(3) 4-6 Building by Design series. Each book in this engaging engineering-focused series describes the history and construction of a famous structure, and explains how the landmark is maintained today. Sidebars (some with prompts and website links) as well as photographs, drawings, and diagrams enhance each main text's four chapters. Each book includes "Straight to the Source" pages quoting a primary source, discussion questions throughout, and additional appended facts. There are four other fall 2017 books in this series. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Building by Design titles: Engineering the Golden Gate Bridge, Engineering the Colosseum, Engineering the NYC Subway System, and Engineering the Eiffel Tower.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(4) K-3 Engineering Marvels series. These books provide brief accounts of major engineering feats--three transportation marvels and three iconic structures. Each book includes the project's purpose, how it was built, personnel involved, and physical challenges encountered. Archival and recent photographs give insight into the construction process. The lackluster texts are enhanced with sidebars providing statistical data and examples of similar projects. A short quiz is included in each title. Glos. Review covers these Engineering Marvels titles: Building Route 66, Building the Channel Tunnel, Building the Panama Canal, Building the Empire State Building, Building the Golden Gate Bridge, and Building the Hoover Dam.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(3) 4-6 American Places: From Vision to Reality series. This series highlights six of America's most famous and symbolic landmarks, touching on their history, the individuals involved in their creation, the engineering challenges faced, and the eventual construction and completion of these national icons. Sidebars and plentiful illustrations and photographs add clarity to the succinct, direct texts; historical images of construction are especially appealing. Websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers the following American Places: From Vision to Reality titles: The Golden Gate Bridge, The Statue of Liberty, The White House, Colonial Williamsburg, The Empire State Building, and The Hoover Dam.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) K-3 Now That's Big! series. This series highlights marvels of human engineering. Building on a massive scale takes huge effort, and crisp photographs in clean layouts illustrate these monumental feats. The large-font texts, though informative, can be choppy and vague ("People in South Dakota made Mount Rushmore to get other people to visit their state," "People love working in or visiting the Empire State Building"). Reading list. Glos., ind. Review cover these Now That's Big! titles: Empire State Building, Golden Gate Bridge, and Mount Rushmore.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(3) 4-6 Modern Wonders of the World series. These informative introductions to manmade American landmarks address the historical background, building/sculpting process, and significance of each project. Challenges such as finding the right mountain to carve, adapting a bridge in an earthquake zone, and building an early skyscraper are highlighted. The accessible text is accented by strong photographs and appealing layouts. Maps, "Quick Facts." Glos., ind. Review covers these Modern Wonders of the World titles: Mount Rushmore, Golden Gate Bridge, and Empire State Building.

Reviewer: Susan Halperin

(4) 4-6 Checkerboard: Symbols, Landmarks, and Monuments series. These volumes provide an overview of the history and significance of an American landmark, monument, or organization. The texts are easy to read, if choppily written, and accompanied by a variety of black-and-white and color photos. Useful for report writers, these books may inspire readers to seek out more information about these American symbols. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Checkerboard: Symbols, Landmarks, and Monuments titles: Angel Island, Devils Tower, The Empire State Building, The Golden Gate Bridge, NASA, and The World War II Memorial.

Reviewer: Elizabeth Shaver