Ready, Set, Build!
“Good, artfully delivered advice for would-be builders of any age.”
Illustration by Jarvis from Ready, Set, Build!
Ready, Set, Build!
Get ready for a day full of construction fun! Children can follow a busy dog builder as he sketches and plans his dream, clears rubble to make space, and gets to work digging, lifting, and sawing. After a hard day’s work, they take in all they’ve done and look forward to the next day of building!
Illustrations by Jarvis.
kirkus review
A safety primer for budding construction engineers.
“Sketch a dream. Post a chart. / Hatch the plan before you start.” Donning sturdy boots and a hard hat, a blue dog sets out to design and build a house using both hand tools and heavy machinery. Each stage of the enterprise features a big, bright, very simple cartoon scene and a cautionary remark—from “Use your legs and not your back” when lifting loads and “come down steady” on a ladder to “Goggles on before you slice. / Cut just once—but measure twice.” Of course, there’s also a break for lunch. At last the dog and a small bird who has been looking on step back to admire their finished building and then head home to hang up the hard hat, hit the pillows, and dream of future projects. Kids will enjoy seeing the bird’s involvement, which ranges from reasonably credible, as when it perches on the dog’s hard hat while eyeing a worm at lunchtime, to the whimsically impossible, as when it helps the dog lift a cinder block by fluttering aloft while holding a string tied to one end in its beak.
Good, artfully delivered advice for would-be builders of any age. (Picture book. 5-8)
“A lively and fun rhyming adventure for every little builder by award-winning illustrator, Jarvis. Follow Dog and Bird as they build a home together - from sketching the building, to clearing the rubble, digging and using the machinery. Everything must be done just so... will the house be finished by the end of the day? Wonderful illustrations are full of interest with lots of intriguing details to spot and enjoy.”
School Library Journal
PreS-K—A blue dog sets out for a day of construction work. He begins with a plan before getting to work and uses a variety of tools and construction vehicles, with a little green bird as a coworker. The dog and bird take a short break for lunch and then are back to work, until finally they have completed their project for the day, a big blue "Dog and Bird House" with a green roof. The dog and bird head home to get some rest so they can return to work the next day, which promises to be "twice as fun." Fleming offers a sprightly picture book that will appeal to young readers, particularly those with an interest in construction. She writes in simple rhymes, and her text reflects the enthusiasm of the dog and the bird, both of whom truly enjoy their work. Jarvis's use of bold, solid colors pairs well with the energy and exuberance of Fleming's text. The blue dog is depicted with large, cartoonlike features, and the bird is drawn with simple circular shapes, and both are eye-catching. Fleming's short, bouncy rhymes coupled with Jarvis's big, bright illustrations make this an excellent choice for a read-aloud in a group setting.
VERDICT A definite winner for construction-themed storytimes and for readers looking for a fun and vibrant picture book. Expect high circulation.—Laura J. Giunta, Garden City Public Library, NY
Booklist
In this fanciful story, would-be builders are encouraged to “Sketch a dream. Post a chart. Hatch the plan before you start.” The simple rhyming text breaks down the process step-by-step. A blue dog dressed in red boots and a yellow hard hat works with a green bird to design and build a home for themselves. Collage-style illustrations combine bright primary colors with chalk or crayon details. Using a mix of imaginative play and realism, the story incorporates many parts of the construction process, such as clearing a site, digging a foundation, building walls and a roof, and adding windows. The dog demonstrates how to use several tools and models safety by putting on goggles, a seat belt, and ear protection. Comical interplay between the dog and the bird adds visual humor to the straightforward text. After the busy workday, the duo switch from “ready, set, build” to “ready, set, sleep.” The next day, however, the dog surprises the bird with sketches for an even bigger house! Playful, informative fun for little builders.
“A definite winner for construction-themed storytimes and for readers looking for a fun and vibrant picture book. Expect high circulation.”
“Hi-ho, hi-ho, it’s off to work we go! Say hello to a playful bunch of little adventurers in this funny, rhyming picture book from author Meg Fleming and award-winning illustrator Jarvis.Warm, whimsical and full of Jarvis’ distinctive, bold and painterly illustrations in a textured colour palette, this is a joyful and entertaining story about working hard, having fun and discovering the joys of a job well done. ”
“A lovely picture book to use with preschool and early years childen when exploring building and construction as the rhyming verse makes it a good read-aloud with younger children, while there is enough detail in the text and images to explore more around the subject of construction with early years children. The story follows Dog and Bird as they build a home together, from sketching the plans to clearing the site, digging and then building. Dog is very child-friendly - he arrives at work on a skateboard and stops for lunch under a tree - and bird keeps him company. Children can be encouraged to think about the different steps in constructing a building and all the different machines that will be needed.”
Ready, Set, Build! Gag Reel
Best laid plans. I tried to incorporate my dog into a Ready, Set, Build! video.
Here’s how well that went. ;)
For more information on each book…