Digger, Dozer, Dumper

by Hope Vestergaard, David Slonim (Illustrator)

“Rising above the usual singsong name-checking, Vestergaard celebrates not only the jobs these machines perform but also their marvelous mechanics.” —  Publishers Weekly  (starred review)

Sixteen boisterous, rhyming poems — each one highlighting the job and personality of a different vehicle, from a backhoe to an ambulance to a snowplow — introduce young children to their favorite trucks face-to-face. Cheerful illustrations show the machines in action, digging (or dozing, or dumping) away. Each truck and big machine in these enticing rhyming poems is different, and little readers are invited to find a vehicle that’s like them.

Genres: Picture Books, Poetry, Childrens, Construction, Trucks, Transport, Storytime

32 pages, Library Binding

First published August 27, 2013

About the author

Hope Vestergaard, a former early childhood teacher, is the author of several books for children. She lives with her husband and two sons, as well as cows, horses, pigs, and dogs, on a small farm outside of Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of poems about different types of trucks and construction equipment will be a sure fire HIT with the toddler, preschool, and kindergarten crowd! The text is engaging and begs to be read aloud over and over. The illustrations are an added bonus. This will be fun one for library story times! And my 2 year old nephew gives it TWO high fives and super loud VAROOM! VAROOM!

I support independent bookstores. You can use this link to find one near you or order DIGGER, DOZER, DUMPER on IndieBound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/978076...

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

A poem about every kind of truck from semis to fire trucks to construction crews your small child will enjoy the catchy rhyme scheme and the personality of each truck. Very cute. Also we'll be memorizing the poem about the cement truck.

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Instead of asking “Which truck do you like best?” Digger, Dozer, Dumper by Hope Vestergaard changes that question to “Which truck would you like to be?” The author uses the pronouns “he” and “she” instead of “it”, and the illustrator adds a subtle face to each of the trucks. The poems treat each vehicle like a living creature with specific personalities and preferences and passions. The garbage truck “adores” the sights and smells and sounds of his work. The ambulance “ferries folks to hospitals / with tender loving care.” The dump truck precisely drops its load where it belongs, and the excavator is a smooth operator. This is a great choice for boys who might think that poetry is too sissy. (from my blog at mackinbooksinbloom.com)

[Deania · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is good for any little kid wanting to know about construction vehicles. I think kindergarten and first grade kids would enjoy this book. It would be a good book to read to the class and ask questions about what they remember. The book gives great explanations of what vehicles do and what areas they service.

[Shane Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read many many books with to my 3 year old entirely on the basis of them having a truck on the cover, and this is the best of them.

Each page has a poem about some type of truck or industrial machine. The illustrations are nicely detailed, and the poems are cute, fun-to-read, and not overlong.

Highly recommended for little kids who love trucks.

[Jason Dillingham · Rating 5 out of 5]

We really enjoy reading this one to our boys. The illustrations (watercolor, I believe) are great and the way the words flow in verse is fun and alliterative. Educational for littles and fun to read as a parent; win-win. Would recommend.

[Joey Trizzino · Rating 4 out of 5]

Giving an explanation of 16 different types of vehicles and the jobs they perform this book does a great job of using poems to give young children a fun way to learn more about the cool, big and sometimes colorful vehicles they enjoy seeing! Along with the great flow of poetry in the books the great illustrations Vestergaard uses will easily keep the attention of the young readers, making them eager to turn the page to learn about the next vehicle.

[BlackhamBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

While many children's books have rhyming text, this IS separated into individual poems, each dedicated to a different kind of vehicle (mostly construction related, but covers a snowplow, Semi, firetruck and ambulance as well). I thought the rhymes were cute and well done, easy to read (sometimes with rhymes, I have to pre-read to get the timing down/working). The vehicles are anthropomorphized, called "she" or "he" while showcasing what they can do (there are people in the seats, but the focus is the machine brought to life). The illustrations add to this effect, with headlights appearing as eyes to give them that "Cars" look, like they are alive. The drawings were super cute, and this book does give some good information, teaching as well as entertaining.

[Joanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bring about five new books from the library to the kids I babysit each week. I don't read them ahead of time, so they're just as much a surprise to me as to them. Sometimes we get five winners, sometimes a mix of winners and runners up, and sometimes they're all "meh". This week Digger, Dozer, Dumper blew the others out of the water. The three-year-old has already had me read it three times today, and I've enjoyed each time. The book covers a whole slew of vehicles, but it doesn't feel like a long book because the creative, rhyming poems move everything along and are so fun to read! All we read are digger books, so finding one that was so different was a breath of fresh air!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't realize before I opened the book it was poetry. I got it because my 3 yr old is obsessed with construction vehicles. It was a pleasant surprise if a bit long for a read through. It would have worked better in multiple visits, reading a few poems at a time. Loved the variety of vehicles and that many were female. I also liked the dog in each illustration. As for the question at the end my 3 yr old says all of them :)

[Kara Shade · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a winner for the construction and truck lovers in your life. I'd recommend for ages 4+ simply because of the sheer number of poems...it may be a lot for a really little one to digest all at once unless they have a great attention span. That said, the pictures are delightful and the rhymes are smooth (nothing awkward or wonky in the phrasing). Lots of great information about all of the vehicles in a compact, fun read!

[LaQueena Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

This poetry book describes different types of trucks. This books states that it is for lower grades, kindergarten through third grade, but I believe that it is a great book for actually Pre-K and maybe Kindergarten, but nothing really higher than that. This book is great for students to learn about what the different trucks do.

[Ali Book&Seaglasshunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great for any vehicle lover, this is a collection of short poems about the use of each type of vehicle. It’s a little on the long side for younger readers, but is appropriate for preschool and up. The illustrations are cute with little eyeballs on all of the vehicles.

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

My son loves this book!

This book is full of short wonderful little poems about each different construction vehicle. My 3 yo asks daily to read his digger book. It has become part of our bedtime routine.

[Mbgirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just read this book to my next door niece this morning— what a cool book depicting at least 10 various kinds of trucks and it rhymes, and the colors— the size—-. If anything, I wish the font was a bit more spaced apart, but platinum find for a kid super obsessed with trucks at the mo’

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing. Perfect for any child that is interested in trucks and different vehicles.

Each page has a different vehicles, many not usually included in vehicle books, with a rhyming description of what they do. Great illustrations too.

Fantastic. Definitely recommend.

[Andrés · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's a well-designed poem for each kind of vehicle in this book? Wow! Definitely "best in class" stuff for the vehicle genre. The illustrations are soft and kid-oriented, and the last page of diverse friends playing together begs the question, "which truck would YOU like to be?"

[Miss Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice preschool and up or one on one book about all kinds of construction and emergency vehicles and what they do. length is preschool.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rhymes of what each truck does. Lots of fun! Great illustrations.

[Ashley Verity · Rating 3 out of 5]

They liked the pictures but the poems were too long winded to keep their attention.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

adorable rhymes/ poems all about different vehicles! fun for the construction and things that go fans! Poems. rhymes are mostly short and could be shared aloud too!

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very cute, but way too much text for a board book.

[CassattintheHat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rhyming verse book about #construction equipment. #poetry #kidsbooks

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

My grandboys will love this book for sure. Can't wait to share it with them. Great illustrations.

[The Voracious Bibliophile · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to be a dump truck!

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely perfect for a two year old boy who LOVES all vehicles.

[M.A.Stanglfam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hananiah loves this book. Matt and I both think it is fun to read aloud. The cadence and rhythm of the rhymes are amazing which makes it a great boy parent read to your kid book.

[Isaac · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I would like to be the big semi truck because it's a big!" --Isaac, age 5

[Amy Storey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful wordplay and poetry plus trucks = a wonderful read aloud packed with information and cute illustrations. Loved this one!

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short poems about construction vehicles. The illustrations are simple and complement the poems well.