Construction

PreS-Gr 2--The New Zealand duo who created Roadwork (2008) and Demolition (2012, both Candlewick) turn their considerable talents to the building of a library. The foundation is prepared, the holes are filled with concrete, and the building rises. Clad in safety gear, men and women of different ethnic backgrounds cut the planks, raise the roof, fit the doors and windows, lay the pipes, and run the wires. "Spread the paint. Spread the paint./Bend and stretch and stoop./ Let it dry, then paint some more./Glug! GLOP! GLOOP!" Children put books on the shelves, and the final spread shows them entering their own glass-enclosed children's room and reading. Printed in large, clear letters, the rhythmic text uses basic vocabulary, strong verbs, and onomatopoeia, making it wonderful to read aloud. Artwork is done in ink, acrylic, and colored pencil on full-bleed spreads where pigmented inks and a variety of perspectives are used to great effect. A picture vocabulary at the end identifies excavators, cranes, and trucks on site as well as the safety equipment worn by workers. The simplicity of the telling and the rich details in the spreads make this a must-have for all libraries serving young children.--Mary Jean Smith, formerly at Southside Elementary School, Lebanon, TN

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

The New Zealand duo who created Roadwork and Demolition turn their considerable talents to the building of a library. ... Printed in large, clear letters, the rhythmic text uses basic vocabulary, strong verbs, and onomatopoeia, making it wonderful to read aloud. Artwork is done in ink, acrylic, and colored pencil on full-bleed spreads where pigmented inks and a variety of perspectives are used to great effect. ... The simplicity of the telling and the rich details in the spreads make this a must-have for all libraries serving young children.
—School Library Journal (starred review)

Sutton and Lovelock are back for more fun combining dynamic text and illustrations for little builders. ... Sutton's rhythm and rhyming text pulsates, moving the pace along briskly. "Dig the ground. Dig the ground. / Bore down in the mud." Onomatopoeia rounds out each stanza: "Shove the piles in one by one. / Slip! SLAP! THUD!" Bold, bright illustrations convey the scope of the effort and machinery required to lift stacks of lumber or sheets of plate glass into place. ... There's always room for one more good construction book: Make a spot for this one.
—Kirkus Reviews

With plenty of onomatopoeia and action verbs, the rhyming text effectively brings the sounds of a construction site to life. Lovelock's illustrations, cleanly rendered in pigmented inks, portray activity without being overly busy themselves. The text and art move briskly through the various building stages—from digging holes for foundation piles to laying pipes to moving in "shelves and books." Listeners will enjoy guessing what the new building will be before the last spread reveals: "The library's here for everyone. / Ready... / STEADY... / READ!"
—Horn Book

Along with speckles and spatters of paint that add a suitably rugged look, the illustrations depict on-site views of a crane, a concrete pumper, and other machines in use, capped by a final page of identifers and descriptive notes. Bread and butter for budding building boffins.
—Booklist Online

This is a fun book with melodic verse, colorful images, and onomatopoeia which will have children jumping out of their seats.
—Library Media Connection