written by Lily Schell and illustrated by Mike Byrne

Blastoff! Missions: Machines at Work is a series of ten narrative nonfiction books that explore different large machinery led by “Blastoff Jimmy”, a cute cartoon astronaut. Each book has mission goals that enhance the reading adventure. Readers learn facts about the large equipment and unfamiliar words are bolded within the text and defined in the glossary at the back of the book. Bright, engaging illustrations are labeled and each book has an index, table of contents and “To Learn More” section. The machines’ jobs are noted and a diverse mix of workers are happily working with the equipment.

A Tractor’s Day details the hard work that this piece of machinery throughout the seasons. Driven by a female farmer, the tractor and its extra implements prepares the soil in the fall, plants the seeds in the spring and looks forward to the harvest at the end of the summer. After a quick clean up by the farmer, the tractor is back in the barn and ready for its next job. This will be a hit with your youngest readers!