Surprise! Bulldozer's Big Day by Candace Fleming and Eric Rohmann

IT WAS BULLDOZER'S BIG DAY.

AND HE COULDN'T WAIT TO INVITE ALL HIS FRIENDS TO HIS PARTY.

Little yellow bulldozer, his blade held high with anticipation, makes straight for his big friend Digger, already at work.

"GUESS WHAT TODAY IS!" HE BLURTS OUT.

"DON'T HAVE TO GUESS. TODAY IS SCOOP DAY," GRUMPS DIGGER.

Muttering about his job, grimly scooping and scooping, he turns back to his task.

Little Bulldozer is taken aback, but he bustles on across the construction site, his blade drooping just a bit, to find other buddies.

But one by one, Cement Mixer, Scraper and Grader, and Roller Truck have no time for chit-chat. They all have big work to do and that's job one for the day.

Finally, Bulldozer drags his drooping blade over to where Crane Truck is busy with some heavy lifting.

Bulldozer asks his question one more time, tentatively:

"I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU KNOW WHAT TODAY IS?"

"IT'S LIFTING DAY!" CRANE BARKED. "LIFTING, LIFTING, LIFTING!"

THIS IS MY SIXTH AND LAST...."

And what is Crane lifting from its hiding place below ground? Kids will know just what is to be expected with the next page turn, in double Caldecott-winning author Candace Fleming's Bulldozer's Big Day (Atheneum Books, 2015), illustrated by Caldecott-winning illustrator Eric Rohmann's signature thick blackline drawings.

Little kids have loved big equipment from Mike Mulligan and More: Four Classic Stories by Virginia Lee Burton right up to the continuously best selling Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site (see review here), and Fleming and Rohmann's new book has all the charm and insight into children's feelings that these notable titles have brought to preschool children's literature. Like Tom Lichtenheld, Eric Rohmann has two Caldecott medals under his belt, for My Friend Rabbit and Time Flies, and his artwork perfectly catches the youngster's yen for his birthday celebration to begin. Fleming builds suspense with each double-page encounter, and when that five o'clock whistle blows, it's time for the party to begin!  WOOOOOOT!