Seymour Simon's Book of Trucks: A Fun Nonfiction Picture Book About Powerful Vehicles and Transportation for Kids

by Seymour Simon

Trucks lift, dump, and carry things every day, everywhere. In the same vein as his bestselling animal, physiological, and astronomy photo essays, award-winning author Simon explores and explains the child-friendly subjects of trucks.  This nonfiction picture book is an excellent choice to share during homeschooling, in particular for children ages 6 to 8. It’s a fun way to learn to read and as a supplement for activity books for children. Did you know that... .Some trucks can weigh as much as ten elephants put together. .Flatbed trucks can carry other trucks, houses, and even a space shuttle! .Semitrailer cabs can have a bed behind the front seat so that drivers can pull over and rest on long trips. .Road-train trucks pull multiple trailers at the same time, just like a locomotive pulls freight cars on a train. Seymour Simon knows how to explain science to kids and make it fun. He was a teacher for more than twenty years, has written more than 250 books, and has won multiple awards. This book includes an author's note, glossary, and index and supports the Common Core Learning Standards, Next Generation Science Standards, and the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) standards.

Genres: Nonfiction, Picture Books, Trucks, Childrens, Transport

40 pages, Paperback

First published February 29, 2000

About the author

Seymour Simon, whom the NY Times called "the dean of [children's science:] writers," is the author of more than 250 highly acclaimed science books (many of which have been named Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children by the National Science Teachers Association).

Seymour Simon uses his website, SeymourSimon.com, to provide free downloads of a wealth of materials for educators, homeschoolers and parents to use with his books, including 4-page Teacher Guides for all 26 of his Collins/Smithsonian photo essay books. The site provides multiple resources for kids writing book reports or wanting to explore the online Science Dictionary, and also features the Seymour Science blog highlighting current science news. Educators and families are encouraged to sign up to receive the monthly newsletter from SeymourSimon.com to stay abreast of the latest materials that Seymour Simon is introducing to enrich the reading experience.

He taught science and creative writing in elementary and secondary schools and was chair of the science department at a junior high school in the New York City public school system before leaving to become a full-time writer. "I haven't really given up teaching," he says, "and I suppose I never will, not as long as I keep writing and talking to kids around the country and the world."

Seymour Simon is also a creator and the author of a series of 3D books and a series of Glow-in-the-Dark Books for Scholastic Book Clubs, a series of leveled SEEMORE READERS for Chronicle Books, and the EINSTEIN ANDERSON, SCIENCE DETECTIVE series of fiction books. His books encourage children to enjoy the world around them through learning and discovery, and by making science fun. He has introduced tens of millions of children to a staggering array of subjects; one prominent science education specialist described Simon's books as "extraordinary examples of expository prose."

Seymour Simon has been honored with many awards for his work, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science/Subaru Lifetime Achievement Award for his lasting contribution to children's science literature; the New York State Knickerbocker Award for Juvenile Literature; the Hope S. Dean Memorial Award from the Boston Public Library for his contribution to children's science literature; The Washington Post/Children's Book Guild Award for Non-fiction; the Jeremiah Ludington Award for his outstanding contribution to children's nonfiction; the Empire State Award for excellence in literature for young people; and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Forum on Children's Science Books.

In a recent interview Simon was asked if he ever thinks of retiring. "I seem to be working faster and harder than ever. I absolutely don't feel any urge to sit back and look at what I've done. The only things that I'm thinking about are things I'd like to do in the future. I'm planning and doing and continuing to write. It's what I love to do. I remember a story about an anthropologist going to talk to a tribe and he asked them what was their word for "work." Their response was they have no word for work. Everybody does the things that they do in their life. I love that response. I don't differentiate between work and play. Everything I do is something that I enjoy doing - the writing, the research and everything else."

Seymour Simon writes and photographs nature from his hilltop home in Columbia County in upstate New York, where he lives with his wife Liz Nealon.

You can follow Seymour on Facebook and on Twitter, as well as on his website, which offers free, downloadable Teacher Guides to his books for educators, parents and homeschoolers, as well as the popular Seymour Science Daily Blo

Reviews

[Jc]

I was expecting more from this book than the usual trucks we see.

[Anthony]

A big picture book about all types of trucks, and how they are used daily to push, pull, dig, dump, sweep, shovel, carry and crush.

[Rosa Cline]

This book was a great one to pick up for my special needs son that enjoys vehicles and especially trucks. This instead of drawn illustrations have great photographs of each 'truck' they are talking about. They talk about quite a lot of different trucks (and some I hadn't even heard of). It's written in storybook format so it's fun to read and follow. Or it could also be used as a dictionary for a child written a report on a specific truck. Very nicely done.

[Roy Pierce III]

The pictures lack clarity, are uninspired, and the text is boring. My little guy loves trucks, but even he wasn't very inspired by this one. Granted, it's an older book, but it hasn't stood the test of time very well.

[Colin E.c.]

I love all the trucks and I love to play. And trucks are so cool and I hope that you like to play with them.

[Alicia]

Great photographs and lots of information for children.

[Sydney Conrad]

Decent children's book that discuss several different types of trucks in a simple way kids can understand. The pictures are real page sized photos your kids will love to look at again and again.

[Audrey]

Son loves anything about trucks, so this book was right up his alley. Loved it.

[Donna]

Perfectly average book describing many different types of trucks and their uses. Less detail and insight than usual for Seymour Simon's books.

[Terry]

Read our review at the Reading Tub.