Rowan really enjoys this crummy book. It has digger trucks, so of course he's here for it. On top of that, he has a good time with many of the repeated sounds. Problem is, the moments of repetition change from being sound actions (bam! bam! bam!; smash! smash! smash!) to being soundless actions (fall, fall, fall) to being nouns (junk, junk, junk). So there isn't a cohesive pattern to the repetition. This doesn't really bother Rowan, but it sure irritates Kylie and I. Seems a structural failing o...

A cute little story with truck sounds, rhyming, and some repetition. The simple text narrates the different jobs done by the various trucks, and how the littlest one tries to copy the larger trucks, but it doesn't work out. At the end, there is a bridge the others can't cross that the main character can because he is little. The illustrations show how the trucks are working to clear a lot and building a park, and I think it would really help to show the front and back end pages, which show the l...

Fun rhyming text to read aloud with youngsters, sounds of construction repeated as Little E tries to keep up with the big rigs, and finds his own little way to contribute.The books looks and feels like a combination of other heavy equipment stories for preschoolers, such as "Mighty, Mighty Construction Site"by Sherri Duskey Rinker, and "Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel" by Virginia Lee Burton, as well as books in which a small character finds his/her place among the big kids.

True Anna Dewdney, which was a little hard to read just because I keep thinking "this is her last book."

Highly recommend for toddlers, this will be a good one for my teensy story times :)

You might recognize this author from the Llama Llama books, but in this story, we have persistent Little Excavator! He might be small, but he is mighty, and he will do whatever he can to help his friends create a neighborhood park. Enjoy this one now by checking out a copy on Mymcpl.org or searching for it on Overdrive! – Reviewed by Stephanie at MCPL Reading Rocket

SO CUTE and super fun to read. A little excavator (aka Little E) keeps trying to do big jobs and either getting in the way or tipping over. All the big rigs keep moving him out of the way. Predictably, at the end there's a job only a little excavator can do! But it's so darn cute, I didn't care that it was predictable. The rhyme and rhythm of the book is catchy, but a few sentences come out clunky.

I can't believe I'm saying this about a picture book featuring anthropomorphized heavy machinery, but this may be as close to a "perfect" children's book as anyone is going to get.In gentle rhyming text, Little Excavator tells the story of Little E, a juvenile excavator who just wants to help the older, bigger machines as they transform a vacant lot into a pretty park. He tries to help, but he's just not big enough for most of the jobs... until there's one important job left that only he can do....

Knowing this is the last book the author wrote after her Llama series made it a must read. This little excavator character has come with the Big Rigs to help on construction projects.The illustrations by the author/illustrator are big and colorful but have the texture of a canvas they were painted or drawn on. Each big rig is described and what it does while Little Excavator waits for his turn to do something and be useful. Finally he finds a job only he can do, while the others watch him. This

Little Excavator tries to help the other construction equipment transform a vacant lot into a park, but he struggles to find a job that is the right size for him.This story is an obvious metaphor for a child trying to help adults who are performing tasks that are beyond his ability. When Little E. fails time after time, the other equipment console him by telling him that he will be able to do these things when he is older. Finally, Little Excavator finds something that he can do that bigger equi...

We picked this book up for our son who is two and he loves it. Starting with the endpapers the story takes off showing a park that needs lots of work. Can the big trucks with the help of Little E get the park opened and cleaned up. Each illustration, witch looks to be done as a painting, is full of detail and provides plenty of exploration for young readers. The efforts of Little E to try and help out are also a great lesson for growing into who we are. We have read and re-read this book multipl...

Great picture book for kiddos who love trucks and all things construction.

A perfect book for little construction truck fans. Toddlers who adore excavators and dump trucks will love the Little Excavator and identify with his tale of desperately wanting to help out all the big guys. Told with Anna Dewdney's great understanding of young children and perky illustrations, this is sure to be a hit.

Little Excavator is ready and eager, but he just can’t seem to find a way to help out in the construction site. He’s either too small or not strong enough or just simply in the way...that is, until a job needs to be done that only Little E can do!From the always insightful Anna Dewdney, this is another helpful book for any kid that’s ever felt too small to do anything (I know I’ve heard, “I can’t wait until I’m bigger...” a million times). Kids will love cheering Little Excavator on as he steps

Well, my son loves excavators and the onomatopoeias in the book make it fun to read.

Best known for her Llama Llama series, she has been an important author for my son Luke, in particular. Her books feature characters who are easy for kids to identify with. They are usually grappling with social-emotional issues or brand new social situations. Dewdney had an incredible gift for verse and for telling simple stories with emotional richness.Little Excavator, published posthumously, is another very special book. It tells the story of Little E, a young and small excavator who is tryi...

Shea and me loved reading this book together. The rhymes are great (author is author of llama llama series). Story is a great one showing that everyone has a part to play if they just have the patience to wait for the right job at the right time. (Everyone has their own special gifts, attributes that can be used for good and to be proud of.)Little E (Little Excavator) is competing with all of the other big construction equipment. Each one has their own special job that Little E can’t do. After t...

My 3 year old is enthralled with this book. She likes to remark how Little E must feel sad when he's told that he's too small to do something. I change "he" to "she" for my little E(liza).

Good rhymes - easy read aloud with cute pictures. Thanks, Dolly Parton!

Little Excavator is having a hard time finding jobs that fit him. He's too small for most things, but when there is a job that fits him just right, it is good that he is there to do the job. Likening an excavator to a small and enthusiastic child, it is encouraging at the end to note that he will grow (even though that's not realistic for excavators) and be able to do grown-up things one day, too. Lots of repetition and friendly faces in the illustrations.