Heavy Machinery

Cars and Trucks and Things That Go (Giant Little Golden Book)

Description coming soon...

Although this book was around when many of today's parents were youngsters, it has remained a steadfast must-have in every toddler's library. For starters, it's a great vocabulary guide that names the many things that go (and some that haven't a prayer of going, but are great fun to imagine anyway). It's also teeming with detail-rich scenes and characters on every page, teaching children the rewards of looking long and closely (such as finding the hidden "Goldbug" in each spread). Along the way it entertains with the silly and slapstick--everything from toothpaste and toothbrush cars to six fire department vehicles that show up to extinguish a ladybug-size fire in a miniature pink convertible. What's most amazing about this book, however, is its longevity. When you purchase it for your fledgling talker, you should consider it an investment. Even 11-, 12-, and 13-year-olds are known to pore over the book nostalgically, cooing at Lowly Worm and eagerly tracking Officer Flossie's book-long chase after that irresponsible, speedster driver in a cowboy hat. (Ages 2 and older) --Gail Hudson

The Wheels on the Bus

"The wheels on the bus go round and round.... All over town." This traditional song, a favorite of children everywhere, is adapted and illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky, winner of the Caldecott Medal for his lush version of Rapunzel, and Caldecott honors for Rumpelstiltskin, Hansel and Gretel, and Swamp Angel. Fantastic paper engineering with movable parts, flaps, and wheels that spin makes this an interactive book that young readers will love to pieces (maybe literally!). Pull one tab to make the "wipers on the bus go swish swish swish," and another to see the "babies on the bus cry Waah! Waah! Waah!" On closer inspection, children will be tickled to discover several subtle and humorous subplots, as well as a full-circle finale: the last stop on the bus is at the Overtown public library, where the day's program includes a folk singer. Guess what he's singing!

Zelinsky's warm, inviting illustrations are a perfect match for this classic play rhyme. Children who have learned the hand motions to the song will enjoy helping the characters in the book enact their own roles. The back cover includes the musical notation for "The Wheels on the Bus," so everyone can sing along. (Ages 3 to 7) --Emilie Coulter

When The Wheels on the Bus, by Caldecott Medalist Paul O. Zelinsky, broke onto the scene twelve years ago, it created a sensation with its clever characters, sly subplots, luscious colors, and the incomparable flair of its moving parts. Almost a million young readers have enjoyed the wheels that go round, doors that open and shut, and people who go bumpety-bump. Today it remains as fresh and engaging as when it was first published.

Katy and the Big Snow

This old-fashioned tale about one little snowplow's determination in the face of a small-town blizzard has all the charm and moral grit of The Little Engine That Could. This isn't surprising, considering that Caldecott Medal-winning author Virginia Lee Burton (The Little House) specializes in bringing the inanimate to life with endearing illustrations and stories of fortitude and vulnerability. Katy, a red crawler tractor, "could do a lot of things," Burton explains early on. In the summer she is a bulldozer, helping to build and repair roads in the city of Geoppolis. In the winter, she turns into a snowplow, waiting and waiting for her chance to be useful. Most of the winters, though, the snowfalls are mild and the town doesn't need Katy. But when the big one finally hits, the town is buried in page after page of powder. The power lines are down. The doctor can't get his patient to the hospital. The fire department can't reach a burning house! "Everyone and everything was stopped but... KATY!" Suddenly, the entire community is dependent on one little snowplow. Children love witnessing Katy's shining moment of glory and will inevitably admire her "chug, chug, chug" endurance. (Ages 4 and older) --Gail Hudson

Katy, a brave and untiring tractor, who pushes a bulldozer in the summer and a snowplow in the winter, makes it possible for the townspeople to do their jobs.

Wheels! (Step-Into-Reading, Step 1)

Train wheels.  Plane wheels.  Gear wheels.  Rear wheels.  What if there were NO wheels?  How would people go?  

Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel

Although steam shovels are being replaced by more modern machines, Mike Mulligan refuses to consign his beloved Mary Anne to the junk heap. Desperate for work, Mike promises to dig the celler of Popperville's new town hall in just one day--or go without pay. All the townsfolk gather to watch Mike and Mary Anne in their race against the sun. They win, but in his haste, Mike forgets a very important detail. First published in 1939, this classic speaks directly to children and is full of informative illustrations, including a diagram of a steam shovel. This text is excellent for introducing aspects of nonfiction texts. Ages 5-8; Grades K-3 Paperback, 48 Pages

Mike Mulligan and his steam shovel Mary Anne make quite a team. The inseparable duo digs the great canals for the big boats to travel through, cuts through the large mountains so trains can pass, and hollows out the deep cellars for the great skyscrapers in the city. But the introduction of gasoline, electric, and diesel shovels means big trouble for Mike and Mary Anne. No one wants an old-fashioned steam shovel like Mary Anne when a modern shovel can do the digging in half the time! Forced to travel far out of the city to look for work, Mike and Mary Anne find themselves in the little town of Popperville. Mike and Mary Anne make a bid to dig the cellar for the new town hall, promising the town that if they can't dig the cellar in just one day they'll accept no payment for the job. Will Mike and Mary Anne be able to complete the job? The whole town of Popperville turns out to watch. Virginia Lee Burton, author of such classic children's books as The Little House and Katy and the Big Snow, offers a touching portrait of love and dedication while commenting on the modernization that continuously shapes our lives. Hamilton's wonderful crayon drawings bring Mike and the indomitable Mary Anne to life. (Ages 3 to 6)

Road Builders

For children who are passionate about machines, especially the really big ones, Road Builders, cheerfully illustrated by Caldecott Honor artist Simms Taback, is a wonderful find. Youngsters are introduced to the vast assortment of fascinating machines involved in building a road, and to the industrious crew of folks who operate these mammoth vehicles. Step by step, a road is born: dirt is scooped away by the power shovel, bulldozer, and backhoe, then the grader smoothes the ground as the other trucks arrive with cement and asphalt. Finally the power roller packs it all down, and the "striper" lays down the lines at the center of the road. But you'll have to read the book to figure out what the cherry picker does! Boldly illustrated with bright, saturated colors, Road Builders is a visually dynamic introduction to the people and machines that bring new roads to life. (Ages 2 to 6) --Marianne Painter

Construction Zone

Crisp, clear, full-color photographs show all the fascinating machines and earthmovers found at a construction site. Even the very youngest readers will want to put on hard hats!

"The roaring power of 13 construction machines is captured in clear, brilliantly colored photographs." -- Booklist

Construction (First Discovery Books)

Bam Bam Bam

Big Red Bus, The