One Big Building: A Counting Book About Construction

by Michael Dahl, Todd Irving Ouren (Illustrator)

A counting book that follows the construction of a building, from one plan to twelve stories. Readers are invited to find hidden numbers on an illustrated activity page.

Genres: Picture Books, Counting, Construction, Childrens, Storytime, Number, Fiction

24 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Michael Dahl is the author of over 200 books for children and young adults, including the acclaimed Finnegan Zwake mystery series and The Library of Doom. His works have earned Edgar and Anthony Award nominations and national design honors. As Editorial Director at Stone Arch Books, he champions engaging, award-winning stories that inspire young readers everywhere.

He also writes under aliases Chris Carey, Rick Thomas, and Mark Ziegler.

Reviews

[Alisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Any kid that loves construction or construction equipment will adore this book.

[Jaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple words, rhymes, large illustrations, and counting make this a great read aloud for 4k.

[Christine Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Building Storytime. Each page builds from 1 to 12 showing parts of construction. My Storytime group had great fun taking turns counting the items on each page.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple but detailed as well. Fun to watch the building come together from start to finish while counting and finding the hidden number on each picture.

[Melenia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay read

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

CIP: A counting book that follow the construction of a building, from one plan to twelve stories. readers are invited to find hidden numbers on an illustrated activity page. includes bibliographical references and index.

REVIEW: This counting book communicates on many different levels and in ways different from many counting books. The numerical progression illustrates the stages, materials, and equipment needed to build a 12 story skyscraper, with the shiny new building shown sideways across the two last pages. Number representation is shown in three ways in a sidebar: word, numeral, and dots. Also, look for the hidden numeral in the drawing of each page (locations and fun facts given in back). The bold, colorful collage art will entice all those children who love machines and building. A plus is that the workers pictured include women and diverse populations.

SLJ: Positive. "Multiple uses and learning opportunities make these titles useful purchases."

Booklist: Positive. "Though both books are well done, Building, perhaps, shines brightest."

[Candice Mckinnon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is great for young children who are beginning to understand counting. It has a logical story plot and has objects on each page that the child can count. If the child is confused about how many a number is, they can also count the dots next to the number. I absolutely love the index of the book, which includes fun facts, a glossary, and ideas to help your child or student with counting. Teachers can use this book as an introduction to counting. This book can also used in a literacy center to focus on the words in the glossary or create math centers using the objects inside the book.

[Miss Pippi the Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

We can count on a construction site! The workers are building a tall building and the numbers add up to 12. The collage art is great and the text shares machine names versus a general sentence - "six machines lift beams." The end of the book shares Fun Facts, Find the Numbers (hidden in the pages), and Go on an Observation Walk. It's a quick read, but has opportunities to lengthen the fun of a simple book.

Theme: Diggers 'n' Dents
Additional Themes: construction, counting

Reviewed from a library copy.

[Kristie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Counting story from 1 to 12. Short phrases are good for toddlers.

[Sarah Lewis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Both of my boys liked this book. It was just okay.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

one plan, two shovels, etc.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Major props for having both men and women bosses at a construction site.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple enough concept for children to grasp along with relatable illustrations. It would make a good flannel board book.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

VERY COOL