Roadwork! [Hardcover]

Sally Sutton (Author), Brian Lovelock (Illustrator)

Book Description

Release date: June 24, 2008 | Age Range: 2 - 5 years

Every preschooler who is mad for machines will revel in this bright, boisterous picture book about the exciting process of building a road.

"Load the dirt. Load the dirt. Scoop and swing and drop. Slam it down into the truck. Bump! Whump! Whop!"

There are many big machines and busy people involved in building a road, and this riveting picture book follows them every step of the way. From clearing a pathway (SCREEK!) to rolling the tar (SQUELCH!) to sweeping up at the end (SWISH!), ROADWORK is sure to draw young onlookers with its rambunctious rhymes and noisy fun.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. PreSchool-K—No construction detail is ignored in this rhythmic read-aloud that takes readers from the "Ping! Bang! Tap!" of the groundbreaking to the "Toot! Honk! Vroom!" of the new road's opening. Extensive use of action verbs and onomatopoeic exclamations guide youngsters through packing the ground, rolling the tar, raising the signs, and even planting trees along the side of the route. Angular road lines—reminiscent of Donald Crews's illustrations of popular machines—traverse each spread, often guiding viewers' eyes in the direction of the next page. Interestingly, the many multiethnic workers depicted in the attractive ink illustrations seem as cool as cucumbers despite their noisy laboring. A picture glossary of roadwork machines is a great finishing touch to this dynamic title.—Madeline Walton-Hadlock, San Jose Public Library, CA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

“Move the earth. Move the earth. Dig and cut and push. Clear a pathway for the road. Screech! Boom! Whoosh!” Big machines, and their drivers, are the stars in this chanting, rhyming picture book that describes how a road is made, and then, once the tar is sealed, how it is made safe for travelers with painted lines, signs, and streetlamps. The words pound with the sound and rhythm of the vehicles they describe, and preschoolers will delight in shouting out the noisy exclamations (“Whizz! Slop! Splurt!”) that end each page. The large, clear print and basic vocabulary will extend the audience to new readers, who will also appreciate that the action described in the words is clearly illustrated in Lovelock’s bright, uncluttered ink pictures of the glorious vehicles, their drivers (including a few women), and the community that enjoys the finished road. An easy sell to kids who love to watch machines at work, this will pair nicely with Kate and Jim McMullan’s I Stink! (2002) and Kate Banks’ The Night Worker (2000). Preschool-Grade 1. --Gillian Engberg

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 2 - 5 years
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick; First Edition edition (June 24, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763639125
• ISBN-13: 978-0763639129
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 0.4 x 10.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #94,551 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Nice book for young toddler July 14, 2008

By Sheila McGrath

Format:Hardcover

A good description of how a road is made. This book is attractive with simple but accurate illustrations, and charming rhymes with "sound" words. I appreciated that there are a few female workers in the pictures. I bought it for a 3 year old, but I think it is too young for her - it will go to the younger one who is not yet two who will enjoy it for some time to come. Reading level may be 4-8, but appropriate age is younger.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Book for Learning and Fun February 6, 2010

By H. K. Reid

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a book that I purchased for my 2 year old son when he loved the one we found at the library. We love the illustrations which are simple and colorful. It's a wonderful text with fun rhyming and onomatopoeia (a word that imitates or suggests the source of the sound that it describes). It also takes kids through the process of road building. It's great for preschoolers but my elementary aged son had a lot of fun pouring over it too and loved to read it to his brother. I highly recommend this book for boys that are reluctant readers.

5.0 out of 5 stars Love it! April 16, 2013

By Laura

Format:Hardcover

We received this as a gift for my son's second birthday. It's one of our new favorite books - perfect for any young truck lover. It goes through the process of building a road, and all the trucks and workers involved. The first line is repeated twice on each page, which some might find annoying. I thought it was cute and made it more of a sing songy type of read - especially with the noise words at the end of each verse, like "ping, bang, tap!" My son really gets into those parts and loves saying them with us. I also like how there are female construction workers, and they even stop to break for a nice healthy lunch! It's very educational AND fun. It's definitely one of our most favorite books and is read on a daily basis!