THE CONSTRUCTION CREW

This Q-and-A guide presents five essential construction-site vehicles and explains the special functions of each.

Young heavy-equipment enthusiasts will enjoy this simple primer on the attributes and uses of the trucks a construction crew uses to build the structures that dot the urban landscape. A racially diverse crew of one female and four male construction workers presents each vehicle: “This is a bulldozer. Can you guess what it does?” The facing page shows a bulldozer, with three identifying parts labeled: “cab,” “blade,” and “track.” A gatefold opens to reveal the answer: “The bulldozer pushes dirt around and flattens the ground to make room for new buildings.” This pattern repeats with an excavator, a cement mixer, a dump truck, and a crane; a final spread shows what happens when they all work together: “We can build brand new buildings in our city!” In addition to expanding the vocabulary of machinery-loving children, the book suggests the complexity of creating the cities in which we live and the value of working together. The artwork features simple, brightly colored images against backgrounds of geometric patterns or colorful watercolor washes. The drawings are easily read, if somewhat plain and cartoonish, and opening the flaps to reveal the pictures underneath will keep young readers engaged. Companion title The Clean-up Crew publishes simultaneously.

Constructive fun for young hard hats everywhere.