Machines at Work Board Book (Board book)

~ (Author, Illustrator) "Hey, you guys!..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

As with his recent booksTrains, Trucks, Airplanes and BoatsMachines at Work is characterized by bold, black outlines and vivid colors. Barton takes youngsters through an entire day at a construction site. The workers, a multiracial group of men and women, arrive and begin their day. Unlike other books on big machines for this age group, Barton's is not a catalogue of heavy equipment. Each vibrant spread shows people and machines actively working. The short, punchy narrative reinforces the dynamics of the illustrations. Kids are fascinated by dump trucks, bulldozers, cranes, cement trucks, etc. This will prove a popular read-aloud for preschoolers and satisfying read-alone for beginners. Ages 3-7.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1 Barton's bold double-page il lustrations depict a busy day at a con struction site as workers (with the posi tive inclusion of women) knock down a building and start a new one. In Barton's characteristic style, the bright primary colors and chunky shapes outlined in thick black lines convey an effect that is not static. Energy and action abound. The illustrations are accompanied by the simplest possible text, a one-line descrip tion. The machines shown are not named, but their functions are described. The sequence of events is clear and easi ly followed. Barton draws young readers and listeners into the book by the initial call to work. (``Hey, you guys!'') and the use of the first person-plural (``Let's get to work''). This visual treat, dished up with a nice helping of simple information, will entertain the very young. Connie Tyrrell Burns, Mahoney Middle School Library, South Portland, Maine
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Board book: 17 pages
• Publisher: HarperFestival (August 23, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 069401107X
• ISBN-13: 978-0694011070
• Product Dimensions: 5.9 x 5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #12,761 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Construction for the young 'uns, June 12, 2005

By	E. R. Bird "Ramseelbird" (Manhattan, NY) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Machines at Work (Hardcover)

When you write as many reviews of children's books as I do (and is there any more pompous way to begin a sentence, I wonder) you sometimes find yourself at a loss for words when it comes to the simpler ones. And author/illustrator Byron Barton is, if nothing else, the patron saint of picture book straightforwardness. There is no wry undertone to a Barton book. No sly wit. No winks or nods to parents and educators beneath the simple childlike text. Nope. Byron Barton is an author that writes stories for children and children alone. In "Machines At Work", Barton (who's millions of books have covered every topic from planes to dinosaurs) tackles that perpetual toddler fascination - - the worksite.

In this particular book, we observe a wide variety of small workers (male, female, white, black, etc.) off to work. Some climb readily into their machines. Others dictate instructions from below. For this day, the workers knock down a building, bulldoze trees, dump rubble, take a lunch break, build a building, and build a road (amongst other activities). Then the expressionless crew heads for home after a long and satisfying day. Says the text, "More work tomorrow".

The book begins with the sentence, "Hey, you guys!". For those parents amongst you who remember the heyday of that classic PBS show, "The Electric Company", you know how best to read that line. Otherwise, the sentences in this book tend to be instructions. The narrator (and, hence, the child reading the book) tells the little people what to do and they do it. I was intrigued by the prior reviewer of this book who commented that though we see the workers apparently build a road and building, no final product is ever shown at the end. It would be nice to see the result of all this work. Obviously Barton thinks kids would be far more interested in the breaking down and building up than in the end products. I was also a little amazed at the amount of destruction in this book as opposed to the significantly smaller amount of construction.

But these aren't really criticisms. If you've a kid who likes machines that go vroom and boom, it's hard to find fault with this book. There are plenty of simple words with thick black lines for kids to understand. No, it won't name the machines one by one. You'll have to find a different book for that. Still, it's a nice enough preschool title to entrance those kiddies who're already enamored of these friendly agents of destruction. A simple text that is certain to find a wide appreciative audience.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simplicity is its strong suit!, September 15, 2006

By	Tony Johnson "Norwegian Blue" (Maryland) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

When I first got this for my son (2 years), I thought "What a snooze-fest!" We were still high on the Mo Willems wave, still in love with Knuffle Bunny and the slightly off-kilter viewpoint of the Pigeon, so the utter barrenness and simplicity of Machines at Work honestly put me off. But, as it is all about the baby (and don't he know it!), Connor simply loves it! Although he is fickle (we have now moved on to the pop-up Bug series by David A. Carter) it firmly held the New Boy Times #1 bedseller slot for a good 3 weeks (an eternity to the toddler set). It also was known to douse many a tantrum (great diversion - "I know you just ka-bonked your head on the dining room table for the fortieth time today, but LOOK AT THESE COOL TRUCKS!") and entertain on long car rides.

The story (as it is) involves a diverse work crew doing stuff with simple 4-5 word narration for each page. It is so simple, it is almost zen-like. And Connor came to be able to repeat each phrase as we turned the page - as soon as I opened the cover he would gleefully shoud out "Hey, you guys!". Reading this to him at bedtime has become one of the fondest memories of my fatherhood experience, and hopefully one of my son's funnest moments.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars So So, February 3, 2004

By A Customer

Its is better than some of the "truck" books out there but it's a bit pricey. Most truck books just identify lots of variations on backhoes but this one at least has a little bit of a story. However, to me it seemed a bit disjointed. First they worked on the road and then the building and then the road again. It tried to be sequential but somehow never came together. Also, it was disappointing not to see some final product (a finished building or road, etc). I would not have bought it if I could have looked through it in its entirety. I just relied on the reviews.