Mighty Machines in Action

Digging deep in the dirt. This is what a backhoe is built to do, with its long arm and bucket scoop. No muscular man or woman with a shovel in hand can match the machine’s strength. Young readers will dig this title that breaks down how backhoes work....

Many big rigs can also be called 18-wheelers. These long transport machines need eighteen big wheels to support a tractor front and trailer back. This title revs young readers up as it unloads information about the parts and purpose of big rigs....

Pushing ahead and moving anything in its way, the bulldozer is a bladed beast. And a blade is often not the only sharp tool on this machine. A claw-like ripper can pierce through hard ground. This elementary title will push students to grow as...

A drum and a chute make a concrete mixer unique from other construction equipment. The first part has a spiral-shaped inside for mixing concrete. The second part shoots concrete out of the machine. Beginning readers will want to turn the pages of this...

Boom and jib. These are two crane parts with fun names. They are the long arms of the machine, moving to lift heavy materials to skyscraper heights. In this low-level read, children will learn how the many parts of a crane work together to build...

In need of a giant hauler? Bring in the dump truck! The big truck looks very much like a heavy-duty sandbox on wheels. It moves dirt, rocks, and other loose loads. This book geared toward beginning readers spills basic facts about dump trucks. Author...

The first step of any construction project is preparing the site for building. The job requires earth movers to rip, dig, level, and move ground. This children’s title, grounded in facts, lets young readers dig into learning about the action-packed...

With lights flashing and siren blaring, a fire truck can make a dramatic entrance. And it often has to. There are fires to put out and people to save! The bright red rescue machines featured in this title will capture the full attention of young...

Trash cans and dumpsters are the weights garbage trucks lift with their robotic arms. Once lifted, the bins lose their weight, being flipped upside down and emptied into the trucks’ hoppers. In this low-level title, children will pick up a basic...

Helicopters are among the most mission-oriented machines. They often get their rotors spinning to pick up a sick or injured person, to a military zone, or to help with a wildfire. In this book, helicopters lift off, spin, and land for early readers....

Revving up a ramp and then flying over parked cars. This is just one monster truck stunt. The supercharged machine exists to show off, and to do so in extreme fashion. The monster trucks in this book will shock elementary-age readers with their jumps,...

Often racing at high speeds, police cars command attention on the road. Their blue and red lights signal other cars to either pull over or get out of the way. This book will offer young students the thrills of an exciting ride-along in a cop car....

How can aircraft carriers support heavy jets and helicopters without sinking? Why do cruise ships the size of cities stay afloat, but submarines often disappear underwater? This title answers the questions bobbing in young readers’ minds as they learn...

Up for almost any job, a tractor is a dependable farmhand. This field machine plows, plants, and bales hay, among other things. It also lets many different pieces of farm equipment hitch a ride. The powerful tractors rolling through this book will...

From freight carriers to passenger transports, trains have chugged along throughout history. Over time, these traveling machines have advanced and picked up speed. The fastest bullet trains of today zoom around at more than 300 miles per hour! This...