Dig Dig Digging

by Margaret Mayo, Alex Ayliffe (Illustrations)

Busy machines for busy kids!

"Diggers are good at dig, dig, digging,
scooping up the earth and lifting and tipping.
They make huge holes with their dig, dig, digging.
They can work all day."

Trucks and tractors, fire engines and helicopters-they all like to work hard. But after a long, happy day of beep-beeping and vroom-vrooming, even the busiest engines need to rest. This bright, bouncy, noise-filled book brings together all the vehicles that children adore.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Transport, Trucks, Storytime, Construction, Juvenile

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

There is more than one author with this name

For the Romance novelist see: Margaret Mayo

Margaret Mary Cumming was born 10 May 1935 in London, England, the daughter of William John and Anna (Macleod) Cumming. On 28 July 1958, she married Peter Robin Mayo, a university lectured, and they had three children: Roderick, Katrina and Andrew.

Margaret Mayo was a children's literature and folktales writer. A former teacher, she uses her wide-ranging experience with children in her writing. She lives in Brighton.

Reviews

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm probably just being pedantic but I'm confused that the one repeated line is "they can work all day" and then at the end they "sleep" at night. If they were talking about the humans operating them, that would make sense? Or if there was a mention of fuel? It just seems like a super weird thing to emphasize throughout that they can work all day and then end it with sleeping when they're being portrayed as machines not "characters."

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic book, especially for those children who are really interested in cars and trucks!
Lot's of opportunity for repetition for the children to join in. A really fun and interesting book to read in the early years.

[Lucy Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dig Dig Digging is well established, bestselling, touch and feel book.
It explores the laborious, everyday life of construction workers.
The most distinct aspect that I find particularly effective is the touch and feel feature which occurs in every page as this makes the book inclusive for all needs. Mayo achieves this by making each 'touch and feel' feature correspond to the activity of the construction worker, this way the children can still engage with the main concept of the story despite them not having a full understanding of what is written.
Did Dig Digging has a repetitive, jaunty rhythm and rhyming scheme, which encourages readers to maintain a fast and upbeat pace making the delivery of the book all the more thrilling.
In my opinion, the book is fit for 2+ year olds for it will entice a young mind even if they cannot understand the language, the images and sensory aspect is enough to grab their attention. Nevertheless, the repetitiveness in language will prove to be an effective way for children to pick up and recite the language.
I am on the lookout for more Margaret Mayo books and would highly recommend this book to any transport lovers!

[Cuong Truong · Rating 3 out of 5]

WIDER READING FOCUS: POSSIBLY SEN
TARGET: One for those who are hardcore fans of "Bob the Builder" and construction site enthusiasts in key stage 1. It tells the story of what various vehicles do and what you will find on the journey through a construction site. A great pick for those with SEN in the area of visual impairment. The book is made of a shiny, page by page hardcover, so it can take the knocks and sticky fingers of younger children. It stimulates learning through touch as you can feel the sand as the digger digs (sandpaper) on page 1. The illustrations are simple and don't overload the visual senses. It uses the tried and tested method of repetition of 3 to give that rhythmic pace. The text appeals to the ear by using onomatopoeic vocabulary which allows the reader to "feel" the words e.g. "the wheels squelched."
Criticisms: No story line is really developed and it feels like there is no particular beginning or end. However the fact that it reaches out to the other senses of touch and sound far outweigh the negative.

[Brian Strand · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book introduces many different types of equipment, and the different things that they can do. There are dump trucks, tractors, transporter trucks, bull dozers, rescue vehicles, and many others. The great thing about this book is the variety of vehicles, the depth in which they are described, and the repetition of some words over and over again for the kids to hear.

1. Have the students write about their favorite vehicle, and tell why they like it.

2. Have half the class have a picture of a vehicle, and the other half a description of what it does, then have them wander the room and try to match up.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is awesome, awesome, awesoming (read it to find out why I said this)! A perfect day to use this book, as next to the library right during story time there were a few construction equipment finishing up a project with banging, crashing, and pushing. This would work for the SRP theme "Dig into Reading" also. A cute repetitive phrase "They can work all day". My 25 month old grandson who happens to love any type of truck, construction vehicle etc., also enjoyed it very much.

[Sarah Traynor · Rating 5 out of 5]

My third boy adores this book above all the others. Whatever it is about it all three children insisted on it over and over again at age two. The illustrations and the sounds repeated really draws them in.

[Carly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really wish the illustrations showed some women 'dig dig digging'...

[Janine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to read it twice in a row to a 2 year old and a 4 year old and they both got something out of it. Good for the pre-reader with the rhyming and repetition.

[Oshaun]

This book is about the vehicles for people who help us. The book takes place in different environments that vehicles can be found in. this book could be used in a lesson about vehicles or people who help us, as this can be taken in greater depth to then find out about different types of transportation. This book is written and illustrated by Margaret Mayo & Alex Ayliffe. This book can support all children’s levels of development as children can learn about different vehicles (some of which are not used every day) and how they help us. This can be useful as children with low attainment may be able to recognise the person who helps us or the vehicle from the picture. Children with middle attainment may be able to recognise and say the name of the person that helps us or the vehicle that is driven and children with higher attainment may be able to recognise, name and tell the class or a peer where these vehicles are usually found. Children can get involved by sharing what they know and having parent/s come in to share their profession, what they do and what vehicle they drive (if they drive one.)

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

With small, sturdy tabs on various spots of this very small board book, young readers will be able to navigate its contents quickly while listening to another reader read it to them or reading it for themselves. Each page features some vehicle such as a garbage truck or a dump truck and describes what it does. What I loved about the book was the use of vivid words such as "gobble, gobble, gobbling" (unpaged) and "grip, grip, gripping" (unpaged) to describe the actions of the moving machines featured in the book. But beware: this is not a quiet book intended for bedtime reading. It is sure to get the listener or reader all revved up and ready to do some digging and moving of his/her own. The book was originally published in England, and it is great to have it in this particular format. I cannot imagine any child being able to resist this book.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mayo, Margaret. Dig Dig Digging, illustrated by Alex Ayliffe. Henry Holt, 2006. $6.99. BOARD BOOK.
Author, Margaret Mayo, cleverly uses word repetition to explain the different jobs of trucks, tractors, diggers, and bulldozers. For example, “Tractors are good at pull pull pulling.” The illustrations are colorful and detailed; but what really makes this board book shine is the mini-tabs around the top and the side of the book. Little fingers love to use tabs. And little eyes love bright colors and different text sizes.

Pre-K-ESSENTIAL. Samantha Hastings, MA, MLS.
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017...

[Nicola · Rating 1 out of 5]

Miss 3 and I like to explore different books and authors at the library, sometimes around particular topics or themes. We try to get different ones out every week or so; it's fun for both of us to have the variety and to look at a mix of new & favourite authors.

Miss 3 didn't like it. We ended up with two Margaret Mayo picture books out at the same time and she wasn't interested in either of them. The pictures must have attracted her a little when she grabbed them off the shelves but she found the text boring.

[David]

Ever since my son was about a year old he has really enjoyed this book. This book is filled with illustrations that build scenes using flat bright colors with no outlines. It has the appearance of being cut paper. The bright colors and flat illustrations frequently seem to be the deciding factor to determine whether or not he will be engaged with a book at his age. I enjoy this book too because it introduces him to lots of hard working machines and the text has great rhythm. On car trips I have handed him this book and the illustrations alone entertained him.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bouncy repetitive rhymes with large, colorful illustrations describe the busy day for ten hardworking vehicles. The double page spreads show the vehicles in action: diggers scooping, fire engine racing with bright lights flashing, garbage trucks gobbling and crunching, helicopters hovering and zooming, and more. This is a useful book to use for units on community helpers as well as just a fun book to read out loud.

[Juliet Bryant · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly? A little repetitive. Also, all the names are very specific (“rescue helicopter”, “lorrie”) but then the excavator is just a “digger”? Seems a little ridiculous, but the kids enjoyed the pictures. Would be helpful if there were onomatopoeia prompts, as it became hard to make noises for vehicles such as “road rollers” and “cranes”.
Play Doh accompaniment was not my most creative lesson but definitely effective.

[Ali Book&Seaglasshunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great rhythmic story for young toddlers. I’ve been reading this one to my children for years and they still enjoy it. It features favorite working vehicles going about their daily work. Each page follows a familiar pattern so kids can join in with the final phrase on each page, which is great for involvement.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is regularly requested before bed. There are MANY different trucks and vehicles and the things they work on during their day. There's a sort of musical rhythm to it (I sort of sing it to my son). The illustrations are bright, colorful, and simple. My son likes to point out the various details (from what the trucks are doing to what various animals and people are doing).

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

My son absolutely loves this book. It was on the shelves in a holiday cottage in Wales and he read it so much that the owners gifted it to him. The repetitious nature of the book has helped him pick up some new words and as we sign it together he is developing there too. Brilliant!

[Mayumi Pizza · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very few women featured driving/working. Also wish there were more than three shades of people. How hard would it have been to include more variety? It's honestly lazy. I wish the text was interesting enough that those problems aren't a big deal. All in all a solid pass.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alphabet and vehicles? Want little kid wouldn't want to be a part of that? Bright colorful illustrations will have your kiddo roar, roar, roaring and scoot, scoot, scooting. This one will be coming home with me again in the future.

[Kirsty Newman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read for young children focusing on different vehicles and what they do. Children love this and love exploring the different pictures as they are so colourful and have a lot going on to form a discussion.

[Miss Lou · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great way to introduce the vocabulary words my 8-month son will one day ask. Enough repetition to keep the pages turnin' like the caterpillar wheels.

[Carly MJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book for children who love to read about things that go. Has a cute rhythm to it and awesome pictures.

[Liz Lowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book about different kinds of trucks.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great beginners book on reading. It has repetitive words and it's one of my son's favorites.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

A favourite with my 8 year old since infancy

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: Children's Fiction
Grades: K-1

This is a great book for action and descriptive words! It becomes predictable reading for the students and even has a little bit of rhyming.

[Alexandra Guest · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great words and a delight for truck loving boys.

[Moses and Felix · Rating 2 out of 5]

Idiotic rhymes, a pain to read aloud.