Sherri Duskey Rinker

Sherri Duskey Rinker is an American children's author from Illinois. Her works include the picture-book series Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site and Steam Train, Dream Train, and the middle-grade novels Revver the Speedway Squirrel and Revver the Speedway Squirrel: The Big Race Home.

Biography

Rinker worked as a graphic designer before becoming known for children's books. In a 2013 interview, she cited childhood bedtime reading with her grandmother and Virginia Lee Burton's The Little House as early influences. Rinker lives in St. Charles, Illinois.

Career

The idea for Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site grew out of a bedtime routine with one of Rinker's sons, who was interested in trucks. On its 2019 National Book Festival author page, the Library of Congress described Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site, Steam Train, Dream Train, Mighty, Mighty Construction Site, and Construction Site on Christmas Night as No. 1 New York Times best-sellers.

Rinker's work also includes standalone picture books and books outside the Construction Site series. In 2016, she published Silly Wonderful You, illustrated by Patrick McDonnell, and she later published titles including The 12 Sleighs of Christmas, illustrated by Jake Parker, and Tiny and the Big Dig, illustrated by Matt Myers. In 2017, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt published Big Machines: The Story of Virginia Lee Burton, a picture-book biography written by Rinker and illustrated by John Rocco.

Later entries in the Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site series were illustrated by AG Ford, including Construction Site on Christmas Night, Construction Site: Three Cheers for Kid McGear!, and Construction Site Mission: Demolition!.

In 2020, Rinker moved into middle-grade fiction with Revver the Speedway Squirrel, illustrated by Alex Willan and published by Bloomsbury Children's Books. The sequel, Revver the Speedway Squirrel: The Big Race Home, was published in 2021. In 2022, she began the Roto and Roy picture-book series, illustrated by Don Tate, with Roto and Roy: Helicopter Heroes, published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

Awards and honors Year Award or honor Category Work Result 2011 The New York Times Notable Children's Books Picture books Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site Selected 2011 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards Picture Books (Children's) Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site Finalist 2012 Association for Library Service to Children Notable Children's Books Younger readers Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site Selected 2013 School Library Journal Best Books Picture books Steam Train, Dream Train Selected 2013 Chicago Public Library Best Picture Books Picture books Steam Train, Dream Train Selected 2017 Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices Picture-book biography Big Machines: The Story of Virginia Lee Burton Selected

Works

Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site series

Picture books Year Title Illustrator Publisher Notes 2011 Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site Tom Lichtenheld Chronicle Books Picture book 2017 Mighty, Mighty Construction Site Tom Lichtenheld Chronicle Books Picture book 2018 Construction Site on Christmas Night AG Ford Chronicle Books Picture book 2019 Construction Site: Three Cheers for Kid McGear! AG Ford Chronicle Books Picture book 2020 Construction Site Mission: Demolition! AG Ford Chronicle Books Picture book 2021 Construction Site: Road Crew, Coming Through! AG Ford Chronicle Books Picture book 2022 Construction Site: Farming Strong, All Year Long AG Ford Chronicle Books Picture book 2023 Construction Site: Taking Flight! AG Ford Chronicle Books Picture book 2024 Construction Site: Garbage Crew to the Rescue! AG Ford Chronicle Books Picture book 2026 Construction Site: Firefight! AG Ford Chronicle Books Picture book 2026 Construction Site: Dad and His Crew Power Through! AG Ford Chronicle Books Picture book

Board books and related books Year Title Illustrator Publisher Notes 2017 Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site: Let's Go! Tom Lichtenheld Chronicle Books Board book 2018 Cement Mixer's ABC Ethan Long; based on illustrations by Tom Lichtenheld Chronicle Books Board book 2018 Dump Truck's Colors Ethan Long; based on illustrations by Tom Lichtenheld Chronicle Books Board book 2019 Excavator's 123 Ethan Long; based on illustrations by Tom Lichtenheld Chronicle Books Board book 2019 Bulldozer's Shapes Ethan Long; based on illustrations by Tom Lichtenheld Chronicle Books Board book 2019 Crane Truck's Opposites Ethan Long; based on illustrations by Tom Lichtenheld Chronicle Books Board book 2021 Construction Site Merry and Bright AG Ford Chronicle Books Lift-the-flap book 2022 Construction Site Spring Delight AG Ford Chronicle Books Lift-the-flap book 2022 Construction Site Gets a Fright! AG Ford Chronicle Books Lift-the-flap book 2022 Construction Site: You're Just Right AG Ford Chronicle Books Lift-the-flap book 2024 Construction Site: A Thankful Night Helen Morgan Chronicle Books Lift-the-flap book 2025 Construction Site Hanukkah Lights Shawna J. C. Tenney Chronicle Books Lift-the-flap board book 2026 Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site Sticker & Activity Book Helen Morgan Chronicle Books Sticker and activity book

Steam Train, Dream Train series Year Title Illustrator Publisher Notes 2013 Steam Train, Dream Train Tom Lichtenheld Chronicle Books Picture book 2016 Steam Train, Dream Train 1-2-3 Tom Lichtenheld Chronicle Books Board book 2016 Steam Train, Dream Train Colors Tom Lichtenheld Chronicle Books Board book 2025 Steam Train, Dream Train: Next Stop, Christmas! AG Ford Chronicle Books Picture book

Roto and Roy series Year Title Illustrator Publisher Notes 2022 Roto and Roy: Helicopter Heroes Don Tate Little, Brown Books for Young Readers Picture book 2023 Roto and Roy: To the Rescue! Don Tate Little, Brown Books for Young Readers Picture book

Revver the Speedway Squirrel series Year Title Illustrator Publisher Notes 2020 Revver the Speedway Squirrel Alex Willan Bloomsbury Children's Books Middle-grade novel 2021 Revver the Speedway Squirrel: The Big Race Home Alex Willan Bloomsbury Children's Books Middle-grade novel

Other books Year Title Illustrator Publisher Notes 2016 Silly Wonderful You Patrick McDonnell Balzer + Bray Picture book 2017 Big Machines: The Story of Virginia Lee Burton John Rocco Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Picture-book biography 2017 The 12 Sleighs of Christmas Jake Parker Chronicle Books Picture book 2018 Tiny and the Big Dig Matt Myers Scholastic Press Picture book 2019 Celebrate You! A. N. Kang Balzer + Bray Picture book 2020 How to Put an Octopus to Bed Viviane Schwarz Chronicle Books Picture book 2021 It's So Quiet: A Not-Quite-Going-to-Bed Book Tony Fucile Chronicle Books Picture book 2022 Joy Ride Ana Ramírez González Candlewick Press Picture book

Adaptations and other media

Weston Woods Studios adapted Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site as an animated short and audio recording in 2012, narrated by Dion Graham with music by Jon Carroll. Oceanhouse Media released interactive storybook-app editions of Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site and Steam Train, Dream Train.

Bay Area Children's Theatre adapted the book as Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site-The Musical, with book, music, and lyrics by Austin Zumbro. The production won six 2016 Theatre Bay Area Awards, including Outstanding Production of a Musical, Outstanding Direction of a Musical, and Outstanding World Premiere Musical. In 2019, Bay Area Children's Theatre presented Construction Site on Christmas Night, a musical with book and lyrics by Min Kahng and Austin Zumbro and music by Daniel Mertzlufft, based on Rinker's book illustrated by AG Ford.

Actor Chris Evans read Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site on the BBC children's program CBeebies Bedtime Stories in 2017. In 2022, Caterpillar released "Cat Trial 13: Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site", a live-action branded video that used Caterpillar equipment to portray the book's construction vehicles and was narrated by Matt Dillon.

In 2019, San Antonio councilman John Courage used the title "Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site" for a proposal to limit overnight construction noise near homes; the city council approved related code changes in 2022.