Anton on Channel 10 speaking about the book.
BUY ONLINE OR AT ANY PARTICIPATING BOOKSTORES
A UNIQUE STORY
Carlos the Concrete Truck is excited by the idea of working with the big trucks and joining them on their adventures. More than anything Carlos wants to fit in, and although he’s smaller than the others, his attitude and determination are big! Will he achieve his dreams?
Anton Bialylew is a Melbourne based concreter with a passion for getting down and dirty in his concreting business.
In his spare time he also performs hip hop, and loves writing rhymes.
Anton decided to put his skills to the test to create his first children’s book ‘Carlos the Concrete Truck’, dedicated to his daughter Leilani Rae. “I wanted to create something as a gift to my daughter, and something I felt all kids could draw inspiration from.”
-
What inspired you to write the book Carlos the Concrete Truck?
I love how curious kids are! Often when I’m on a work site, I look up and notice the faces of small children peering out of windows or kids stopping their parents so they can watch us working. I notice that kids get excited to see the concrete trucks spinning around and are captivated by us men sloshing around in the mud, moving with a sense of urgency!
I dedicate this book to my daughter, who was born earlier this year, and I know that its positive message will inspire and encourage her and so many kids when the going gets tough.
-
What is the story about?
The story is about a small concrete truck called Carlos who finds it hard to fit in with the bigger concrete trucks. Carlos is determined, focussed and ready to take on any challenge.
This story teaches our kids that our differences can often be our biggest strengths. There will always be the ‘bigger concrete trucks’ criticising and doubting, but when you truly believe in yourself, you can achieve anything!
Regular price
Unit price
per
Tax included.
Meet our characters!
FAQ
Find the questions most frequently asked by kids below.
I have always loved wordplay and poetry and I love linking words together and creating a rhythm and flow. As a kid I loved reading and writing poetry. From there, I practiced more and more and eventually started writing rap music too. I have some pretty cool rap videos about concrete under my rap name ‘Tanha.’ Take a look here:
I would say that I was a bit of a dreamer myself! I used to love gazing out the window at school. I found the birds and trees so much more interesting than the blackboard. (Sorry mum!)
The idea came about when I noticed how much kids love to stop their parents and watch the concrete flow. I love thinking outside the square and combining my love of concrete with my creative side. When I had my baby girl, Leilani I felt inspired to write a story that I could dedicate to her and a story that all children could relate to and take inspiration from!
The book took about six months to create. It’s quite a bit of work!
The illustrations were done by the talented Kerry de Fillipis. We worked very closely on Carlos. I would send Kerry page by page text and she would draw the images and visuals based on the text and my visions. We even managed to sneak in my dog Bam Bam! Can you find him?!
I would say remember that you are unique and that’s what makes you special! Not everyone will understand your dreams or be inspired by the same things as you, but that’s ok! Keep visualising your dreams and don’t let others discourage you.
I initially studied Business Systems at University, but I soon discovered that I prefer working with my hands and being outdoors. I am a fit person and concreting is the perfect combination of challenging physical work and creating something beautiful and functional with my hands.
Sign up to our 'Carlos' newsletter
Receive special offers and find out about our exciting new products.