I'm dirty by Kate and Jim McMullan

Frances Lincoln Children's Books, 2008.
(Ages 3-7) Recommended. Starring a mud-loving backhoe loader, I'm dirty is a fun book that describes how a messy dump gets cleaned up, a stump removed and a mud hole filled in. Told in vibrant language by the backhoe loader, the reader is drawn into an exciting world of machinery, movement and lots of excitement. Mud is a feature throughout the story and there is a great illustration of the backhoe loader having a wonderful mud bath. A section that highlights counting, as the backhoe loader picks up '10 torn-up truck tyres, 9 fractured fans, 8 busted beach umbrellas' and so on, clearing up a messy site, in an effortless manner.
The vivid colours, striking cartoon like drawings and wonderful text will engage children and give an excellent insight into using machinery. The alliteration is sure to please the reader and certainly makes for a great read aloud.
Pat Pledger