To help PickyKidPix with his assistant soccer coach, he asked me for truck books because his two-year-old son is getting tired of reading stories about Thomas the Train and Mater from Cars. Newton is a city in the state of Massachusetts. We both live in Newton now. We love one of our favorite authors, Virginia Lee Burton, so I've added two of her books to this list because she lived here as well.

Favorite Truck Books

Alphabet Trucks by Samantha R. Vamos

Do you know that there are more than 26 different types of trucks? One for each letter of the alphabet, in fact? You can find each letter of the alphabet on the cover of this book for young readers. Samantha Vamos writes in quick verse about twenty-six different types of trucks. She explains where they work and what they do. Ages 2 and up: [picture book].

I Stink! by Kate and Jim McMullen

Do you know what your garbage truck does all night while you sleep? If you do this with your toddler or preschooler, it will be hard and smelly, but they will love it! Ages 2 and up: [picture book].

Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton

Because Mary Anne is old, no one else wants her. Mike Mulligan loves her and has kept her in such good shape that she's still running like new. Prove that Mary Anne can dig as much in one day as a hundred men can dig over the course of a week by digging their town hall basement in one day. Will this be the chance Mary Anne needs to stay away from the city dump? Ages 3 and up: [picture book],

Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton

It has been a lot of snow this winter. We could have used Katy! I think of my town as the town where Katy, a snowplow tractor, digs the roads so the town people can get to work. Ages 3 and up: [picture book],

Richard Scarry’s Cars and Trucks and Things That Go by Richard Scarry

The best thing about Richard Scarry's books is that they are also for kids who like to move. Those who can't stay still will be enthralled by the huge number of beautiful pictures and interesting facts about cars and trucks in this book. You can read this book over and over again without getting tired of it. There's something interesting on every page. [picture book, for ages 2 and up, by]

DinoTrux by Chris Gall

Truck and dinosaur? What would happen when you put them together? They come to life. A movie called Revenge of the DinoTrux is coming to a town like yours! It's a great combination for little boys! [picture book, for ages 2 and up, by]

Shark vs. Train by Chris Barton and Tom Lichtenheld.

Shark vs. Train If I had to guess, I think it would depend on the game. A lot of competitions, like burping, bowling, Ping Pong, piano playing and pie eating. Shark and Train cheer each other on. The person you are rooting for is called a "fan." Ages 2 and up: [picture book].

Hot Rod Hamster by Cynthia Lord

My son and I had a lot of fun reading this Cynthia Lord picture book about a race. I thought the rhymes were very well-organized.

Great day, grin day, build a car to win day, cheer, chase, race day!

I need a cool car!

To build a race car with the hamster, my son chose the parts from the illustrations and put them together. Ages 2 and up: [picture book].

Planes Go by Steve Light

It's a good idea if you like to make noises while you read aloud to your kids. This big rectangular board book will have you imitating the noises of a seaplane, a pilot plane, a jumbo jet, a propeller plane, a fighter plane, and a blimp.

Flight: This is how a supersonic jet moves.

More Great Truck Books

Vehicles ABC by Jannie Ho

In Jannie Ho's case, there are 26 ways to get to where she wants to go. From A to Z, her illustrations are a fun way to learn about cars. People who take this board book with them on their trips will have a lot of fun, no matter how they get there. Ages 2 and up: [Board book],

The Little Snowplow Wishes for Snow by Lora Koehler, illustrated by Jake Parker

There is a construction site where Little Snowplow helps the Mighty Mountain Road Crew. He likes to shovel snow, but it doesn't seem like it ever comes. The first day of winter may bring some snow. Not at all. It's finally Little Snowplow's birthday, and the big snow comes! He gets to work clearing the streets. When he's done, there's a big surprise for him!

It's the same for my kids who nordic ski (cross country ski). They don't like the fake snow. You can then look at both of these things together to see how they are different. Ages 3 and up: [picture book],

Little Yellow Truck by Eve Bunting, illustrated by Kevin Zimmer

The job was very important: building a playground for kids. All the trucks at Riley's lumberyard are excited to help, too. All of the bigger trucks seem to be doing the important things while the little yellow truck just waits. In the end, Riley asks Little Yellow to do the job that makes the playground whole. That one person, no matter how small, can make a big difference, Eve Bunting says. picture book for ages 5 and up

Dig, Dump, Roll by Sally Sutton, illustrated by Brian Lovelock

Onomatopeia rhymes make it hard to figure out which truck it is. The illustrations help set up the puzzle by giving a small picture of the truck. In this picture book, kids who like to act out sounds when they play with their trucks will enjoy it the most. Ages 3 and up: [picture book],

Mighty, Mighty Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker and Tom Lichtenheld

At the construction site, there are a lot of trucks. Five trucks will need help today. Get to know the Bulldozer, Skid Steer Loader, Excavator and Cement Mixer. Then learn about the Bulldozer, Crane Truck and Flatbed Truck. Then find out about the Front-End Loader, Dump Truck and Pumper. They worked together to finish the job. picture book for ages 4 and up

Three Cheers for Kid McGear! by Sherri Duskey Rinker and AG Ford

The illustrator is different, but this book feels like a follow-up to the wildly popular Mighty, Mighty Construction Site, even though it's not the same. Rollicking rhyming text with lots of construction trucks and a new kid who gets pushed to the side will be fun for kids. The only one who can save the day is the new kid. picture book for ages 4 and up

A Fire Truck Named Red by Randall de Sève, illustrated by Bob Staake

Rowan wanted a new fire truck for his birthday. Instead, he got his grandfather's old fire truck. It's rusty and old. Dad says he'll make it better than new. As they work on the truck, his father talks about how he used to play with this truck when he was a little boy. With the help of his father, Rowan gets caught in the stories that he tells. When the truck is cleaned up, he's excited to play. This cute picture book shows us how important it is to keep things that have been around for a long time and how they connect us to each other. For a grandfather to give to his grandson, this is the best picture book ever! picture book for ages 4 and up

Old MacDonald Had a Truck by Steve Goetz, illustrated by Eda Kaban

In the song Old MacDonald Had a Farm, this Old MacDonald has a lot of construction vehicles on his farm. There are excavators and front loaders, as well as other tools. If you have little boys who like to watch construction vehicles, they'll love this new version of a song they know and love, like mine did in preschool. Ages 2 and up: [picture book].

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