Although the decades following World War II stand out as an era of rapid growth and construction in the United States, those years were equally significant for large-scale destruction. In order to clear space for new suburban tract housing, an ambitious system of interstate highways, and extensive urban renewal development, wrecking companies demolished buildings while earthmoving contractors leveled land at an unprecedented pace and scale. In this pioneering history, Francesca Russello Ammon explores how postwar America came to equate this destruction with progress. The bulldozer functioned as both the means and the metaphor for this work. As the machine transformed from a wartime weapon into an instrument of postwar planning, it helped realize a landscape-altering “culture of clearance.” In the hands of the military, planners, politicians, engineers, construction workers, and even children’s book authors, the bulldozer became an American icon. Yet social and environmental injustices emerged as clearance projects continued unabated. This awareness spurred environmental, preservationist, and citizen participation efforts that have helped to slow, though not entirely stop, the momentum of the postwar bulldozer.

This photo-illustrated book for early readers tells about the parts of a bulldozer and how people use bulldozers in construction.

This book will introduce beginning readers to the fascinating work of construction machines. Real-world, vivid full-color photographs and easy to read text will inspire young readers to learn more about this most fascinating construction machine – the bulldozer.

Green Eggs and Ham meets Everyone Poops in this laugh-out-loud story that asks—and answers—the burning question in every kid's life. Does a scarecrow have a butt? Yep, you stuff him with a straw one. And does a crayon have a butt? Nope, but it can surely draw one. This silly, funny, clever book will be the most quoted text in all of elementary school. Over the course of a long walk across a city, one curious kid needs to know: "Does it have a butt?" Everything from sheep to ghosts to dinosaurs is subjected to this all-important question, and Dad is a never-ending source of answers. On a laugh-out-loud father-child ramble, we come to see that every butt, from a bullfrog's to a zombie's, has its own distinctive, and distinctively hilarious, quality. LAUGH-OUT-LOUD FUNNY: It's impossible to find a kid who doesn't giggle at the word "butt." The repetition of the word, the varied assortment of butts, and the clever rhymes make this a book that both parents and children will return to over and over again. A SNEAKY WAY TO TEACH ABOUT CONTEXT: The book isn't simply a repetition of one joke or word. Instead, it offers a crafty way of talking about what things mean in different contexts. SILLY AND SWEET, NOT GROSS: Butt jokes can potentially cross a line and become offensive or insensitive, but the tone and choices throughout this book are sweet and innocent, making it a unique, accessible option for parents and educators who want to normalize the asking of difficult questions. COUNT THE BUTTS! This book will change how you see the world: Not only will you start wondering about all inanimate objects' butts, you'll start seeing them everywhere! There are nearly 200 butts in the illustrations that aren't even mentioned in the text. Keen-eyed young readers will delight in the most hilarious seek-and-find they could ever imagine! Perfect for: • Parents • Grandparents • Educators and librarians • Fans of funny books

"Describes bulldozers, including their history, their parts, and how they work"--Provided by publisher.

Big trucks and a birthday surprise make this construction site treat an irresistible read-aloud, illustrated by a Caldecott Medalist! It’s Bulldozer’s big day—his birthday! But around the construction site, it seems like everyone is too busy to remember. Bulldozer wheels around asking his truck friends if they know what day it is, but they each only say it’s a work day. They go on scooping, sifting, stirring, filling, and lifting, and little Bulldozer grows more and more glum. But when the whistle blows at the end of the busy day, Bulldozer discovers a construction site surprise, especially for him!