 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
I'm Dirty!
- By Kate McMullan, Susan Meddaugh
- Genre: Picture Book
Common Sense Media says
Great read aloud for truck-crazed kids.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that there's nothing offensive here; this picture book is a great bet for kids who love trucks and construction.
What's the story?
A friendly backhoe takes readers to his dumpster job site for some messy cleaning up.
Is it any good?
This rollicking picture book packs a lot of action in the illustrations and the story. Any child who's fascinated by construction sites or big, yellow trucks will love the busy, buzzing monologue by an enthusiastic backhoe loader. Words and pictures mesh perfectly here. The grungy, rough background looks delightfully messy, and the bright orange-yellow of our friendly narrator pushes past his chunky outline, emphasizing his strength and zeal.
The text is informative (sharing the bits and pieces that make up a backhoe's tool chest), educational (a four-page spread counts backward as the truck cleans up old tires and broken lawn chairs), and entertaining. Kids who love mess and mud will like watching the backhoe become dirtier the more he helps clean. Bursting with energetic fonts that boom out in capitals and boldface, this book is fun to read aloud -- just be sure to keep it off the naptime book list.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about trucks -- the big ones and the filthy ones, and which ones are favorites. Families can also play make believe with mud or sand, behaving the way a backhoe would. (Or, if a muddy mess is inconvenient, parents could dump a package of rice in a casserole dish and let kids dig in.)
There aren't any reviews yet. Be the first to review this title below.
| Authors: | Kate McMullan, Susan Meddaugh |
| Illustrators: | Jim McMullan, Paul Meisel |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Picture Book |
| Publisher: | HarperCollins Children's Books |
| Publication date: | August 15, 2006 |
| Number of pages: | 40 |
| Hardcover price: | $16.99 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 4 - 7 |
| Read aloud: | 4 |
| Read alone: | 8 |
Review It
Register now to save reviews and advice articles to your personal lists!
Great alternatives handpicked by our editors
Already read it? What do you think?
More from Common Sense Media
Top advice and articles
