Tractor
Read Aloud for Your Family
Press play, gather the kids, and let the story do the work.
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
ABOUT THE CREATORS
About the Author and Illustrator
AUTHOR
Sally Sutton
New Zealand playwright and author of Construction Crew books.
ILLUSTRATOR
Brian Lovelock
New Zealand fine artist who illustrated every Construction Crew book.
Sally Sutton
Sally Sutton is a New Zealand playwright and the author of Roadwork, Demolition, Construction, Dig Dump Roll, and Wheels, all illustrated by Brian Lovelock. She lives in New Zealand.
Illustrator
Brian Lovelock
Brian Lovelock is a New Zealand fine artist and illustrator. He has illustrated every Construction Crew book and several other picture books including The Rain Train and Flight of the Honey Bee. He lives in New Zealand.
Who This Book Is For
The book is a sturdy board book for ages 2 to 5. It works best for the toddler who already loves the Construction Crew series and is ready to bring the same kind of sound-word energy into farm pretend play.
What Happens in the Book
The book opens on a quiet field. The plow cuts the earth. The harrow churns the soil. The seed drill plants the seeds. The sprayer waters them. Each machine gets its own page, its own sound word, and its own short rhyme, and each step builds on the one before it.
By the middle of the book, the corn is up. The combine harvester cuts it down. The dump cart brings the load to the truck. The farm workers take a break and sample the crop. And the tractor, which has been there for every step, finally rests.
Illustration 2 from Tractor.
Who This Book Is For
The book is a sturdy board book for ages 2 to 5. It works best for the toddler who already loves the Construction Crew series and is ready to bring the same kind of sound-word energy into farm pretend play.
Illustration 3 from Tractor.
Why It Works for Kids
The book repeats the same sound-word couplet on every page, so the kid can chant it back by the second read. The board-book format is sturdy enough for hands-on reading. The cycle ends with everyone taking a break, which gives a clean stop and matches the kind of downtime a toddler actually has.
Brian Lovelock’s bold graphic art does the same job on the page that the rhyme does in the text. The machines are big, the colors are flat, and the field stretches from edge to edge. A two-year-old can point at the tractor from across the room.
The book repeats the same sound-word couplet on every page, so the kid can chant it back by the second read. The board-book format is sturdy enough for hands-on reading. — Tractor
Learn More About This Book
Official & Community
- Candlewick Press (publisher)
- Reviews on Goodreads
- Candlewick Press on Wikipedia
- Tractor on Wikipedia
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this book different from Roadwork?
Yes. Roadwork is about building a road in a city. Tractor is about the planting and harvest cycle on a farm. Both books use the same onomatopoeic rhyme and the same bold graphic art, but the machines are different and the rhythm is set to farm work.
Why do toddlers like this book?
The book repeats the same sound-word couplet on each page, which lets toddlers chant it back. The board-book format is sturdy enough for hands-on reading. The cycle ends with everyone taking a break, which gives a clear stopping point.
What machines are in the book?
The book names the plow, the harrow, the seed drill, the sprayer, the combine harvester, the dump cart, and the tractor itself. Each machine has its own job in the planting and harvest cycle.
What other books are like this one?
Try Roadwork, Demolition, Construction, Dig Dump Roll, and Wheels, all by Sally Sutton and Brian Lovelock. For a longer read aloud with similar farm energy, try Fletcher and the Falling Leaves or The Little Island.
