Toy Backhoe Book

Digger Man - by Andrea Zimmerman and David Clemesha

ISBN: 0810949261

My son loves "Working Trucks" regardless of whether they are dump trucks, cranes, excavators, frontloaders, transit mixers, or graders.

Digger Man is a great book for several reasons. It's smooth to read and not a book of 'truck-facts' like so many working truck books. The illustrations, orignally acrylic on Bristol paper, are colorful and easy on the eyes for adults and children. It helps your child to use his imagination by following a little boy from playing with his toy diggers to imagining that he owns a big one and drives it and works with it.

Plus, if your construction-fascinated child has a younger sibling, this book plays well to the older sibling taking into account the younger sibling in a positive way.

The only snag our son had with this book is that he knows the proper names of most large construction equipment, so we've been teaching him that people call any working truck that digs a 'digger'. The main character in this book has a digger of his own, and our son was quick to point out that it's a front loader or tractor with a front bucket.

The aftermentioned is a minor issue considering how good this book was written to engage the mind of the construction-fascinated child.

Each page has large colorful illustrations and averages 7-8 words per page using words appropriate for toddlers.

This book was just published in 2005, so it's probably a good gift-idea since it's a newer book that most people might not be aware of (unlike standards like Dr. Suess or Goodnight Moon).

The authors have teamed up on more than a half-dozen childrens books, and this one was inspired by their 3 sons keen interest in diggers. So the writing is truly from the point of view of a parent with children interested in the subject matter - and it shows.

5 Mommy-Stars out of 5.

There is another review of another book by these authors. "Dig" by Andrea and David is reviewed here.