Ryan Ann Hunter

Beautifully illustrations and layout. Clean, crisp, uncluttered pictures are a joy. The text is sparse but gives all the information needed, with one curious exception: no mention is made of the space program in the timeline. How weird is that, for a book in which the endnote was written by a NASA astronaut?

Summary: This book tells about the history of skyscrapers. The book also tells how many skyscrapers are built in unique different ways based on the characteristics of the area. The books also gives the reader a brief lesson on the sequence in which skyscrapers are built.

Personal Reactions: I love how this books teaches kids how the really big skyscrapers are built and what it takes to do it. It gives pictures and buildings from around the world. Defiantly will get attention of little boys show more who like to create and build things with their hands.

Classroom Extension: Have the students drawl their dream skyscraper and where would it be located at. Bring in some building blocks or have play dough to build stuff out of. show less

Simple text and bright, full-page illustrations describe what bridges are, what they cross (rivers, valleys, etc.), what they're made of, and the different kinds (these are also on the endpapers: pontoon, trestle, log, drawbridge, suspension, beam, covered, arch), as well as the types of things that cross them (people, cars, etc.). Informative; just right for a 3yo.

Skyscrapers are described giving students a glimpse into how they are made and what they are used for. It gives a detailed step by step account of how construction workers build one starting with a bases and steel frame.

This book although dull to me would probably intrigue boys in my class. There are a few things I could do with this book. Mostly I would use it as a social studies segment.

I could do a lesson comparing city, suburban, and rural areas. Asking them where they could find show more different structures (Barns, supermarkets, skyscrapers, schools). With older students I could do a lesson where they look up 10 skyscrapers in ten different states or in other countries and tell about the building. show less