Blog Entry #24

 

 

Roadwork

By Sally Sutton

Illustrated by Brian Lovelock

Candlewick Press, 2008

30 pages

Nonfiction

 

            Roadwork is a lyrical nonfiction text that would appeal to most boys, and that is why I chose this book. This book goes through every step that it takes to build a road from start to finish, and it gives the names and information about the machines at the end of the book. What I really loved about this book was the text is written lyrically, like a poem. The second and last line of every page rhymes. The lines are very repetitive and have a lot of expressive sounds to depict the roadwork throughout the book. This was not how I expected a book about roadwork to be written, and it was a pleasant surprise.

            The illustrations are done in pigmented inks, but they almost look like paintings. The texture in the illustrations looks like there are paintbrush strokes on the pages. The colors used in the book are very bright and are mostly primary. The illustrations are very simple, some have a lot of negative space, and the machines or the setting is usually the focal point on the page. Every page has a double-page spread illustration and the text format is mostly formal. The illustrations are very cute and look just like a little boy’s style.

            Roadwork would be appropriate for as early as preschool to first or second grade. This book would be a great addition to a kindergarten or first grade classroom library or for a teacher to read aloud. A teacher could really grab a boy’s attention with this book. Poetry could be taught from this book, because it has a poetic form and rhyme. Onomatopoeia would be one of the best things to be taught from this book, because every page has sounds of the roadwork expressed in words. Choral reading could be done easily. Roadwork has no awards or honors.