(3) K-3 Super Simple Engineering Projects series. This series clearly explains engineering principles through hands-on projects. Six-page introductions define each engineered structure, briefly describing its construction, uses, and different types. Five or six activities follow, and "Digging Deeper" sidebars expand on the science involved. Simple directions, inexpensive materials lists, and plenty of helpful photographs make this series a good choice for budding engineers. Each book concludes with a three-question quiz. Glos. Review covers these Super Simple Engineering Projects titles: Engineer It! Bridge Projects, Engineer It! Canal Projects, Engineer It! Dam Projects, Engineer It! Road Projects, Engineer It! Skyscraper Projects, and Engineer It! Tunnel Projects.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(3) 4-6 Building by Design series. These books focus on four formidable architectural marvels constructed in diverse regions of the world. Each book details a specific building, giving an account of its unique purpose, history, design, construction, and modern use. Budding architects will find the series engaging. Stock photographs, diagrams, direct quotes, and sidebars provide clarity. "Fast Facts" and critical thinking questions are appended. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Building by Design titles: Engineering the Space Needle, Engineering the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Engineering Burj Khalifa, and Engineering the Taj Mahal.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) K-3 Engineering Super Structures series. Each book in this series superficially introduces newly independent readers to a different type of engineered structure, noting its history, construction, uses, and maintenance. Every spread contains a few simple sentences--with new vocabulary in bold--plus accompanying photographs (including an awkwardly superimposed image of a child). A concluding "Think About It" question offers an opportunity for a bit of deeper reflection. Glos. Review covers these Engineering Super Structures titles: Dams, Bridges, Canals, Roads, Skyscrapers, and Tunnels.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(3) K-3 National Geographic Readers series. Leveled for "fluent readers," this volume chronicles the history of tall buildings, from the ten-story "skyscraper" built in 1885 Chicago to the present construction of the 3,281-foot Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia. Romero discusses construction of various famous structures, including their architectural designs, materials used, and problems encountered. Photos, diagrams, and fact boxes add interest and extend the clear text. Quiz appended. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Ryan O'Rourke. A construction worker leads a diverse group of children on a tour of a skyscraper building site. Simple rhyming text introduces each step of the building process, while explanations in smaller font, labeled illustrations, and helpful diagrams provide more detail. O'Rourke's friendly illustrations, done entirely in Adobe Photoshop, cleanly show the development. A final vertical fold-out page displays the finished skyscraper.

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(4) 4-6 Fans of the thirteen-year-old super-agent will rejoice at Ruby's return for a fourth adventure. This time, she pursues a phantom thief who steals from skyscrapers. Fearless Ruby enjoys the challenge, developing her parkour skills and cracking puzzles designed by prominent mathematician Marcus du Sautoy (further information about Ruby's challenges is appended). Despite its pacing issues, this is another exciting installation in the series.

Reviewer: Grace Enriquez

(3) 4-6 This volume introduces over a century of urban architecture with striking photographs, key facts, running timelines, and descriptions of the skyscrapers' designs and constructions. The coverage of the thirteen selected buildings reveals broader political, economic, and social histories. Design choices for the series, such as asterisks for glossary terms, only slightly detract from an overall attractive and informative package. Glos.

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(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) 4-6 In these stylish, cleanly designed volumes, young readers are introduced to the influential architects--including Le Corbusier, Gustave Eiffel, and Frank Gehry--behind some of the most well-known structures in the world. Small-scale line drawings with limited coloring follow the text closely, but details are often too finely rendered to be of much use in clarifying technical architectural concepts. Review covers these titles: Who Built That?: Modern Houses and Who Built That?: Skyscrapers.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) 4-6 Great Idea: Engineering series. REVIEW MISSING

Reviewer: Roger Sutton

(3) YA History's Great Structures series. In this volume, the history of the iconic Twin Towers complex, from birth to destruction to resurgence is explored from various angles including economic impact, architectural significance, and cultural relevance. Modern and archival photographs, maps, diagrams, sidebars, and definitions supplement the rich, detailed, but still easy-to-read text. Numerous quotations from primary and secondary sources add academic weight. Reading list, timeline, websites. Ind.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(2) 4-6 Mohawks have been in high steel for more than a hundred years, since construction of the first railroad bridge over the St. Lawrence in 1886. Throughout this useful book, Weitzman effectively mingles social and industrial history to tell the mens' story. Ironworker testimony, along with other eyewitness reports, gives the volume a documentary, you-are-there feel. Historical photographs appear throughout. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Barbara Bader | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2010

(3) 4-6 Stunning art deco–style illustrations make this history of skyscrapers stand tall. Curlee introduces New York's Chrysler Building then discusses construction methods of ancient civilizations. He next presents late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century innovations before exploring the cutting-edge skyscrapers of today (e.g., Dubai's Burj Al Arab Hotel). Readers will discover both the art and science of construction. An appended chart shows notable buildings' relative heights. Bib.

Reviewer: Betty Carter

(4) K-3 See More Readers series. Simon introduces examples of early skyscrapers before focusing on present-day construction and modern buildings. Many, but not all, difficult terms are defined within the text, which is accompanied by uncaptioned photographs in an accessible design. The construction process is painted in broad strokes.

Reviewer: Angela Leeper

(2) K-3 Photographs by Michael J. Doolittle. This photo-essay traces the rise of the Random House building from conception to completion; a brief text outlines some of the construction jobs and challenges. Dramatic photos will attract youngsters and whet their appetites for more information. Goodman conveys respect for the builders and awe at the precision and effort it takes to erect such a structure.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2005

(1) K-3 Is this another September 11 book? No--and yes. In 1974, Philippe Petit, the French street performer and high-wire walker, couldn't resist the temptation to dance between the twin towers of the World Trade Center. Gerstein pulls the reader into the story with a conversational style extended by playful pen and paint illustrations. Like Petit, Gerstein conceals much careful planning behind an obvious enjoyment of his subject.

Reviewer: Lolly Robinson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2003

(4) K-3 In a saccharine tale that echoes Virginia Lee Burton's The Little House, the once-proud art-deco-style Little Skyscraper is slowly dwarfed by newer, bigger buildings until it is eventually preserved as a historic landmark. The illustrations, cartoonlike and naive, evoke a feeling of the fifties and sixties with their varied pastel palette.

Reviewer: CHristine Sarrazin

(4) 4-6 Building Amazing Structures series. These books present some history on the earliest skyscrapers and stadiums but focus on contemporary structures. The simply written prose explains how they are designed, constructed, and maintained, while occasional "Try This" boxes provide activities to help teach the scientific principles behind the constructions. Photos of some well-known skyscrapers and stadiums illustrate the somewhat crowded pages. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Edward Miller. A brief account of the origins of skyscrapers precedes a general overview of how the structures are built. Miller's symmetrical, angular graphics (in the same style as Cross a Bridge) give step-by-step visual representation to Hunter's simple text, which describes many of the basic details involved in the building process.

Reviewer: Mary Burkey