Ton by Taro Miura Ages 2-5 26 pages Chronicle Books June 2006 Hardcover     One worker can move a 50-pound piece of steel by himself. Two workers are needed to move a piece of 100-pound steel - one worker holding each end. A wheelbarrow makes moving 100 pounds of gravel easier. A dolly is used to move a 200-pound cylinder-shaped tank. The weight, the shape, and the substance of an object determine how much manpower and the kind of equipment required to move it. Children will learn how a ton can be moved. They will see how much weight a crane can lift, and how much a big transport truck can carry. What will move 100 tons? What about 10,000 tons? The answer is revealed when the last two pages are opened and unfolded. Ton uses the English system of measurement. However, metric conversions are given for all the weights referred to in the story. In addition, the difference between pounds and kilograms is illustrated and explained in the back of the book. The unique illustrations and colors have an industrious feel to them, and the workers are faceless. The reader’s attention is focused instead on the actions of the workers. Ton was originally published in Italy in 2004. Taro Miura, an award-winning illustrator and graphic designer, uses workers, equipment, and vehicles to catch children’s attention. With only the weights as text, children can tell their own story on every page.       web reviews   Tanya Boudreau/2006 for curled up with a good kid's book   For grown-up fiction, nonfiction and speculative fiction book reviews, visit our sister site Curled Up With a Good Book (www.curledup.com)