Do
you have a son (or daughter) who is enthralled with building projects?
Here are some favorite pictures books for elementary-age
children that will bring to life some of the amazing construction
projects in America still standing today. These books all passed, not only my children's attention test, but also their mother's.
Hanging Off Jefferson's Nose: Growing Up on Mount Rushmore
by Tina Nichols Coury, Illustrated by Sally Wern Comport
Lincoln
was only a boy when his father, sculptor Gutzon Borglum, suggested
carving four presidents' faces into a South Dakota mountain. But
without Lincoln's help, this bold project would have never been
completed. The astounding accomplishment of Mt. Rushmore is told,
accompanied with great illustrations.
Pop's Bridge
by Eve Bunting, Illustrated by C.F. Payne
Robert
thinks his father has the best job as an iron worker on the Golden
Gate Bridge in San Francisco. But when an accident occurs, he
realizes that each worker is important. A well-illustrated book that
includes historical information about the bridge.
Follow
four boys, a French metal worker, a sailor, a New York newsboy, and
an iron worker—as they contribute to the building of the Statue of
Liberty. Children interested in construction will pour over the
detailed drawings that add interest and historical accuracy to each
boy's story. The writing feels a bit stilted but the book has much to
offer.
Naming Liberty by
Jane Yolen, Illustrated by Jim Burke
A
parallel story that tells of a young Russian girl on a journey to
America and an artist with a bold vision for a statue that celebrates
America's freedom. A reminder of the determination and persistence
that made the Statue of Liberty, and a new home in America, a
reality.
You Wouldn't Want to Work on the Brooklyn Bridge: An Enormous Project That Seemed Impossible by
Tom Ratliff, Illustrated by Mark Bergin
This
book (and the others in the “You Wouldn't Want to...” series)
take a humorous and sometimes sarcastic look at famous events. The
illustrations are comic-style and are a hit with children, especially
action-loving boys. But the historical information is solid, and this
book gave a good overview of the challenges that faced the builders
of the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City.
Twenty-One Elephants
by Phil Bildner, Illustrated by LeUyen Pham
The
amazing Brooklyn Bridge has been completed, but many are scared to
walk on the new bridge. Everyone but Hannah. With the help of
Barnum's twenty-one elephants, Hannah proves the Brooklyn Bridge is
safe. A well-illustrated story based on a true event.
Sky Boys: How They Built the Empire State Building
by Deborah Hopkinson, Illustrated by James E. Ransome
The
1930's was a discouraging time for many Americans but the Empire
State Building brought hope. This is the incredible story of one of
the world's most famous buildings and the men, called sky boys, who
dared the heights. Well-researched book combines with great drawings
to make it worth your time.
Do you have any favorite children's book on building projects to add to this list?
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Thank you the book titles! My son reads so quickly I am always on the lookout for new books.
ReplyDeleteI love David Macaulay's books! They were published in the 1980s, but you can probably still get them through libraries. I know they are still in print. I can remember Pyramid, City, Cathedral, and Mill, especially. I'm reading Underground to my boys right now, and we just read Unbuilding. Look for them--you and your children will love them. I'm going to look at our library here in New Zealand and see if I can get any that you mentioned, but I'm dubious. I'd like to review them for my daughter's book review website. I love picture books like you are mentioning here!
ReplyDeleteI had forgotten about David Macaulay's but they were a favorite of mine when I was a child and my children have enjoyed them too. But I've never seen Unbuilding, I'll have to look for it.
DeleteGina
I always love to see your book lists. I am going to see if I can interlibrary loan any of these. This year we are studying the USA and so it would be nice to see if we can get any of them. However we are in Canada so I am not sure that they would be in our libraries. Last year we studied Canada. I also love David Macaulay's books and I was able to get one at a used book sale.
ReplyDeleteJust curious- how do you/do you save lists of your favourite books? How do you do it, by topic? I am finding it challenging to keep track of the books we read and also keep them all in my head so I can use them later for the younger children as they get older.
I wish I had a good solution for book lists. This is one reason that I'm sharing some of my book lists here - maybe I'll be able to find them again! Right now I have some of my books we have read and enjoyed listed chronological by history date. This is helpful when studying, for example, the middle ages. Other books I have listed by topic, such as sea creatures. I'd love to figure out a way to make the lists more easy for me to use, but I haven't found a good method yet. And then there is the problem of age level. Do I make separate lists for older and younger children, or keep them all together? I'd love to hear any ideas that you all might have.
DeleteGina
David Macaulay's book on Castles is one of my favorites. It's also available on youtube as a documentary that's pretty good. :)
ReplyDelete