25 Construction Books for Preschoolers: Find Your New Favorite
Inside: A hand-picked list of construction books for preschoolers, including both new and classic titles.
(Disclosure: Books and Giggles is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.)
The Best Construction Books for Preschoolers
This book list has grown and grown because I kept finding more wonderful construction books for preschoolers that I wanted to share with you here. I’ve organized the list into 4 sections. If you want to jump ahead, just click here:
- –> Concept Books
- –>Early Picture Books
- –>(Slightly) Longer Picture Books
- –>Nonfiction Construction Books for Preschoolers
If you’re planning construction theme activities, you may also like our Interactive Construction Vehicle Letter Crafts. There’s something like this for 5 different letters:
Concept Books
For your littlest learners, these first four books are a sweet introduction to the world of construction.
Roadwork by Sally Sutton and illustrated by Brian Lovelock has fun and simple rhyming text just right for sparking the interest of toddlers and younger preschoolers.
Hello, World! Construction Site by Jill McDonald introduces children to what those interesting machines on construction sites can do.
Building a House by Byron Barton follows the sequence of home building with short sentences and clear illustrations. (for a more detailed book on this subject, scroll down to the nonfiction section below.)
Digger Man by Andrea Zimmerman and David Clemesha imagines buying a digger and scooping up mud to build a playground.
Kids at this stage may also enjoy the Construction Alphabet Mats in my store. They’re a fun, hands-on way to work on letter recognition and introduce letter sounds.
Early Picture Books
This next set of construction books are simple enough for younger preschoolers. They have a little more of a storyline than the group above but are quick enough reads for children with shorter attention spans.
Books with Lots of Rhythm
Listening to stories with rhyme and rhythm helps develop children’s phonological awareness, an important early literacy skill. They’re also plain fun to read!
I adore Little Excavator by Anna Dewdney. “Little E” is an excavator who wants to help the bigger construction vehicles, and there’s just the job for him! With Dewdney’s (of the Llama, Llama books) trademark rhythm and loveable characters, this book is always a favorite.
I’m Dirty! by Kate and Jim Mcmullan brings kids along with a backhoe loader as he works. This story incorporates counting, some great vocabulary, and loads of fun-to-read-aloud onomatopoeias.
Push! Dig! Scoop!: A Construction Counting Rhyme by Rhonda Gowler Greene and illustrated by Daniel Kirk will win your heart. This construction counting book has beautiful rhyme and rhythm that’s a joy to read aloud.
Three Grumpy Trucks by Todd Tarpley and illustrated by Guy Parker-Rees combines a social-emotional lesson with relateable construction vehicles. What’s not to love?
Not Just for Girls
Girls who love construction, or who might someday love it, can look up to and identify with these female characters
This Is the Construction Worker by Laura Godwin and illustrated by Julian Hector – Finally, a book featuring a woman construction worker! This one has simple rhymes and interesting details.
Construction Cat by Barbara Odanaka and illustrated by Sydney Hanson is also about a female – but a female cat! Follow her through her day in this cute rhyming book.
Bedtime Winners
Eventually all that thump, stomp, roaring has to take a rest, as do little construction lovers. End your day (or start naptime) with one of these sweet titles.
Bulldozer Dreams by Sharon Chriscoe and illustrated by John Joven will lull little readers to sleep with its cadenced verses and winding-down-the-day illustrations.
Smashy Town by Andrea Zimmerman and David Clemesha with illustrations by Dan Yaccarino is a brand new book that follows the demolition of an old building. The cute ending also makes it a solid bedtime story choice.
(Slightly) Longer Picture Books
These stories have more of a plot and better developed characters, yet are still simple enough for 4 year olds to understand.
Family Construction Books
What if your dad was a construction worker, and you got to go with him to work? That’s just what happens in each of these engaging choices.
Brick by Brick by Heidi Woodward Sheffield is a lovely story about a little boy and his bricklayer father.
The Night Worker by Kate Banks and illustrated by Georg Hallensleben is another father and son story. In this one, the boy joins his engineer father for the night shift.
Stories About Teamwork & Perseverance
You might like to read Little Excavator (above) along with the next two books on this list: Bulldozer Helps Out, and Three Cheers for Kid McGear! Then guide your kiddos through comparing and contrasting all 3 books. They all feature little construction vehicles who save the day.
Three Cheers for Kid McGear! also by Sherri Duskey Rinker and illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld will thrill construction lovers who can sit for a longer story. Even the smallest member of a team can make a difference.
Bulldozer Helps Out by Candace Fleming and illustrated by Eric Rohmann has a surprising twist when one team member notices something the others don’t.
Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton is a not-to-miss classic. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read this one! Join Mike and his steam shovel as they work to dig a cellar in just one day.
Construction Books with Favorite Characters
Don’t miss George and Pete trying out construction. I think both of these will make your kids giggle.
Curious George fans won’t want to miss Curious George and the Dump Truck by H. A. and Margret Rey. In this story, the mischievous little monkey makes a big mess that, of course, turns out just fine in the end.
Pete the Cat: Construction Destruction by James Dean is a fun and quirky story about building a playground and bouncing back from mistakes.
Nonfiction Construction Books for Preschoolers
No, preschool isn’t too early to introduce nonfiction. Three and four year olds are little sponges! You just need to find the right book…
Construction Worker Tools by Laura Hamilton Waxman introduces children to the tools of the trade with real-life photos and well-organized text that would make a good read aloud.
The Construction Alphabet Book by Jerry Pallotta is perfect for children who like to collect lots of interesting facts. This will get them interested in letter sounds too.
Let’s Meet a Construction Worker by Bridget Heos and illustrated by Mike Moran uses a fictional field trip to a school playground construction site to introduce a lot of nonfiction content about people and machines.
How a House is Built by Gail Gibbons is perfect for preschoolers who love details. It would be fun to pair with a time-lapse video of a house being built. I looked at several, and like this one the best:
I’ll try to come back and update this post from time to time. If I missed one of your favorites, you can let me know in the comments.
Happy Reading,
Heather
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