machines are shown in the context of a project. In this case, an old factory is being torn down and replaced by a park (something I think will engage the interests of quite a few children.) Because of this format, children will see (if it's pointed out) that projects take shape in stages. First, for example, the old building needs to be torn down, the rubble taken away. Then paths need to be laid and a pond dug out. Once the pond is dug, it needs to be filled with water. Sod and flowers need to be brought in and planted... and on and on.

Four Stars. [B-]. There is a concept here and not `just' heavy equipment. The text is not for those seeking a first reader. While the vocabulary is not overly difficult, there are frequently more than two sentences per page. This might be good book for readers with a little experience under their belts. The text from page 18 follows so you to judge for yourself.

The pond needs concrete
to line its base.
A concrete mixer
brings concrete.
It's drum goes
around and around
and concrete pours out
of a special chute.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Captures a boy's imagination!, July 30, 2001

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: DK Readers: Big Machines (Level 1: Beginning to Read) (Paperback)

We first found this book at the library. We read it so often that my 2.5 year old son can finish each sentence and page. Great book for reading to kids and teaching them basic construction vocabulary! The pictures are great and easy to use to engage the children in a beyond-the-book discussion.