Bulldozer's Christmas Dig

by Candace Fleming, Eric Rohmann (Illustrator)

Overview

A very little bulldozer digs up a most unexpected Christmas gift for his friends at the construction site in this holly jolly third book in the Bulldozer series from award-winning author Candace Fleming and Caldecott Medalist Eric Rohmann.

It’s Christmas Eve, and Dump Truck is carrying...carrying...carrying garland.
Digger Truck is stringing...stringing...stringing lights.
Crane Truck is lifting...lifting...lifting wreaths.
And Bulldozer is worrying...worrying...worrying.

He doesn’t have any presents for his friends—not one! And time is running out. Does he need a Christmas miracle, or just a little ingenuity, and some digging, digging, digging?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781534438200
Publisher:	Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books
Publication date:	09/21/2021
Series:	The Bulldozer Books
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	9.30(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD510L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Candace Fleming is the acclaimed author of numerous books for children, including the Bulldozer books; Ben Franklin’s Almanac, an ALA Notable Book and an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, as well as Muncha! Muncha! Muncha!, and Sibert Medal honorees The Honeybee, and The Giant Squid. She lives in a suburb of Chicago.

Eric Rohmann is the Caldecott Medal–winning illustrator of My Friend Rabbit and received a Caldecott Honor for Time Flies. He has both written and illustrated numerous books for children, including Bulldozer’s Big Day, Honeybee, and Bulldozer’s Christmas Dig, all written by Candace Fleming. He lives in Oak Park, Illinois. Find out more at EricRohmann.com.

Editorial Reviews

It’s Christmas Eve, and Bulldozer is worried: “He didn’t have any presents for his friends. Not one.” He sees an old tire sticking out of the snow: “I wonder what other treasures are under there?” With his playful cat friends from Bulldozer Helps Out (rev. 7/17) as company, he digs and digs, amassing an impressive pile of salvage. He’s discouraged at first, then inspired: “Through the swirling, whirling, / twinkling snowflakes, he thought he saw— / Was it? / Could it be?” Poking, pushing, nudging his creation into shape, Bulldozer brings his vision to life. A string of lights and a large gearwheel at the top complete the surprise. Fleming’s warmhearted story and Rohmann’s bold relief block print illustrations are both full of treasures.

November/December 2021 - Horn Book Magazine

11/01/2021

PreS-Gr 2—It's Christmas Eve, and all Bulldozer wants is to find some treasures to share with his friends Dump Truck, Digger Truck, Crane Truck, and the rest. Everyone is hard at work. "Dump Truck was carrying, carrying, carrying. Digger Truck is stringing, stringing, stringing. Crane Truck was lifting, lifting, lifting." Meanwhile, Bulldozer worries, worries, worries about not having Christmas presents. He surveys the construction site and decides to get busy scraping for treasures. However, all he find was junk. The more he scrapes, the more junk he uncovers—or so he thinks. Much to his surprise, Bulldozer discovers a real treasure that leaves his friends awestruck. Fleming and Rohmann's newest installment of the "Bulldozer" series offers young readers a subtle message about finding the beauty in the unexpected and the wonders of friendship. Bold black outlines and primary colors make this story perfect for reading aloud. VERDICT A worthy addition to any library or classroom collection.—Maegen Rose, Rye Country Day Sch., NY

School Library Journal

2021-08-18
Bulldozer is worried about what to give his friends for Christmas.

On Christmas Eve, Dump Truck is carrying, Digger Truck is stringing, and Crane Truck is lifting—all in service of decorating for Christmas. But Bulldozer is on the side, surrounded by cats, worrying. He has not a single gift for his friends. What can he do? He sees a tire half buried in the snow and wonders what other treasures might be there. He starts to dig, and he hits something…but it turns out to be junk. He keeps on digging and finds something else: “more junk.” He keeps digging and digging. The piles grow larger, the sky gets darker, and Bulldozer’s hope fades. But then he thinks he sees something through the snow. He pokes the pile of junk this way and that. He adds bits and pieces. As his friends call out to him that it’s quitting time, Bulldozer puts last touches on his gift. He moves aside to reveal his creation to his friends, and all are pleased with the gift. The little yellow Bulldozer with his entourage of animal friends is a likable character whose plight children will relate to and whose noncommercial solution is a model for creative youngsters to take as inspiration. Best for wrapping a message of giving within a truck-loving package full of sound effects. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Extremely simple and rather sweet. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews