Amazon.com

From the depths of the deep blue sea to the mysterious world of space,robots are up to the task of exploring, traveling, saving lives, or making lifeeasier for human beings. David Eckhold's Ultimate Robot Kit makes life awhole lot more fun for human beings! This giant kit includes almost everythingneeded to construct four amazing robots, as well as a 24-page "Robot File,"which explains the origins of robots, how they work, and how they are going tochange our lives. Twelve instruction cards offer clear step-by-step directionsto create the marvelous BounceBot, CreepycrawlyBot, KnotBot, and GobbleBot.Sturdy, simple cardboard and plastic components allow children to design andbuild working mechanical models quickly and easily, while they discover theessential robot skills of mobility, manipulation, programming, and intelligence.Building the first four bots gives kids the know-how to design a robot to theirown specifications, and might even put these future engineers on a thrillingcareer path! (Ages 8 to 12) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Birthday Present!
I got this kit about a month ago for my 14th birthday. The parts are a little hard to work with but with a little patience I had no trouble making everything work just like it was supposed to work. I still tinker with it and I am going to enter it as my science fair project. I like robots!

Perfect gift for youngsters
Our son got this toy for his 10th birthday from his grandparents. We had all seen some of the poor reviews it received so we weren't too sure it would be a good choice. However, our son and his almost 9 year-old sister love it. My son takes care of his toys, and this robot is durable enough for him, but it's not the kind of toy to get really rough with. Our son enjoyed it so much that we decided to donate six more kits to his school!

Its an ok kit
The kit was some what educational. I think that the parts were too cheap. I made almost all of the robots and the only one i liked was bounce bot because of the object avoidance technigue.
I think that the kit should have had real electric switches.
It takes alot of patience to build the robots. I hope the author who made the kit uses the better parts next time he makes a kit.

*****
A fun book. The designs definitely require patience, but they're a great learing and bonding experience.

Robot Fun
I assembled the Gobblebot with no trouble at all, and it rolls across my floor like a bat...However, the antenna "switch" does not work at all. Three members of the family have tried and failed to get this "switch" to turn the motor off. As long as the battery is in the holder and the wires are connected, the motor is on and the wheels turn. Bottom line: colorful though somewhat flimsy parts; clear and easy instructions; switch frustration; otherwise, fun to play with.
I look forward to assembling my next bot. ... Read more

Book Description

‘Accompanied by NASA photographs and Dorros’s colorful, lively drawings, the text explains the Earth’s rotation in clear and simple terms. An experiment using a lamp as the ‘sun’ further clarifies the principles introduced.’ —BL.

... Read more

Book Description

Take a detailed look at the fascinating world of robots - from the earliest single-task machines to the advanced intelligence of robots with feelings. Young readers will be amazed to learn all that robots can do: perform delicate surgical operations, clean city sewers, work as museum tour guides, or even battle each other in combat. Find out how humans have created these mechanical minds and bodies. ... Read more

Book Description

Ultimate Robot is both a visual feast of the robot in pop culture and a reference guide for collectors of toy, kit, and warrior robot memorabilia - the first definitive guide for all readers fascinated by these amazing mechanical wonders. Packed with over 500 color photographs of all types of robots, from classic tin toys and film androids to Battlebots and futuristic fantasy robots, Ultimate Robot covers the history of robotics, the innovators who made robots possible, a glossary of useful terms, and the robots of tomorrow. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (4)

Re-readable
I've a 2.5 year old son who is fascinated by machines and wheels.

I am not, and find most of his favourite books on these subjects rather tiresome.

However, this book is fun: its catchy rhyme and rhythm, and its quirky but somehow interesting and realistic pictures entertain me as well as him. He revels in the masculine, repetitive onomatopoeias which are fun to read out loud.

My 3 Years Old Loves & Even Memorizes this Book!
Our 3 years old son received it as a gift. It is one of his favorite books. He read it every night twice for the first two months he got the book. My husband and I enjoy reading it as well (which is a plus). The colors are bold and bright. Each page is dedicated to one type of vehicle. Each vehicle has its own rhyme and all the rhymes follow similar structures. It is easy for the kids to read them back to you after listening. Our 3 years old loves to hear himself reciting lines from this book. I will strongly recommend this for any 3-4 years old who is particular into trucks and cars.

Oh, how my son LOVES this book!
My boy was only slightly interested in machinery until we got this book. Now he's pointing out Garbage Trucks, Fire Engines, Diggers, and Road Rollers everywhere we go, and giving the corresponding cheer "gobble, gobble; race, race, racing; dig, dig, digging; roll, roll, rolling."

This book has a musical rhythm that makes it fun to read, and the illustrations are gorgeous.

A winner with any machine-obsessed toddler
My two year old son adores this book and it's a lot of fun reading it aloud to him. Each page describes a piece of equipment - eg diggers, helicopters, rubbish trucks, cranes, bulldozers - and how hard they are working ALL DAY LONG. The language is really descriptive and captures the noises that the machines make. The words on each page have been laid out to reinforce the job that the machines do too. The illustrations are bright and appealing. This book is a definite winner with any child who likes noisy machines (and what toddler doesn't?!). ... Read more

Book Description

Diggers are noisy, strong, and big.Diggers can carry and push and dig.Diggers have shovels to scoop and lift, blades that bulldoze, shunt, and shift.Sloshing and squelching, and smashing and bashing, the construction machinery does its work - manned by a friendly animal gang - in this lively picture book.Young children will adore it as will the adults who get to read aloud these irresistable rhymes! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

My son's most tattered book! Constantly read & re-read.
My son knows this book off by heart. He is nearly two, and he makes me read it over and over. He says the last word of every rhyming page, and is reduced to hysterics by the squelching and glugging comments. He has also learnt all the technical terms for different parts of diggers and he is constantly pointing them out on our journeys.Thank you Tony Mitton and Ant Parker for the hours of fun we have with your brilliant book. I have just ordered Roaring Rockets, and I cannot wait for it to arrive.

Great illustrations highlight a fabulous bok
Perfect for the toddler set, this book captured the attention of my not quite 2-year old. He loves to point out "diggers" from our car and the book seemed to spark an increase in his vocabulary as he shared his enthusiasm for the book. I can't wait to try other books by this duo.

A wonderful book for toddlers
Clear, simple pictures accompanied by short, descriptive rhymes puts this book in the top ten for my 2 year old. It helps give a child a feel for language, particularly for synonyms and rhythms. There is sufficient detail for curious questions and bold statements ('a RED digger'). The book playfully teaches the child to match implements to actions. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

MONSTER HIT with 4yr old boy
DK publishes great books - we have many of the hardboards as well as ones similar to this. If you have the 'Trains' or "Things That Go" ones, you may find this a tad redundant (dump truck and trains are again featured in "Monster").

I was especially impressed with the inclusion of the Jumbo Jet (photo of piggy-backed Space Shuttle was cool) and the Ice Breaker Ship.

I find the fold-out pages to be more an asset than hindrance. True, extra care is required to avoid bending them, but the extended page size they afford more than makes up for the inconvenience.

The large photos are wonderful, but...
This book is a large format with full sized fold-out pages. The pages fold out on both sides revealing big photographs. ...but even when my child is careful (rarely), the pages do not get folded back into the proper place. When the book is closed, the fold-out pages get crumpled. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Mr.Harvey is an excellent Author
Mr.Harvey's series on the different aspects of life in other parts of the world is an excellent way to introduce grades 2 through 5 many other cultures! This is very well organized information! I highly recommend this book and others in the series.

This is everyone's history
As a teacher of history, one of the most important lessons I hope to convey to students is why the study of history is of such importance. One reason is, the study of history helps us to comprehend why we are the way we are. In other words, we must look to the past to understand why we eat what we eat, wear what we wear, and view the world as we do. This book admirably supports, with clear, concise prose and colorful illustrations, why the China's history is everyones' history. It is also great fun to read!

Look What Came From China
This book is awesome! I have used it and others in this series with my students grades 1-3. The text is appropriate for both independent and read aloud, and the use of real photography is very effective. The kids were fascinated and loved learning all the neat things invented/ discovered in China. I was surprised to learn some of them myself. I would highly reccommend this book! ... Read more

Book Description

Look at all the amazing machines you'll find on a farm. Take a close look at a tractor and its various attachments and learn how a crop is planted and cared for.

Looking at a variety of machines with a wide range of uses, the Machines at Work series explains how vehicles help people on farms, construction sites, and other busy places. Each of the books answers questions with bright, interesting photographs of machines in different situations to explain how they work and what they do. Complete with plenty of amazing facts on this popular subject, the Machines at Work series is sure to be a hit with young readers and machine enthusiasts. Vroom-vroom! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent Book!
Because it is about farmers and tractors, this book is really interesting! It has good pictures of John Deere's, Tractor Pulls, and of other awesome tractors! It tells you a lot of things about tractors and farming. I think kids who like tractors and farming will love this book! ... Read more

Book Description

Delve into the ever-expanding world of robotics once again. Learn about the uses robots have in your home, in business, and in outer space, then build your own fully-functional robot. Robot Rover's kit has a special section containing action cards which provide templates for creating your own robot along with all the other equipment you'll need. You supply the batteries, and your Robot Rover is off and running! The Inventor's Handbook series includes Light and Vision, Radio and Communications, Robots, and Weather. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Worst Robot Kit
We bought this robot kit for kids aged 9 to 12 years old. The picture on the front cover is not the robot that you'll be making - first disappointment! Furthermore, this robot kit was made up mainly flexible cardboard pieces - easily torn and bent out of shape. It was hard for an adult to assemble, let alone kids. The design was flimsy and therefore one could easily dislodge parts - which meant the kids could not play with it. Which did not matter, as the battery, worm screw, and switch system never worked - so we were unable even to start the motor! A great disappointment to the kids and a frustration for parents. ... Read more

Book Description

Get in Gear, the first book in the groundbreaking Hands-On Science™ series, takes the concept of transferring motion through the use of gears and presents it in a kid-friendly way! Guided by Doc Sprocket, a robot who lives in a junkyard, kids can build wacky gear contraptions directly on the pages, using real gears that are stored in a special tray at the back of the book. Once the gears and parts are in place, switch on the built-in motor and watch the gears move. On the last page, kids can use their imagination and build endless contraptions of their own!

Open Get in Gear and find:

· A real electric motor with replaceable batteries
· 19 working gears and parts
· Loads of contraptions to build
· Color-coding for easy assembly
· Simple-to-read text
· Amazing facts about gears
· A Planetary Picture Producer to make spiral designs
· Create your own original designs
· A handy tray to store all gears and parts ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great activities!
This book is wonderful! I got it for my 7-year-old daughter, and she immediately sat down to work. This books takes kids from the basic idea of how gears work, through all the every day uses gears have. She absolutely loved the book! ... Read more

Book Description

A new building is going up, and that means lots of noise-and lots of work. First the site is boarded off, then the construction begins. Soon the scaffolding goes up, next the building's skeleton is made, and finally it's time for the walls and the ceilings to be put in. With its simple text, labeled machinery, and cut-paper artwork, this book is a perfect introduction to the ins and outs of construction for curious children.

"This is clearly a book that will provide hours of rapt concentration and finger-pointing." (Booklist) ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent elementary science experiments.
This book is the best I've seen for doing simple machine experiments at the elementary level. It is perfect for third and fourth grade science classrooms. The directions are simple to follow and the results of the experiments are easy to understand. The function of each simple machine was clear. Students are able to collect the materials from home and the experiments are designed for them to work together. An excellent teacher resource! ... Read more

Book Description

Lift the flaps, pull the tabs, turn the wheels— it’s motorized fun in a book! Children love large vehicles! Presented here in a sturdy book overflowing with both fun and solid information is one of children’s favorite heavy machines—a bulldozer. How much more fun children will find viewing a construction site, knowing how a bulldozer works—from shovel to gearshift and dipstick to wheels. Using the interactive features in these books, children will gain an immediate understanding of the inner workings of this massive machine. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

the neatest, most interactive book we've seen!
We were so surprised by the variety of "things" to move and do and see in this book! My brother sent it for our daughter as a surprise and we all love the book. The story is about a new bulldozer that the reader needs to help test......check the fluids, make sure the back hoe works, make sure the bucket works, turn the steering wheel and check the gears, turn the wheels to make sure all the parts work together smoothly. Very, very fun and neat book. Just a few words per page but does not detract from the fun at all. Probably better for the youngest bulldozer testers! Enjoy. ... Read more

Book Description

Diggers and Dumpers: This eight--page booklet with two illustrated double--page spreads of kids' favorite trucks features three fact--filled pages of informative text with space for stickers and four pages crammed with over 60 self--adhesive color stickers. Includes extra stickers to swap with friends or decorate books, bags, and stationery. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great fun and learning!
My two-year-old loves trucks and big machines, and stickers (of course).We sat down and tried to figure out where the stickers went by reading the short paragraphs, and he loved it!It was great mom-child reading time, and we had fun doing it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"Smash! Crash! Scrape! Scrunch!... BIG machines do BIG jobs." Whether they're knocking down an old factory or building a new park with a pond, there's a big machine for every job. Cranes, bulldozers, excavators, and concrete mixers are put to the test, knocking down walls, scooping up rubble, and digging holes.

Eye-catching photographs and illustrations and simple, repetitive text in large type make the absorbing world of heavy machinery a perfect choice for the beginning reader. Dorling Kindersley's four-level learning-to-read series offers age-appropriate stories for all the early reader levels, preschool through grade 4. Children develop their reading skills while increasing their general knowledge. This Level 1 book includes picture dictionary boxes depicting such terms as "rubble," "wheel," and "chute," with a reference to the page number where the word first appears. (Ages 4 to 7) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Captures a boy's imagination!
We first found this book at the library. We read it so often that my 2.5 year old son can finish each sentence and page. Great book for reading to kids and teaching them basic construction vocabulary! The pictures are great and easy to use to engage the children in a beyond-the-book discussion.

Big Machines = big readers
Big Machines is great for beginnning readers who may still be struggling. It has machines, BIG machines which engross youngsters. It has repetetive text, which makes it easy to catch on. It even has a dictionary with the page number the word can be found on. The pictures keep the children interested, because he (or she) wants to read it. ... Read more

Book Description

Big tabs keep little hands busy Children can now find their favorite page of the book every time. Easy-to-grab picture tabs make it easy for little ones to flip from page to page. Sturdy durable pages and tough tabs are perfect for rough-and-tumble toddlers ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great truck book for obsessed little boys
My 1 1/2 year old is absolutely fixated on trucks and cars of any kind. He has tons of truck books, but this is his absolute favorite! He has been dragging it around the house for months.

I highly recommend it -- nice LARGE photos -- actual images of a huge variety of cars, boats, airplanes and trucks.

Best beginning board book for toddlers into vehicles!
This book is great! I have bought it as a gift for several friends and everyone agrees that this is their favorite. Unlike the "My first words" series which can lose their interest or overwhelm by providing too much stuff (i.e. foods, colors, shapes, body parts, clothing, animals, machines, you name it.), this book is focussed.

So, if you know a child like mine, who immediately finds something that moves (cars, trains, trucks...) upon entering a room, this book is PERFECT. Family and friends are amazed when my 2 year old brings them the book and starts naming farm equipment, tankers, bulldozers and more.

You won't be disappointed!

My Big Machine Book
Our 2 1/2 year old son picked this book out of the library and we just bought it because he loves it! It contains bright, colorful pictures which are categorized into each type of machine. The tabs make it easy for little hands to find what type of machine they are looking for. ... Read more