Reviews

Bulldozer's Big Day by Candace Fleming, Eric Rohmann

wiseowl33's review against another edition

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4.0

Very cute little story. My boys will love this one.

bethebookworm's review against another edition

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3.0

The 4 year old LOVES this book. he cried when I returned it to the library, so I had to go back the next day and check it out again. it's okay,but not worth reading at bedtime every night for a month in my opinion.

jessalynn_librarian's review against another edition

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3.0

Summer 2015 - Ben loved the diggers and the repetitive phrases like "scooping, scooping, scooping" that he started repeating. Doesn't flow well as a read-aloud.

July 2017 - he enjoyed this one again, especially the birthday cake.

July 2018 - Ben's still a fan, but I still find it a little tedious to read aloud.

giantarms's review against another edition

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A good choice for persons wishing to go "WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT" at inadvisable volumes, but not for an excessive quantity of times.

cjeziorski's review against another edition

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5.0

Surprise! It’s bulldozer’s birthday, though the other construction vehicles don’t seem to know. Great read aloud for little ones who like building.

jeremychiasson's review against another edition

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3.0

Not sure what to get next after your child adored "Goodnight, Construction Site"? Bulldozer's Big Day would be a logical choice.

I didn't love this book, but its targeted audience--preschool children who are fascinated by construction vehicles, will delight in the adorably chunky vehicles, the rhytmnic sounds of the trucks, and the cute story about everyone forgetting the Bulldozer's Birthday.

kristinajean's review against another edition

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3.0

#1 The children will adore it because it is about construction vehicles. Unfortunately, when they are young and fixated, they don't care about quality.

#2 Lucky for those kids, this IS a quality book.

#3 The illustrations are masterfully rendered in a very skillful application of relief blocks. [a:Eric Rohmann|68537|Eric Rohmann|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1208539936p2/68537.jpg] uses this technique in [b:My Friend Rabbit|118230|My Friend Rabbit|Eric Rohmann|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1317066989s/118230.jpg|2060302] to great effect as well. He manages to utilize a traditionally static technique to create dynamic illustrations that are bold, distinct and fun.

#4 The text is what I did not truly care for in this picturebook. The first line of text caught me "motor humming and blade held high, he zoomed--bump-vroom--across the construction site" really caught my attention, but as the story progressed, I really just got...bored. Luckily, the story told in the illustrations sustained me.

libscote's review against another edition

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4.0

Can't wait to read this one in storytime!

tashrow's review

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4.0

Bulldozer is very excited as he heads to the construction site one morning. It’s his special day and he wants to invite all of the other bigger trucks to his party. So he asks them to guess what day it is. Digger says that the day is a scooping day and keeps on scooping dirt. Dump Truck says it’s a sifting day. Cement Mixer knows that it’s a stirring day. One after another, the different trucks insist that it’s just a normal day and they are doing what they always do. Bulldozer gets more and more dejected as the other trucks talk to him and is about to leave the construction site entirely when happy whistles start to blow and the trucks reveal their birthday surprise for him.

Fleming charmingly combines two deep loves of small children: trucks and birthdays. She engages just enough with each of the trucks, allowing young vehicle lovers time to enjoy each truck and what they do on a construction site. Children will feel for Bulldozer as his attempts to talk about his party are foiled by each truck. The pacing is well done and leads up to a greatly satisfying ending.

Rohmann’s thick-lined illustrations work particularly well here. His Bulldozer character reads as young and jaunty as he flies over the construction area without touching the ground. The other trucks are solid and dependable. They come off as very friendly but also busy, rather like parents who are distracted but kind. Rohmann presents the birthday reveal on one double page spread that is very joyful and lots of fun. Expect a cheer of joy from your listening audience.

Get this into the hands of toddlers who like trucks and who may be approaching a birthday of their own. Appropriate for ages 2-4.

librarianryan's review

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3.0

A fun construction site surprise book for any that like to play in the mud and get dirty.
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