Teaching is a tough job, although it can also be fun, when given the right tools. Michigan Construction understands hard work and the need for the right equipment and we want to help! This month, Michigan Construction, in partnership with many of our awesome partners, is giving away 10 Tonka size truckloads of elementary level construction books to deserving teachers across Michigan. Each winner will receive 10 books chosen specifically for their class level for the following list:
Pete the Cat: Construction Destruction! by James Dean
This story finds Pete the Cat on a mission to build a new school playground, so he calls in construction workers and heavy equipment, but in the end, Pete Cat learns that to make something really great, you have to dream big! A great lesson-learned tale.
Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker
Big machines work hard all day and this #1 best-selling book recognizes that fact and helps little ones also understand that at the end of the day even machines have to rest. A great story that is both soothing and fun.
Mighty, Mighty Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker
Construction sites are busy places from sun-up to sundown and this wonderful book tells how everyone works together all day to get their work done. Lots of rhyming and a happy, peppy tone makes this book one that will be read again and again.
Backhoe Joe by Lori Alexander
What if you adopted a lost backhoe and tried to make it your pet? Well one little boy finds out and learns about responsibility and how much work goes into owning a “pet.”
B Is for Bulldozer: A Construction ABC by June Sobel
A wonderful way to learn the alphabet and about construction all at once. Another nice thing is the inclusion of female construction workers, which shows youngsters construction is work everyone can do!
Who Made this Cake? by Chihiro Nakagawa
Teeny-tiny children and massive construction equipment team up in this construction/baking adventure. A mixture of fantasy, fiction and reality, it is a great twist on the building theme and appeals to both boys and girls.
The Little Blue Digger by Harriet Tuppen
An endearing story along the lines of “The Little Engine that Could” with the smallest digger eventually becoming the biggest hero of the day. Charming illustrations only make it more engaging.
How a House is Built by Gail Gibbons
Houses don’t just appear, they require a lot of work by a lot of people to become a home. This book is a step-by-step look at the process from architect through surveying, framing, utilities installation, and finish work. A great introduction to building!
Roadwork by Sally Sutton
With illustrations that look like the real equipment, Roadwork tells the story of how roads really get built, including fairly detailed descriptions of the machines, how they work and what jobs they do. The rhymes and repetition make it fun to read and understand.
Dig Dig Digging by Margaret Mayo
Digging is such an instinctual thing for children given a pile of something to dig in to, so a book about digging is a natural. Factor in learning about different machines that do that digging as well as other machines that work hard all day and you have a winner!
Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty
Aspiring engineer Rosie Revere learns how to take criticism and keep trying. For grownups it’s a lesson in how important it is to be supportive, help to build each child’s self-confidence and inspire them not to give up.
Old MacDonald Had a Truck by Steve Goetz
A new take on the beloved song “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” uses the familiarity of the tune to include different heavy machines like excavators and bulldozers making it an fun, easy and musical read for students.
Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton
This classic tale by a Caldecott Medal winning author shows how one hardworking little tractor gathers the courage to endure during a blizzard when she alone has the power to dig out the city.
Michigan Construction sends a huge thank you to all of the partners who helped make this celebration of National Reading Month a success: our awesome partners who have joined us to sponsor this giveaway, C.A. Hull, M&M Excavating, M.L. Chartier, Hydro-X, and Ajax––and all of the Michigan teachers who work hard every day to build the builders of tomorrow!
If you haven’t yet entered your elementary class to win our "truckload" of construction books for your classroom library, do it now! Celebrate National Reading Month and click the link to enter to win and to download our coloring page!