100 Best Children's Construction Books of All Time

We've researched and ranked the best children's construction books in the world, based on recommendations from world experts, sales data, and millions of reader ratings. Learn more

Featuring recommendations from John C. Maxwell, Amanda Palmer, Oprah Winfrey, and 10 other experts.
1

Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site

The #1 New York Times bestselling children's book

As the sun sets behind the big construction site, all the hardworking trucks get ready to say goodnight. One by one, Crane Truck, Cement Mixer, Dump Truck, Bulldozer, and Excavator finish their work and lie down to rest—so they'll be ready for another day of rough and tough construction play! With irresistible artwork by bestselling illustrator Tom Lichtenheld and sweet, rhyming text, this construction book for kids will have truck lovers of all ages begging for more.

Can't get enough of...
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2

Mighty, Mighty Construction Site

The #1 New York Times bestseller

At last--here from the team behind the beloved international bestseller comes a companion to Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site. All of our favorite trucks are back on the construction site--this time with a focus on team-building, friendship, and working together to make a big task seem small! Down in the big construction site, the crew faces their biggest job yet, and will need the help of new construction friends to get it done. Working as a team, there's nothing they can't do! The millions of fans of Goodnight,...
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3

Building Our House

In this unique construction book for kids who love tools and trucks, readers join a girl and her family as they pack up their old house in town and set out to build a new one in the country. Mom and Dad are going to make the new house themselves, from the ground up. From empty lot to finished home, every stage of their year-and-a-half-long building project is here. And at every step their lucky kids are watching and getting their hands dirty, in page after page brimming with machines, vehicles, and all kinds of house-making activities!
As he imagines it through the eyes of his older...
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4
Ken Follett is known worldwide as the master of split-second suspense, but his most beloved and bestselling book tells the magnificent tale of a twelfth-century monk driven to do the seemingly impossible: build the greatest Gothic cathedral the world has ever known.

Everything readers expect from Follett is here: intrigue, fast-paced action, and passionate romance. But what makes The Pillars of the Earth extraordinary is the time the twelfth century; the place feudal England; and the subject the building of a glorious cathedral. Follett has re-created the crude,...
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Recommended by Oprah Winfrey, Theresa Evanoff, and 2 others.

Oprah WinfreyNobody who reads it—nobody who reads it—looks at a church or a cathedral the same. I made me think about my own life differently, reading that book, the experience of reading that book. What a treasure. (Source)

Theresa EvanoffOne of my favourite non-business book is “Pillars of the Earth”, by Ken Follett. I have read this many times over the years, and still enjoy eit ach time. I love how the characters are all very complex, strategic, and how the story weaves together on so many levels. (Source)

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5

Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel

A modern classic that no child should miss. Since it was first published in 1939, Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel has delighted generations of children. Mike and his trusty steam shovel, Mary Anne, dig deep canals for boats to travel through, cut mountain passes for trains, and hollow out cellars for city skyscrapers -- the very symbol of industrial America. But with progress come new machines, and soon the inseparable duo are out of work. Mike believes that Mary Anne can dig as much in a day as one hundred men can dig in a week, and the two have one last chance to prove it and save Mary... more

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6

Tip Tip Dig Dig

A parade of colorful construction vehicles doing their work means plenty of joyful noise! From the crane that lifts, lifts, lifts to the bulldozer that push-push-pushes, to the steamroller that rolls, rolls, rolls, every machine here makes it own special sound. Kids will love the irresistibly rhythmic text and the adorable, personality-filled vehicles with headlights that look like eyes. And the surprise ending, when the great big mess on page one becomes a wonderful playground, is sure to leave them delighted! less

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7

Demolition

What's even more exciting to preschoolers than seeing big machines that build things? Watching
the massive ones that tear them down!


Crush the stone. Crush the stone.
Chip and grind and munch.
Make new concrete from the old.
Whirr! Churr! Crunch!

From the huge crane with a swinging ball (crack! ) to the toothy jaws that ram the walls (thwock! ), this rambunctious demolition, reverberating with sound words, is guaranteed to have small kids rapt. Bright spreads showcase the gargantuan machines in all their glory,...
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8

Construction

Hoist the wood. Hoist the wood. Chain and hook and strap. Swing it round, then lower it down. Thonk! Clonk! Clap! Build the frame. Build the frame. Hammer all day long. Make the stairs and floors and walls. Bing! Bang! Bong! less

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9

Roadwork

Every preschooler who is mad for machines will revel in this bright, boisterous picture book about the exciting process of building a road.

"Load the dirt. Load the dirt. Scoop and swing and drop. Slam it down into the truck. Bump! Whump! Whop!"

There are many big machines and busy people involved in building a road, and this riveting picture book follows them every step of the way. From clearing a pathway (SCREEK!) to rolling the tar (SQUELCH!) to sweeping up at the end (SWISH!), ROADWORK is sure to draw young onlookers with its rambunctious rhymes and noisy fun.
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10

The Construction Alphabet Book

Smash! Crash! Ka-boom!

A is for Aerial lift.
B is for Backhoe.
C is for Cement Mixer.

Readers explore construction equipment in this noisy alphabet book. Jerry Pallotta's trademark humor punctuates the informative text. Vibrant oil paintings bring to life a busy construction site.
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Don't have time to read the top Children's Construction books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
11

Little Excavator

From New York Times bestselling author-illustrator of the Llama Llama books comes a new character ready to dig his way into your heart!

Here come the BIG RIGS
rolling down the street.
Thumpa-thumpa
bumpa-bumpa
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

There's Loader and Dump Truck, Backhoe and Crane. They're ready to transform a vacant lot into a neighborhood park. And who wants to help most of all?

Little Excavator! But are there any jobs for someone so small?

Anna Dewdney's signature rhyming text and inviting...
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12

Machines at Work

Byron Barton's classic book about a busy day at the construction site is perfect for fans of Richard Scarry and Tom Lichtenheld!

Rhythmic text and bold, graphic illustrations convey all the energy and excitement of the day while workers use a variety of machines to knock down a building and begin constructing a new one. Young readers will love learning the names of the machines while seeing them at work.

Supports the Common Core State Standards.
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13

Rosie Revere, Engineer

Rosie may seem quiet during the day, but at night she's a brilliant inventor of gizmos and gadgets who dreams of becoming a great engineer. When her great-great-aunt Rose (Rosie the Riveter) comes for a visit and mentions her one unfinished goal--to fly--Rosie sets to work building a contraption to make her aunt's dream come true. But when her contraption doesn't fl y but rather hovers for a moment and then crashes, Rosie deems the invention a failure. On the contrary, Aunt Rose inisists that Rosie's contraption was a raging success. You can only truly fail, she explains, if you quit. less

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14

Go! Go! Go! Stop!

One day Little Green rolls into town and says his first word: "Go!" The town is building a bridge, and now everyone has a job to do, from dump truck to forklift. Little Green helps them do their jobs with gusto. Until . . . there is a little too much gusto. They can go, go, go . . . but how will they stop?

This bright, fun book with a bold package captures the endless energy of little boys and the timeless appeal of trucks and machines--both for building and knocking down. Plus, it has an underlying message about working together to get things done.
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15
"A new twist on a classic story and song, this book is just pure fun."School Library Journal

Old MacDonald has some new friends on the farm: Old MacDonald had a farm E-I-E-I-O. And on that farm he had a...TRUCK?! With a DIG DIG here and a SCOOP SCOOP there, this classic folk song just got revved up! Beloved machines—the excavator, dump truck, bulldozer, and more—will have vehicle enthusiasts of all ages reading and singing along.

• With colorful, fun illustrations, and subtle themes of gender equality, both parents and kids will enjoy this story...
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16

The Digger and the Flower

From the acclaimed author/artist of Beyond the Pond and Rulers of the Playground comes a breathtaking new book with a powerful message about the environment, perfect for fans of Peter Brown’s The Curious Garden and Kadir Nelson’s If You Plant a Seed.

Each day, the big trucks go to work. They scoop and hoist and push.

But when Digger discovers something growing in the rubble, he sets in motion a series of events that will change him, and the city, forever.
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17
Hop in your trucks. There's work to be done.

Get to the job site. Run, dogs, run!

Top dog Duke leads a busy work crew to a new construction site. All sorts of dogs have plenty to do before the day is out. These clever dogs will dig, haul, push, plow, and even bring in a crane to build a new park. But what happens when they find something unexpected buried deep in the ground?

James Horvath brings a new perspective to the construction "tail" with this hilarious crew of colorful dogs. Bright, detailed illustrations beg to be looked at again and again, with...
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18

Iggy Peck, Architect

A hilarious, irreverent book about doing your own thing

Meet Iggy Peck—creative, independent, and not afraid to express himself! In the spirit of David Shannon’s No, David and Rosemary Wells’s Noisy Nora, Iggy Peck will delight readers looking for irreverent, inspired fun.

Iggy has one passion: building. His parents are proud of his fabulous creations, though they’re sometimes surprised by his materials—who could forget the tower he built of dirty diapers? When his second-grade teacher declares her dislike of architecture, Iggy faces a...
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19

The Construction Crew

The construction gang is tearing down an old building and laying the foundation for a new home. Workers use all kinds of trucks and tools to get the job done. And just in time for a family to move in.
 
The alliterative text complete with shout-out language that young children will love is just right for preschoolers.
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20

Building a House

Byron Barton, the celebrated creator of numerous picture books for very young children, including Trucks, My Bus, and My Car, builds a house, step by step, right before your eyes!

A machine digs a big hole. A cement mixer pours cement. Carpenters put up walls. Bricklayers, electricians, plumbers, and painters do their part. Through brilliantly simple words and pictures a house is built.

"You can almost do it yourself by carefully noting the steps depicted in each bright, brisk, clearly delineated picture . . . With...
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Don't have time to read the top Children's Construction books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
22
An enduring collection of revolutionary comics from a genre-transforming and critically acclaimed cartoonist

Julie Doucet arrived in comics in the 1990s as a fully formed cartoonist. Her comic book series Dirty Plotte was visionary both for the medium and for storytelling. Her stories are candid, funny and intimate, plumbing the depths of the female psyche while charting the fragility of the men around her. Her artwork is dense and confident, never wavering in the wit and humour of its owner. Doucet was active in comics for fifteen years before she moved on to other...
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Recommended by Amanda Palmer, Hillary Chute, and 2 others.

Amanda PalmerI only read one comic when I was young. It was this. It changed everything. (Source)

Hillary ChuteJulie is widely revered by all sorts of people, so the publication of the Complete Julie Doucet in a box set composed of two hardcover volumes was a huge event in the world of comics. (Source)

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23

Digger Dog

This is the story of very energetic and determined dog! Digger Dog loves to dig up bones . . . the bigger the better. But for the biggest bone in the world, what will Digger Dog need? The biggest digger in the world, of course!

All through the story, the diggers get bigger, the hole gets deeper and there is the most fantastic fold-out surprise at the end! It has all the ingredients for a brilliant picture book for pre-schoolers, with an obvious nod towards boys. Simple, repetitive words trip off the tongue making this great fun to read aloud – again and again – as this is destined...
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24

Construction Site on Christmas Night

#1 New York Times Bestselling children's book author Sherri Duskey RinkerA new toddler book and Christmas classic: VROOM and ZOOM into the holidays with this new Christmas classic from the author of the #1 New York Times bestsellers Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site and Mighty, Mighty, Construction Site!

Construction toys and construction joys: The trucks are gearing up for Christmas by building a special gift! But, there's a surprise waiting for each of them, too! Presents await for Excavator, Bulldozer,...
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25
There’s nothing worse than living next door to your childhood nemesis, except maybe being forced to share your dream project with him, being blackmailed into going along with something that was just wrong on so many levels, and having your hot cocoa stolen by the person that drove you to drink it in the first place.

As long as she has plenty of hot cocoa, a pair of pliers on hand and is able to resist Connor O’Neil's bad boy charm then Rory James should be able to make it through this project with her sanity intact. If not...

She’d probably face a few more nights in...
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26

Push! Dig! Scoop!

A Construction Counting Rhyme

Down at the construction site, mama and papa trucks show their youngsters how to build. Push oosh goes a big mama bulldozer and her one little dozer! Dig schlup goes a tough papa excavator and his two little excavators!

Count along with every scooping, mashing, and spinning family of trucks in the construction site--all the way from the bright early morning till it's time to snuggle in to bed. Picture book talents Rhonda Gowler Greene and Daniel Kirk have joined together for a book that will dig its way into the hearts of those who love Where Do Diggers Sleep at...
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27

I'm Dirty!

Now a streaming animated series!

This construction vehicle with an attitude loves every second of his dirty job!

For fans of Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site and Steam Train, Dream Train comes a noisy addition to the hilarious read-aloud series from Kate and Jim McMullan, the popular creators of I'm Bad! and I Stink!

Clank! Rattle! Bang!
Who's making all that noise?
Backhoe Loader, reporting for duty.
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28

Bulldozer's Big Day

Big trucks and a birthday surprise make this construction site treat an irresistible read-aloud, illustrated by a Caldecott Medalist! It's Bulldozer's big day : his birthday! But around the construction site, it seems like everyone is too busy to remember. Bulldozer wheels around asking his truck friends if they know what day it is, but they each only say it's a work day. They go on scooping, sifting, stirring, filling, and lifting, and little Bulldozer grows more and more glum. But when the whistle blows at the end of the busy day, Bulldozer discovers a construction site surprise, especially... more

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29

Build, Dogs, Build

A Tall Tail

Join head foreman Duke and his crew of worker dogs on a busy day of construction fun in this colorful picture book written and illustrated by James Horvath. With lively scenes showing accurately illustrated vehicles in action, this book will be a joy to read out loud for truck-obsessed readers and their parents!

In Build, Dogs, Build, our favorite doggy construction team is pulling down an old building to make way for a new one! Using equipment like cranes, bulldozers, dump trucks, and cement mixers, these busy dogs must race to finish the job in this fun follow-up to Dig, Dogs,...
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30

What Can a Crane Pick Up?

What can a crane pick up . . . a truck?
Yes, a truck! And a truck . . . And a truck . . .
And a railroad car, if it gets stuck.
A truck, a train,
a car, a plane
can all be lifted with a crane."
From poet Rebecca Kai Dotlich and artist Mike Lowery comes a rollicking picture book about cranes--the kind that pick things up! We start with pipes and bricks and loads of steel and then move on to funny, whimsical objects: a cow, a ferris wheel, men in business suits, and an ancient mummy's case.
With a rhyme that begs to be read aloud again and again,...
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Don't have time to read the top Children's Construction books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
31

Construction Cat

Cats in hard hats make work seem like play in this cheery, rhyming picture book about building something and having a loving family to share your accomplishments with.

Construction cat wakes up at dawn, grabs her boots and tugs them on…

It’s time to build! Tail high, Construction Cat kisses her family goodbye and goes to work with the other cats on a construction site. They lug lumber and pound nails, they saw, sand, and sweep the dust, all to build a truly paw-some park that they can’t wait to share with friends and family!

Sydney Hanson’s...
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33
Pete the Cat builds a playground in New York Times bestselling artist James Dean's Pete the Cat: Construction Destruction.

When Pete sees that the playground is in bad shape, he gets a totally groovy idea—make a new playground! Pete calls in construction workers and cement mixers, backhoes and dump trucks to build the coolest playground ever. In the end, Pete learns that to make something special, you have to dream big. Complete with over 30 stickers!
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34
Zoe is used to taking care of herself and has long ago accepted that if anything bad was going to happen, it was going to happen to her. So when she loses her job over something most bosses would probably be happy with and her life starts going down hill from there she doesn't expect it to get any better. She certainly didn't expect any help from the loud jerk next door, but then again she has nothing to lose so puts her trust in him and hopes for the best. What she didn't expect was the once in a lifetime opportunity that he offers her through an arrangement where they both benefit and no... more

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35
Do your kids love Cars, Trucks, and Planes - Then this coloring book is for you. Coloring Book is for boys and girls aged from 2 to 8 years old (Coloring book for preschoolers and toddlers). 

The Coloring book is packed with the best trucks, cars and planes for you to spend a colorful time with your kids or let them enjoy it by themselves. 

Special bonus includes coloring pages of Fire trucks, Monster trucks and Garbage trucks that both boys and girls will love to get creative and color. Kids can use pencils, paint or felt tip and they can then pin up the best coloring pages in their rooms.... more

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36

Ready, Set, Build!

Grab your hard hat and get ready for a day of construction fun with a busy builder and his friend!

Grab your hard hat, tie your boots.

Pack your lunch. Ready? Scoot!

Sketch a dream. Post a chart.

Hatch the plan before you start.

Get ready for a day full of construction fun! Children can follow a busy dog builder as he sketches and plans his dream, clears rubble to make space, and gets to work digging, lifting, and sawing. He builds a house for himself and his bird friend, and satisfied after a hard day’s work,...
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37

Three Cheers for Kid McGear!

From the New York Times bestselling author that brought you Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site and Mighty, Mighty Construction Site comes a heartwarming and inspiring tale featuring the first female character to join the core construction crew!

She might be small, but she's got it all—she's Kid McGear, Skid Steer! Kid McGear is the newest truck to join the Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site crew and she's eager to help with even the roughest and toughest construction work. But when a steep cliff puts the other trucks in danger,...
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38

I Am Enough

I Am Enough is the picture book everyone needs

This is a gorgeous, lyrical ode to loving who you are, respecting others, and being kind to one another—from Empire actor and activist Grace Byers and talented newcomer artist Keturah A. Bobo.

This is the perfect gift for mothers and daughters, baby showers, and graduation.

We are all here for a purpose. We are more than enough. We just need to believe it.
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39

The Mixed-Up Truck

It's Cement Mixer's first day on the job and he doesn't want to make any mistakes. How can he help the other trucks on the construction site? By mixing some powdery white cement, of course!

He mixes it up, adds a little water, and presto . . . a cake?! He must have mixed flour instead of cement.

Not to worry, he'll try again . . . and presto! Frosting?! He'll keep trying until he gets it just right and it's time for one more mixing: a bubble bath!
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40

The Little Red Fort

Ruby's mind is always full of ideas.

One day, she finds some old boards and decides to build something. She invites her brothers to help, but they just laugh and tell her she doesn't know how to build.

"Then I'll learn," she says.

And she does!

When she creates a dazzling fort that they all want to play in, it is Ruby who has the last laugh.

With sprightly text and winsome pictures, this modern spin on the timeless favorite The Little Red Hen celebrates the pluck and ingenuity of young creators everywhere!
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Don't have time to read the top Children's Construction books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
41

Building Construction Illustrated

A professional architect presents an update to the classic manual on residential and light construction techniques and includes increased coverage of environmentally friendly materials--plus the latest data on concrete, steel and glazing technology, energy efficiency in buildings, moisture and thermal protection, natural lighting, and masonry. 100+ line drawings. less

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42

Mighty Dads

A new constructacular picture book from the New York Times bestselling creator of Pete the Cat, James Dean and bestselling author, Joan Holub.

Mighty dads, strong and tall,
help their children, young and small.

They keep them safe and bolted tight
and show them how to build things right.

Inventively told through James Dean's colorful construction vehicle characters, MIGHTY DADS is an adoring dedication to hardworking fathers and the subtle ways they teach their boys and girls to follow in their tracks. The Dump Trucks learn to get dirty. Crane keeps...
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43

Digger, Dozer, Dumper

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.

Sixteen boisterous, rhyming poems — each one highlighting the job and personality of a different vehicle, from a backhoe to an ambulance to a snowplow — invite young children to meet their favorite trucks face-to-face. Cheerful illustrations show each one in action, digging (or dozing, or dumping) away. Engaging visual details like an anxious turtle crossing the street just ahead of a steamroller are sure to keep preschoolers poring...
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44
The Road Less Traveled: A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values and Spiritual Growth
316 pp. "Psychotherapy is all things to all people in this mega-selling pop-psychology watershed, which features a new introduction by the author in this 25th anniversary edition. His agenda in this tome, which was first published in 1978 but didn't become a bestseller until 1983, is to reconcile the psychoanalytic tradition with the conflicting cultural currents roiling the 70s. In the spirit of Me-Decade individualism and libertinism, he celebrates self-actualization as life's highest...
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Recommended by John C. Maxwell, Iulian Stanciu, and 3 others.

Iulian StanciuIt helps you take a deeper look and understand why certain things happen in your life. It's an introduction to psychology. It helps you divide a person, just like you would do with a mathematical equation. (Source)

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45
A collection of illustrations, concrete poetry, and photographs that shows how young children's constructions, created as they play, are reflected in notable works of architecture from around the world. less

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46

The Gamble (Colorado Mountain, #1)

Nina Sheridan desperately needs a timeout vacation. With a fiancé who can't even remember how she takes her coffee, Nina wants some distance to rethink her engagement. Flying halfway around the world from England to a mountain town in Colorado should do the trick. But when she finds a gorgeous man at her rental cabin, Nina's cold, lonely adventure suddenly heats up.

The owner of the house, Holden "Max" Maxwell is surprised by the beautiful woman who turns up at his door. But when Nina becomes ill, Max spends days nursing her back to health. A private man with a broken heart, Max...
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47

Bounty (Colorado Mountain, #7)

Justice Lonesome has enjoyed a life of bounty.

Even so, she’s inherited the curse of the Lonesome. A poet’s soul. Which means she’s still searching for something. Searching for peace. Searching for the less…that’s more.

And when the foundation of her life is pulled out from under her, grieving, she goes to the mountains to find her oasis. She hits Carnal, Colorado and decides to stay.

Deke Hightower lost everything at the age of two. He lost it again at fifteen. His life has not been about bounty. It’s been about learning to live with less, because there’s...
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48

The Most Magnificent Thing

Award-winning author and illustrator Ashley Spires has created a charming picture book about an unnamed girl and her very best friend, who happens to be a dog. The girl has a wonderful idea. She is going to make the most MAGNIFICENT thing! She knows just how it will look. She knows just how it will work. All she has to do is make it, and she makes things all the time. Easy-peasy!? But making her magnificent thing is anything but easy, and the girl tries and fails, repeatedly. Eventually, the girl gets really, really mad. She is so mad, in fact, that she quits. But after her dog convinces her... more

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49

B Is for Bulldozer

A Construction ABC

Get ready for a ride through the alphabet at a busy construction site. There's a big yellow Bulldozer, a tall shiny Crane, and a rusty red Dump truck--and the construction crew is hard at work. But what are they building?
Melissa Iwai's bright, bold illustrations perfectly complement June Sobel's irresistible rhyming text. Join the excitement as the workers build, scoop, and dig their way from A, for A sphalt, to the end of the alphabet for an exciting roller-coaster ride!
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50

Builder Goose

It's Construction Rhyme Time!

One, two, here comes the crew!
Three, four, here come more...

 
With three dump trucks, an itsy-bitsy skid steer, and a host of other equipment, there's a whole lot of building going on here! Amusing construction-themed nursery rhymes--each based on a Mother Goose favorite--feature diggers, graders, crushers, cranes, jackhammers, forklifts, and wrecking balls. With bright, bold illustrations, this fun read-aloud should be a big hit with kids.
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Don't have time to read the top Children's Construction books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
51

If I Built a House

The much-anticipated follow-up to the E. B. White Award-winning picture book If I Built a Car

In If I Built a Car, imaginative Jack dreamed up a whimsical fantasy ride that could do just about anything. Now he's back and ready to build the house of his dreams, complete with a racetrack, flying room, and gigantic slide. Jack's limitless creativity and infectious enthusiasm will inspire budding young inventors to imagine their own fantastical designs.

Chris Van Dusen's vibrant illustrations marry retro appeal with futuristic style as he, once again, gives...
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52

Who Made This Cake?

While a boy and his parents go for an outing, little people invade the house and use their big construction equipment to bake a cake. less

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53
Reese Bradford is a typical Bradford, he enjoys his food, is easy on the eyes, and has a killer smile, but there's one thing about him that he doesn't want anyone to know about, which of course is the first thing that his ex-fiance makes sure that everyone finds out about after she leaves him for his best friend. Out of options, he reluctantly heads out of town to spend the summer in the cottage that he'd rented for his honeymoon only to find himself tormented by a woman that never should have crossed his mind twice.

More intrigued than he'd ever thought possible, he can't help but...
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54

Old Macdonald Had A Woodshop

With a zztt zztt here, and a zztt zztt there,
here a zztt, there a zztt, everywhere a zztt zztt!

Together with the other farm animals, Old MacDonald is building a surprise for the babies on the farm. Saw, drill, chisel, file, screwdriver, paintbrush are operated by cat, goat, chicken, pig, cow and dog. With a swish swash here and a swish swash there, and a whole lot of other sounds, there's a miniature toy farm being made-just for the baby animals. A twist on the familiar nursery song, this is sure to be a hit with any kid who loves tools or loves to sing.
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55

Diggersaurs

What's bigger than a digger? Bigger than a dinosaur? DIGGERSAURS are bigger - see them build and hear them ROAR!

The DIGGERSAURS are busy building something - what could it be?

Children will fall in love with these huge, colourful, lovable beasts as the wonderfully read-aloud rhyming story unfolds. And there are lots of funny details to spot along the way...

Also by Michael Whaite:

Diggersaurs Explore
100 Dogs- Winner: Sainsbury's Children's Book Awards- Best Picture Book and Children's Book of the Year!
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56

Stanley the Builder

What a job for Stanley - he's building a house for his friend, Myrtle. He will need his digger and his bulldozer and his cement mixer! He will also need his friend, Charlie to help. But will they manage to build the whole house?

Join Stanley and friends for a hard-working adventure in this colourful new series from William Bee...
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57

Where Do Diggers Sleep at Night?

The bedtime rituals of little diggers and dump trucks at a construction site should be quite familar to kids saying goodnight. Young readers will identify with fire engines, tractors and monster trucks as the vehicles ask for one more story while their mommy trucks tuck them in, and their daddy trucks sing a goodnight song. Children who can't get enough of trucks will love Brianna Caplan Sayres things-that-go bedtime story.


From the Hardcover edition.
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59

Fix That Clock

A construction crew rebuilds a rickety old clock tower that has become home to wild animals in this picture book for fans of Sheep in a Jeep and Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site.

An underlying message of cooperation and conservation drives this rollicking introduction to counting and shapes.

The old clock tower used to stand tall and proud. Now, it's rusty, dusty, moldy, musty. A construction team decides to turn zigzags into squares and get the clock chiming again. But wait: what will happen to all the animals who have made this...
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60

Tap Tap Bang Bang

Cree craw with the saw, bang bang with the hammer, and twizzle, twist, twirl, and spin with the screwdriver, bolts, and nuts. What fun!

It’s tool time for children as they delight in bright and colorful chisels, clamps, drills, pliers, and mallets at work. What could they be making? Kids will love finding out—and joining in with the sound effects in this action-packed book.

Perfect for sharing with little builders!
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61

Until Lilly (Until, #3)

When Cash Mayson was forced to choose between the love of his life and his unborn child, he knew exactly what he had to do. No matter how broken it left him.
When Lilly Donovan was forced to accept that the guy she loved wasn't who she thought he was and became a single mother, she knew exactly what she had to do. Proving just how strong she was.

What happens when years later you find out that everything you thought you knew was a lie?

Can two people who once loved each other overcome the obstacles that are thrown at them and fall in love all over again?
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62

Construction Zoo

It’s a quiet morning at the zoo, until some strange new creatures roll in—trucks and bulldozers and wrecking balls! They’re tumbling, digging, and roaring alongside the animals. Giraffe, rhino, the monkeys, and the tigers watch the new creatures and, soon, are playing with their new friends. It's party time at the Construction Zoo! But…what happens when the construction is over? Will the party be over, too? The clever rhyming text and simple, bold art will appeal to both kids and their parents. less

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63

Diggers Go

The excavator goes, "chumma chumma hufft hufft FALUMP." The steamroller goes, "CHUG chug CHUG chug moooooosh." The wrecking ball goes, "BOOOOOM!" Come on down to the construction site and make some noise with eight exciting construction vehicles as they rumble, crunch, chug, and boom their way through this lively book! The oversized format lends itself to the shape of the vehicles and the boisterous text begs to be read aloud. less

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64

The Little House

Virginia Lee Burton won the Caldecott Medal in 1943 for her memorable picture book The Little House, a poignant story of a cute country cottage that becomes engulfed by the city that grows up around it. The house has an expressive face of windows and doors, and even the feelings of a person, so she’s sad when she’s surrounded by the dirty, noisy city’s hustle and bustle: “She missed the field of daisies / and the apple trees dancing in the moonlight.” Fortunately, there’s a happy ending, as the house is taken back to the country where she belongs. less

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65

Alphabet Under Construction

An artist's approach to introducing the alphabet

Mouse airbrushes the A,
buttons the B,
carves the C . . .

Mouse is hard at work constructing each letter of the alphabet. He dyes the D, erases the E, and folds the F. Mouse works his way right through to Z, constructing an alphabet that surpasses even the wildest artistic imagination.

A bright, beautiful concept book from best selling picture book Denise Fleming.
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66
Spend the next 40 years in prison or break her lease early? Normally she’d be able to say that this one was a no-brainer, but things have definitely changed since she was forced to move in across the hall from Danny Bradford. A lot of things…… She wanted to get through one day, just ONE day without Danny Bradford doing something to test the limits to her control, but with that damn smile of his and his habit of leaving her contemplating manslaughter, she didn’t see that happening anytime soon. He loved his family, but some days… It was too much, but that was okay, because his small neighbor... more

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67

The Ultimate Construction Site Book

Experience the sounds, sights, and activity of a construction site: A crane lifts steel bars for a skyscraper, a tunnel boring machine digs underground... Best of all, lots of flaps, popups, pull-tabs, and rotating wheels bring trucks, bridges, and structures to life. Readers will learn how roller coasters are built, see a circus tent get transported and set up, and help construction workers complete huge engineering projects. Any child who has interested in how things are made will adore this extraordinary look at construction sites.

• Supersized spreads feature marvelously...
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68

The Little Dump Truck

Meet Hard Hat Pete and his little dump truck as they haul stones and rocks, carry debris, and unload at the landfill. It's hard work, but the little dump truck is ready for action.

Preschool children will revel in the day-to-day activities of this mighty dump truck. The lyrical text, bright pictures, and sturdy pages are just right for budding truck enthusiasts.
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69
All Marmalade wants to do is build things.

She is, after all, a trained architect.

She’s also a distractingly adorable kitten.

Fed up with not being taken seriously because she's so cute, Marmalade bands together with a handful of other aspiring builders—all of them kittens. But in a world where humans call the shots, can the Kitten Construction Company prove their worth . . . without giving up the very things that make them kittens?

(Don't worry, dear reader, the answer is definitely "yes"!)
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70

Digger and Tom!

Sebastien Braun follows up Toot and Pop! with Digger and Tom!, another brightly colored picture book featuring vehicles preschool kids love.
 
Digger and Tom! is set at a construction site. Little Digger is eager to help with the work, but all the other construction vehicles are bigger and make a lot more noise. The dump truck, steam roller, steam shovel, bulldozer, crane, cement mixer, and excavator keep taking over his jobs.
 
Children will identify with Little Digger as he struggles to find his place on the construction crew and will cheer...
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71

This House, Once

Deborah Freedman’s masterful new picture book is at once an introduction to the pieces of a house, a cozy story to share and explore, and a dreamy meditation on the magic of our homes and our world.

Before there was this house,
there were stones,
and mud,
and a colossal oak tree—
three hugs around
and as high as the blue.

What was your home, once?

This poetically simple, thought-provoking, and gorgeously illustrated book invites readers to think about where things come from and what nature provides.
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72

Work, Dogs, Work

A Highway Tail

Top dog Duke and his busy crew of construction worker dogs have a big day ahead of them as they race to repair a road. With miles of new road to lay, the crew gets to work using equipment like bulldozers, steamrollers, and paving trucks. But what happens when a rocky hill blocks the way? Time to bring in the demolition crew! less

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73

Castle

A 1978 Caldecott Honor Book

The word itself conjures up mystery, romance, intrigue, and grandeur. What could be more perfect for an author/illustrator who has continually stripped away the mystique of architectural structures that have long fascinated modern man? With typical zest and wry sense of humor punctuating his drawings, David Macaulay traces the step-by-step planning and construction of both castle and town.
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74

The Christmas Fix

She'll save Christmas just to spite him...

When a late season hurricane hits Merry, Connecticut, city manager and single dad Noah Yates has to inform the already devastated residents that there won't be a Christmas Festival this year. No festival means no tourism dollars. A disaster of epic proportions for his hometown.

But when home renovation expert slash smoking hot reality TV star Catalina King shows up with a camera crew and a budget big enough to put the town back together again, Noah balks. Hard. The last time Cat was in town she stirred up...
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75

Billions of Bricks

Two, four, six. Look at all the bricks!

Grab a hard hat and all your tools, and get ready for a construction adventure in counting! This clever, rhyming picture book leads readers through a day in the life of a construction crew building with bricks. A brick may seem like just a simple block, but in groupings of ten, twenty, and more, it can create many impressive structures, from hotels to schools to skyscrapers. This is a terrific introduction to counting in quantities for children.

A Christy Ottaviano Book
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76

Digger Man

A picture book for the very young that celebrates a child's excitement for construction vehicles

"Honk the horn!
Flash the lights!
Scoop the rocks!
Push the mud!"

A little boy imagines driving a great big digger-scooping and pushing mud to make a playground for his baby brother.

Children are fascinated with bulldozers, backhoes, payloaders-diggers of all shapes and sizes. In this playful picture book, simple alliterative language and bold, colorful images capture a child's love of building and creating.
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77
This comprehensive code comprises all building, plumbing, mechanical, fuel gas and electrical requirements for one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses up to three stories. The IRC contains many important changes such as: An updated seismic map reflects the most conservative Seismic Design Category (SDC) based on any soil type and a new map reflects less conservative SDCs when Site Class A, B or D is applicable. The townhouse separation provisions now include options for using two separate fire-resistant-rated walls or a common wall. An emergency escape and rescue opening is no longer... more
Recommended by Alan Pierce, and 1 others.

Alan PierceThis is a great book for overall understanding of primarily modern western building and the many different building styles and materials employed. (Source)

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78

Dalmatian in a Digger

Dugger! Dugger! Digger! What’s that noise? It's the booming sound of big construction vehicles, and Little Dalmatian is determined to find out what they are building in this energetic picture book from Rebecca Elliott. less

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79

Dig!

Dig up rock and dig up clay! Dig up dirt and dig all day!

Mr. Rally and his faithful dog, Lightning, have a busy day ahead of them, but they don't mind. What could be more fun than using a big yellow backhoe to build a pool at the school and a drain for the rain? Follow Mr. Rally through his day as he travels around town, counting from one to five in an irresistible refrain.

Marc Rosenthal's colorful, nostalgic illustrations add a bold dimension to the lively text by husband-and-wife team Andrea Zimmerman and David Clemesha. Dig on, Mr. Rally! Dig on,...
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80

Backhoe Joe

Nolan's always wanted his own backhoe! So when he finds a stray backhoe in the street, he can't wait to adopt it. But this backhoe is not very well behaved. As Nolan tries to train his new pet, he learns that maybe this backhoe already has a home.

This delightful story of a boy and his construction vehicle is brought to life with Craig Cameron's vibrant illustrations, making this the perfect addition to every young reader's library.
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Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
81

Whose Tools?

This nonfiction ode to building a house from the ground up features six kinds of craftsmen and the 24 tools they use, accurately labeled. The answer to each inquiring refrain is revealed under a gatefold, seven in all, engaging the reader in an informative guessing game. With lyrical (and factual!) text by New York Times bestselling author Toni Buzzeo, and the expertly stylized art of illustrator and designer Jim Datz, this sturdily constructed board book is perfect for curious and playful young readers. less

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82

Dinosaur Dig!

The first title from Nosy Crow, a new imprint of Candlewick Press!

Dinosaur Dig! has everything that boys love — diggers, dinosaurs, and dirt — plus a bit of counting thrown in for good measure. Bursting with energy, noise, and a splashy, surprising ending, this is an absolute riot of a book.
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83

Up! Up! Up! Skyscraper

Snappy rhymes invite young readers to watch workers dig, pour, pound, and bolt a skyscraper into existence. Simple yet satis-fying sidebars provide further information about each step in the construction process. Perfect for preschoolers and all those who dig diggers.

Quirky, colorful art enhance the appeal of a construction site with all the equipment and sounds of building.

The 2017 Summer Reading Theme: Build a Better World!
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84
Trevor Dixon has made too many mistakes to count. Sober for thirteen months, he’s determined to do the right thing: rebuild his relationship with his family, and help his brother get Rock Solid Construction off the ground. Failing them again isn’t an option. Too bad the first estimate Trevor goes on alone is for an uptight doctor with a superiority complex.

A hand injury took away the only important thing in Dr. Simon Malone’s life—performing heart surgery. He doesn’t do well with people and has no family, but being a damn good surgeon? He always had that. Now, he doesn’t know who...
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85

Road Work Ahead

When a family sets out on a trip to Grandma's, their journey proves to be more like a visit to a construction site. Sidewalks are being poured, streetlights repaired, roads resurfaced. The noise of jackhammers, whistles, and horns fills the air. Boys and girls alike will love seeing the big machines at work. Anastasia Suen's simple text and Jannie Ho's bright, up-beat pictures make this one road trip to remember. less

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86

Rex Wrecks It!

Look out! Here comes Rex! Children who love to construct — and those who love to destroy — will relate to this kid-pleasing tale that builds to a smashing finale.

Gizmo, Sprinkles, and Wild are fed up. Every time they build something with their blocks, Rex wrecks it! Whether it’s an out-of-this-world rocket, a magical heart, or the biggest, strongest, most awesomerific castle ever, Rex sends it crashing down with a "Rawr!" (and sometimes a sheepish"Rawry!"?). Isn’t there any way to make playtime fun for everyone? With Rex-size humor, Ben Clanton...
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87
A 1974 Caldecott Honor Book

Readers worldwide recognize Caldecott Medal winner David Macaulay's imaginary Cathedral of Chutreaux. This critically acclaimed book has been translated into a dozen languages and remains a classic of children's literature and a touchstone for budding architects. Cathedral's numerous awards include a prestigious Caldecott Honor and designation as a New York Times Best Illustrated Book of the Year for Macaulay's intricate pen-and-ink illustrations.

Journey back to centuries long ago and visit the fictional people of...
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88

Dump Truck Duck

Dump Truck Duck honks and zooms and steers his dump truck all through the day, helping the other hardworking ducks build a new park. With adorable illustrations and playful rhyming text, Dump Truck Duck is certain to become a new read-aloud favorite! less

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89

Builders and Breakers

Experience the bustling energy of an urban construction site with Steve Light's colorful celebration of builders, breakers, and the machines they use.

When their dad forgets his lunch box on his way to the construction site, a young brother and sister set out to take it to him, and along their way witness all the noisy, exciting action of a build site in the city. With builders building, breakers breaking, and a whole host of impressive machines and vehicles hard at work, this book bursts with color and offers children plenty to enjoy. In his trademark intricate style, Steve...
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90

Everything You Need For a Treehouse

Featuring beautiful images and a lyrical text with an exquisitely readable cadence, this book gives life and meaning to all the requisite elements of a treehouse, from time, timber, and rafters to ropes of twisted twine that invite visitors to sprawl out on a limb and slide back down again. For anyone who's ever wanted to escape real life and live in a nostalgic dream come true, this poignant picture book captures the universal timelessness of treehouses and celebrates all the creativity and adventure they spark. less

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Don't have time to read the top Children's Construction books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

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  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
91
Does your kiddo love Trucks, Planes, or Cars?

Then this is the coloring book for you!
Explore the different vehicles such as Fire trucks, police cars, cement trucks, sports cars, jet planes, sea planes, and monster trucks! Your little one will spend hours absorbed in coloring these unique illustrations.

Features:

30 original illustrations of vehicles (no repeat images!) Multiple levels of difficulty to keep your child engaged Large 8.5 x 11 pages Printed on pure white paper Single sided pages to prevent bleed-through when coloring Great...
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92

Jack's House

Construction-equipment loving boys will adore this humourous twist on the classic nursery rhyme. Someone has done a lot of work building a house. Someone has been operating a cement mixer, driving a bulldozer, and using a forklift to build walls, frame windows, and nail down a roof. Someone has built a big, strong home for Jack. But is this the house that Jack built? One tired puppy dog disagrees in this story about getting what you work for. less

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93

What Is the Panama Canal?

Before 1914, traveling from the East Coast to the West Coast meant going by land across the entire United States. To go by sea involved a long journey around South America and north along the Pacific Coast.

But then, in a dangerous and amazing feat of engineering, a 48-mile-long channel was dug through Panama, creating the world’s most famous shortcut: the Panama Canal!
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94
With abundant, full-color diagrams and an easy-to-understand writing style, the DEWALT CARPENTRY AND FRAMING COMPLETE HANDBOOK, Second Edition, is an ideal resource to help today�s students master the basics of carpentry and framing. The text is logically organized to provide a comprehensive, yet concise, introduction to the trade, from foundations and floors to walls, rafters, and roofs--as well as special topics such as stairs, railings, porches, and decks. In addition, students can take advantage of the free DEWALT Mobile Pro� app, a construction calculator with integrated reference... more

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95

Construction Countdown

Ten mighty dump trucks rolling down the road.
Nine earthmovers scraping up
a load . . .

Count down from ten to one with the busy
construction trucks!

Something wonderful is going on, and every kind of truck has an important job. But what are all those bulldozers and backhoes doing? This bright and lively counting book will delight young construction fans everywhere. 
Construction Countdown is a 2005 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
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96
Running a small business can be daunting to the contractor whose expertise is in building -- not finance or law. This book helps to demystify the day-to-day challenges that contractors face. Running a Successful Construction Company is acknowledged as the leading book in its field. Includes 50 color photos and drawings. less

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98

Construction Zone

Caution! Construction zone ahead! Anyone who has ever stopped to watch a big building going up — and who hasn't? — will be thrilled by this behind-the-scenes look at an amazing construction project.

Put on your hard hat and step inside CONSTRUCTION ZONE! Young readers are invited to come on a virtual tour of a building in progress, led by award-winning photographer Richard Sobol. It takes hundreds of workers, thousands of trucks and machines, and millions of nails and bolts to transform an idea on paper into an actual building in which people will live, play, shop, or work....
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99

Where Do Diggers Celebrate Christmas?

If you love Where Do Diggers Sleep at Night? and its things-that-go sequels, now you can join your favorite trucks as they celebrate Christmas!

What do diggers and tractors and forklifts and tankers do to get ready for the holidays? The same things that your family does! From trimming the tree and singing carols to gathering gifts and putting out milk and cookies for Santa, Christmastime for the beloved vehicles of Where Do Diggers Sleep at Night? looks a lot like yours. Even Zambonis celebrate . . . on ice! Enjoy the rollicking rhymes as you watch the truck...
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100

Construction Management Jumpstart

Launch your career in construction management with this one-of-a-kind book The construction management industry is expected to increase employment by 16 percent over the next decade. This second edition of a bestselling introduction to construction management walks you through each stage of the construction management process.

Written from the constructor's perspective, this book will familiarize you with all the construction management fundamentals and how Building Information Modeling (BIM) is impacting the construction management profession.

Covers...
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Don't have time to read the top Children's Construction books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.