Dig! by Andrea Zimmerman, David Clemesha, Marc Rosenthal (Illustrator)

From the Publisher

Dig up rock and dig up clay! Dig up dirt and dig all day!


Mr. Rally and his faithful dog, Lightning, have a busy day ahead of them, but they don't mind. What could be more fun than using a big yellow backhoe to build a pool at the school and a drain for the rain? Follow Mr. Rally through his day as he travels around town, counting from one to five in an irresistible refrain.


Marc Rosenthal's colorful, nostalgic illustrations add a bold dimension to the lively text by husband-and-wife team Andrea Zimmerman and David Clemesha. Dig on, Mr. Rally! Dig on, Lightning!

Publishers Weekly

The husband-and-wife writing team behind Trashy Town here offers a cheerful look at a day in the life of Mr. Rally, who drives a big yellow backhoe and "loves to dig in the dirt. So does his dog, Lightning!" As the authors describe this hardworking duo's agenda, which entails performing five separate jobs, the text reinforces counting skills by reiterating numbers, presented as words as well as numerals. At each numbered construction site, a pithy description of the task at hand unfolds ("Two is a drain for the rain"; "Five is a zoo, all brand-new"), followed by a rhyming refrain that conveys the heroes' joy in the work they do ("Dig up rock and dig up clay!/ Dig up dirt and dig all day!"). After each task come accolades for both the backhoe driver and his pooch ("Good job, Mr. Rally! Good job, Lightning!"); and a question that invites readers to join in the response ("Is all the digging done? No!"). Rendered in ink outlines, shaded with watercolors and colored pencil-and fittingly featuring an earth-toned palette-Rosenthal's (The Absentminded Fellow) simple, good-humored art harks back to classic picture books with the appealing old-fashioned feel of Margaret Bloy Graham or Virginia Lee Burton. The artist serves up some endearing images of the loyal Lightning, scarf tied around his neck, sniffing out and digging up a bone at each site, and an uplifting ending rewards the heroes and readers at the close of a hard day's work. Preschool boys will especially dig this book, which makes a jaunty read-loud. A job-or five-well done. Ages 2-5. (May) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

PreS-K-Digging is all in a day's work for Mr. Rally and his dog, Lightning. His projects include moving dirt and rocks on a bridge, making a drain for the rain, removing a load on the road, digging a hole for a pool in the school, and leveling a site for "a zoo, all brand new." Readers follow Mr. Rally as he gets to work, step-by-step, getting dressed, reviewing the big jobs for the day, and completing all five of them. And when each task is done, a peppy response follows and elicits young readers' recitation: "Dig up rock and dig up clay!/Dig up dirt and dig all day!/Good job, Mr. Rally!/Good job, Lightning!/Mr. Rally waves good-bye./Is all the digging done? No!" The final scene shows Mr. Rally at home, preparing his garden, and Lightning digging a hole, burying his five treasures in the yard. Earth-tone illustrations are created with watercolor and Prismacolor pencil. Although the vocabulary isn't controlled for a true early reader, the pace, repetition, and word choices make the book appropriate for beginning readers. The uncluttered art, catchy refrain, and focus on heavy machinery make it a natural for storytimes.-Marian Creamer, Children's Literature Alive, Portland, OR Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

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