Seymour Simon's Book of Trucks [Paperback]

Seymour Simon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2, 2002 | Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Trucks lift, dump, and carry things every day, everywhere. Did you know that...

.Some trucks can weigh as much as ten elephants put together.

.Flatbed trucks can carry other trucks, houses, and even a space shuttle!

.Semitrailer cabs can have a bed behind the front seat so that drivers can pull over and rest on long trips.

.Road-train trucks pull multiple trailers at the same time, just like a locomotive pulls freight cars on a train.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 4-This book is full of color photographs of big, shiny trucks, all on the job. In comparing their size and weight to dinosaurs and elephants, the text also emphasizes the vehicles' power and strength. Pictures show these oversized transports hauling logs, moving a house, carrying and dumping heavy construction materials, taking children to school, and carrying gasoline from refineries to gas stations. Simon explains what a semitrailer truck is, and why the drum of a cement mixer rotates while the truck is moving. The exciting photographs, many of them close-ups, will captivate youngsters. Though the sentences are long and the vocabulary sophisticated in places, the visual appeal of this book is very high and the information is clear and equally engaging.
Edith Ching, St. Albans School, Mt. St. Alban, Washington, DC
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"This book is full of color photographs of big, shiny trucks, all on the job. The exciting photographs, many of them close-ups, will captivate youngsters. ...[T]he visual appeal of this book is very high and the information is clear and equally engaging."--"School Library Journal," July 2000 --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Paperback: 40 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (April 2, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0064462242
• ISBN-13: 978-0064462242
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 10.7 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #551,234 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #20 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Arts & Music > Photography
  • #44 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( S ) > Simon, Seymour
  • #62 in Books > Children's Books > Arts, Crafts & Music > Photography

More About the Author

Seymour Simon, whom the NY Times called "the dean of [children's science] writers," is the author of more than 250 highly acclaimed science books (many of which have been named Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children by the National Science Teachers Association). His free, educational children's app, SCIENCE FUN TO GO, debuted in the Top 10 of all free children's apps in the Amazon App store, and features in app purchase of original Seymour Simon eBooks, as well as a multitude of free content.

Seymour Simon uses his website, SeymourSimon.com, to provide free downloads of a wealth of materials for educators, homeschoolers and parents to use with his books, including 4-page Teacher Guides for all 26 of his Collins/Smithsonian photo essay books. The site provides multiple resources for kids writing book reports or wanting to explore the online Science Dictionary, and also features the Seymour Science blog highlighting current science news. Educators and families are encouraged to sign up to receive the monthly newsletter from SeymourSimon.com to stay abreast of the latest materials that Seymour Simon is introducing to enrich the reading experience.

He taught science and creative writing in elementary and secondary schools and was chair of the science department at a junior high school in the New York City public school system before leaving to become a full-time writer. "I haven't really given up teaching," he says, "and I suppose I never will, not as long as I keep writing and talking to kids around the country and the world."

Seymour Simon is also a creator and the author of a series of 3D books and a series of Glow-in-the-Dark Books for Scholastic Book Clubs, a series of leveled SEEMORE READERS for Chronicle Books, and the EINSTEIN ANDERSON, SCIENCE DETECTIVE series of fiction books. His books encourage children to enjoy the world around them through learning and discovery, and by making science fun. He has introduced tens of millions of children to a staggering array of subjects; one prominent science education specialist described Simon's books as "extraordinary examples of expository prose."

Seymour Simon has been honored with many awards for his work, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science/Subaru Lifetime Achievement Award for his lasting contribution to children's science literature; the New York State Knickerbocker Award for Juvenile Literature; the Hope S. Dean Memorial Award from the Boston Public Library for his contribution to children's science literature; The Washington Post/Children's Book Guild Award for Non-fiction; the Jeremiah Ludington Award for his outstanding contribution to children's nonfiction; the Empire State Award for excellence in literature for young people; and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Forum on Children's Science Books.

In a recent interview Simon was asked if he ever thinks of retiring. "I seem to be working faster and harder than ever. I absolutely don't feel any urge to sit back and look at what I've done. The only things that I'm thinking about are things I'd like to do in the future. I'm planning and doing and continuing to write. It's what I love to do. I remember a story about an anthropologist going to talk to a tribe and he asked them what was their word for "work." Their response was they have no word for work. Everybody does the things that they do in their life. I love that response. I don't differentiate between work and play. Everything I do is something that I enjoy doing - the writing, the research and everything else."

Seymour Simon writes and photographs nature from his hilltop home in Columbia County in upstate New York. You can follow his daily nature walks and see his photographs from the field on Twitter (@seymoursimon) or on his Facebook group page. He also regularly hosts Q&As and sponsors book giveaways on GoodReads.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not Simon's best, but good, February 12, 2001

By 

kennedy19 "kennedy19" (wakefield, ma USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Seymour Simon's Book of Trucks (Hardcover)

I too am a children's librarian. I am a big fan of Seymour Simon's books - he always presents interesting information, clear prose, and beautiful pictures. His truck book, however, seems to suffer from the use of file photos as illustrations instead of any pictures taken just for the book. A few of his photos are not sufficiently illustrative of his text - like his photo of a tractor shows only half of a tractor in dim light. Still, there are plenty of young truck fans out there, and you could do lots worse than this concise book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Seymour Simon's Book of Trucks, December 5, 2000

By 

Mary Ziller, Librarian - See all my reviews

This review is from: Seymour Simon's Book of Trucks (Library Binding)

Many types of trucks are pictured in the artistic photographs. Their functions are described in a bold font, which is easy to read. Young students will like the variety and the realism, which may feed their imagination, as they role play. This book is sure to be a favorite among truck lovers.

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of all the books we read about trucks, June 10, 2011

By 

C. L. Yarborough "lover of the Word" (Mobile, AL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Seymour Simon's Book of Trucks (Paperback)

When my son was a toddler, he LOVED trucks. We read numerous books about trucks. We read realistic ones, fictional ones. We read I Stink!
We read I'm Dirty! Those were both great books for little children about trucks, too.

But of all the many books we read about trucks, this one was our favorite. My son loved the realistic photographs and the detailed information he was able to learn through this book. Our librarian suggested it and she was right. It was just right for a little truck lover!