Little Miss Muffet Reviews Little Excavator by Anna Dewdney (2017)

In this brand-new picture book from Llama Llama creator Anna Dewdney, there is lots of work to be done on the lot where Little Excavator and all the big rigs have just arrived. Little E is eager to help, but all the jobs are just too big for a machine as small as he is - all of them, that is, except one.

I shared this book with my three-year-old, Little Miss Muffet, and then asked her some questions. Here's what she thought of Little Excavator! (My questions are in bold; her answers follow. Answers were taken from two separate discussions about the book - it was hard to get her to tell me everything in one sitting!)

MISS MUFFET ON LITTLE EXCAVATOR

What is this book about? 
Digging.

What did they dig? 
A park.

What did you like about the book? 
I liked it because I like digging and I like work. I like it when they said, "Mighty Little Excavator, go, go, go!"

Anything else?
It's good.

Why is it good? 
I like little things and I like Little Excavator.

What do you like about Little Excavator?
I like that he gets tall, tall, tall. I like that he has this digging thing. I like the part where he gets in a jam.

What do you like about the pictures? 
I like the pictures because it's about digging. And because it has little in it, and I like Little E. I like that there's big things and little things.

What do you think about the colors? 
I like orange. I like yellow. I like the orange light [on the backhoe].

What was the best part of the story? 
The best part of it is where the car is drowning [on the beginning end papers].

Why did you like that part? 
Because I like cars. I like driving. And I don't ever drown. But sometimes cars drown.

Was there anything you didn't like about the book?
No!

Did you like the way the story ends? 
Yeah.

What kind of ending was it? 
Good because at the end it's happy.

Do you think other girls and boys who are three years old would like this book?
Yeah!

What would you like to tell other children about the book? 
I'd tell them what I telled you.

Miss Muffet has been very enthusiastic about this book since we first read it, and I have shared her enjoyment. I love the detailed end papers. At the beginning, they show the lot in a state of disrepair and the rigs coming up the road; at the end, they depict the new park and a proud, smiling Little E. I also love the use of onomatopoeia and the smooth, carefully matched rhymes. The construction subject matter isn't new, and neither is the "little people can do big things" message, but this book is one of the better-written titles on both topics.

Little Excavator is a memorable and lovable character who makes a strong impression.  When we went to our city's Public Works Equipment Show a couple of weeks ago, Miss Muffet had the chance to sit in an excavator, and without hesitation, she excitedly called out, "It's Little E, Mama!" It was nice to see her connecting the book to a real-life experience, and to see her joy at seeing a hint of a new favorite character in her everyday life.

Giveaway!

Enter for a chance to win one (1) of five (5) copies of Little Excavator by Anna Dewdney (ARV: $19.99 each).

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Enter between 12:00 AM Eastern Time on May 22, 2017 and 12:00 AM on June 19, 2017.  Open to residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia who are 13 and older. Winners will be selected at random on or about June 30, 2017. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

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Week One:
May 22 – Homeschool 4 Life
May 23 – Inspiration Laboratories
May 24 – The Plot Bunny
May 25 – A Story a Day
May 26 – The Children’s Book Review

Week Two:
May 29 – Quiet in the Chaos
May 30 – Here’s to Happy Endings
May 31 – Margie’s Must Reads
June 1 – Confessions of a Book Addict
June 2 – Gypsy Road

Week Three:
June 5 – A Peace of Mind
June 6 – Books and Giggles
June 7 – Wandering Bark Books
June 8 – Bea’s Book Nook
June 9 – Read-At-Home Mom

Week Four:
June 12 – My Storytime Corner
June 13 – A Rup Life
June 14 – Pirates n’ Pixie Dust
June 15 – Swoony Boys Podcast
June 16 – Good Books & Good Wine

Little Excavator is in bookstores now. Thanks to Penguin Random House for the review copy.