Review of Digger Donald by Blanche Smith
A Terrific Read-Aloud Picture Book for Young Children
Mar 31, 2009
This picture book tells the story of Digger Donald, a big yellow excavator, who must travel from the city to the country to dig a well for a farm. It is Digger Donald’s first trip out into the country and he likes what he sees.
The simple language and bright illustrations will carry the child along with Digger Donald on his journey from one new scene to the next. The child will be eager to find out what happens when Digger Donald arrives at the farm.
Even though the story focuses on different kinds of heavy equipment, it is rounded out with people and several kinds of animals. This gives the book different levels of appeal for the younger audience.
Author Blanche Smith
Blanche Smith is a full-time homemaker and gardener, who lives in Conception Bay South, Newfoundland.
Smith originally wrote Digger Donald for her grandson, Conrad, after visiting with him in Australia. During her stay, she noticed how fascinated Conrad was with all kinds of machines and heavy equipment.
Illustrator Carmel Smith
Digger Donald is illustrated by Carmel Smith. Originally from Newfoundland, she now makes her home in Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia. Smith has a B.F.A. in studio arts from Concordia University in Montreal.
The illustrations for Digger Donald are bright and colorful, with lots of detail. Their eye-catching quality adds to the appeal of the book.
Connection to School and Library Curriculums
Digger Donald would make a good support resource for a curriculum for younger children:
- The story would make a good read-aloud to accompany a Language Arts unit on different types of heavy equipment and machinery or one about farms and rural life.
- The reading level of this picture book is most suitable for young children. The simple language, personal names for the equipment, and colorful, detailed illustrations would appeal to a child’s imagination.
- The illustrations would also provide good examples for younger children who are learning to draw. The colors would encourage them to supply lots of eye-catching bright colors to their own creations.
Note: Any use of this book in the classroom must comply with the copyright.
Digger Donald is an easily understood story about complicated equipment that will entertain any young child who is eager to enter the world of these big machines.
Title: Digger Donald
Author: Blanche Smith
Publisher: Pennywell Books (an imprint of Flanker Press Limited), 26 pages, $9.95 CAD
ISBN: 1-894463-49-8
For other picture book reviews of books from Newfoundland publishers see Book Review of Emma’s Treasure by Gerald Mercer, A Book Review of Freddy’s Day at the Races and Review of How Dog Became A Friend by Paul O’Neill.
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