Reviews

D Is for Dump Truck: A Construction Alphabet by Michael Shoulders

hsquared's review

3.0

Shoulders sharpens his alphabet toolbox yet again. This time his rhymes feature a construction site with everything from dump trucks to x-braces. Though the meter occasionally stumbles, kids will dig the variety of construction tools and techniques included. Readers will find obvious choices, like hammers and a front end loader, but there are a few less familiar ones, like a vibrator compactor for putting in a brick path. There’s even a brief construction glossary, defining a handful of building vocabulary words, such as foreman and rafter. Culotta’s bright, realistic illustrations, with the blues and greens of a suburban landscape, depict a family happily building the treehouse of their dreams, complete with windows, a railed porch, and a tire swing. Mom and daughter are equal partners in the building, tightening bolts, mixing cement, and painting. Safety is emphasized, with glasses, ear protectors, and hard hats all making multiple appearances. This is an alphabet book with plenty of kid appeal. Parents should be forewarned that requests for treehouses are sure to follow.

*Review copy received from publisher for review for the Children's Literature Database