From sunup to sundown, the work of construction trucks is never done—although there's always time to pause and save a curious turtle from getting pancaked in the process. That, in essence, is Carter's (Wake Up, House!) story, told in simple declarative sentences ("The loader lifts a big rock. The dump truck drops a pile of little rocks"). But this is no run-of-the-mill heavy equipment primer. The illustrations, which nearly burst from the page, are photographs of Carter's three-dimensional scenes, produced from foam board, plaster and lusciously thick acrylic paint that resembles the tinted buttercream of a birthday cake. That every spread looks like a toy-enacted scenario assembled by a young construction enthusiast should give the book plenty of appeal to any aspiring hard-hatter, but Carter also adds in a nice comic touch to each spread: cameo appearances by the rescued turtle. The reptile takes such a liking to the work that readers can spot him hitching rides on the trucks' scoopers and even riding a steel beam into the sky. Ages 2-5. (Mar.)
