"Do you see the Asphalt for paving the road, / or the big shiny Bulldozer pushing a load?" A simple text in rhyme and detailed, clear illustrations follow from A to Z the work at a construction site. What makes the familiar topic of additional interest here is that the year-long building project results in an amusement park, with Z for "Z-O-O-M!" as kids ride the long-awaited roller coaster.

Delivered in verse, this is a heavy-machinerylover's ABC. The consecutive letters of the alphabet are written into the rhyming text and brightly highlighted in large case. "Do you see the Asphalt for paving the road, or the big shiny Bulldozer pushing a load?" So begins the work on the construction project. Throughout the seasons of a year, children with friends, family, and pets watch the workers as they proceed through the complex process of building. Newcomer Sobel has missed none of the details a young aficionado would revel in, from huge loaders to nails to pipes. The construction workers are multi-ethnic as well as male and female. Finally, opening day arrives and those who have waited patiently behind the safety fences can at last enjoy the fun final product, an amusement park. Iwai's two-page spreads reveal her talent for painting people as well as details of vehicles and with creamy oils she also subtly depicts the changing seasons. From Asphalt to Zoom , this first-rate read-aloud will delight its audience. (Picture book. 3-6)

PreS-K-Two youngsters stand outside a fence watching a construction crew perform its many tasks, sometimes stopping for lunch or coffee. They are joined by neighbors and passersby, fathers and children, mothers with strollers, and kids with dogs. Each page has about 10 words of text with one brightly colored letter of the alphabet in uppercase font. Many aspects of the construction work are covered, from "Asphalt" to "Tools," and then readers can enjoy the completed amusement park from "Scaffolds" coming down to the "Z-O-O-M" of the roller coaster. As the work progresses, the change of seasons is reflected in the countryside and in the clothing worn. The full-bleed, naive artwork in bright acrylics depicts the vast scene from many angles, showing a close-up view of a squirrel in a tree or a distant patchwork quilt of a farm, but the construction activities always hold center stage. This is a well-thought-out story that allows children to follow the progression of events. There is a wonderful sense of community as the workers cooperate to get the job done and the neighborhood folks avidly watch at first and then enjoy the finished product. A great choice for individual and group sharing.-Marlene Gawron, formerly at Orange County Library, Orlando, FL Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.