Dig, Dogs, Dig: A Construction Tail
Kids who get starry-eyed over trucks, earth-moving equipment, and construction sites should go gaga over this book, which has a pack of very capable canines scampering around and digging at a construction site. The rhymes on each page are filled with urgency and brawny details (&#x201C;Down in the pit / there&#x2019;s some busting to do, / with hammers, a pick, / and a rock splitter, too&#x201D;). The story spans one day, from waking up at a work-site dorm to the end of the day, when the big reveal of what they&#x2019;ve been building is made. Horvath&#x2019;s digital illustrations make the cartoon dogs (and one cat) and the construction equipment pop with bright colors and sharp angles. Both the dogs&#x2019; clothing and equipment are presented in loving, kid-friendly detail. And along the way, the dogs make what must be the greatest discovery ever known to dog: a gigantic T. rex bone that&#x2019;s been blocking the digging. Young fans of Sherri Duskey Rinker&#x2019;s Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site (2011) better start their engines. Preschool-Grade 2. --Connie Fletcher