Book Description

History has never been so interesting! Kids can step back in time with the "My World" series. Crafts, activities, stories, and historical facts give today's children a close look at youngsters of past cultures. Photographs of children in costume help bring the past alive, and can be a perfect companion to a school history curriculum. The activities are great for class projects or for at-home pretending. Whether a child is interested in Ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, the Middle Ages, Plains Indians or Vikings... the "My World" series is a great, fun tool. ... Read more

Book Description

Grab your tool kit and put on your hard hat-there's a house to build! It starts with drawing up the floor plans and ends with laying down a welcome mat, but in between there are lots of things to do. Children will love following all the steps as bulldozers clear the land and cement mixers pour the foundation. Then it's time to put up the walls, install the plumbing, nail down the roof shingles, and hang the doors. Bright, humorous illustrations capture all the details around the construction site as a busy family lends a hand (and sometimes a paw!) to build their dream house.

Illustrated by Elwood H. Smith. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

House Goes Up.....
"Make a plan. Count the feet. Clear the land on this street..." It's time to raise the roof and build that dream house. From the planning, pouring concrete, sawing and hammering wood, laying pipes and wiring, to drywalling, hanging windows and doors, painting, carpeting and tiling, Anastasia Suen details all the things that need to be done before a house is ready to be lived in. Her rhyming text, written in short, simple sentences is perfect for the youngest "construction workers" always ready to build with pretend tools and hard hats. But it's Elwood Smith's bold, bright, and clever cartoon-like illustrations that really make this picture book a stand out. Each two page spread is rich in vivid color, engaging humor, and wonderful eye-catching details. "Plant the garden. Water the grass. The house is ready. We're done at last!" Raise The Roof is definitely a preschool crowd pleaser. ... Read more

Book Description

Discover what lies behind the massive stones of a castle wall, beyond the iron gates and over the deep dark moat. Meet the elegant lady, the blacksmith in his forge, and the young squire learning to joust. ... Read more

From the Publisher

Just south of the center of Houston, in a spot that used to be partof the flat Texas prairie, lies the Harris County Domed Stadium, betterknown as the Astrodome. It was the first domed sports stadium in theworld and was an engineering marvel when it was built in the 1960's.

Our nation's unique identity has been formed, in large part, by the monuments and landmarks we have erected. Structures such as the famous Gateway Arch in St. Louis and the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., stand today as permanent reminders of the people and events that have built a strong America. Many of these structures made history even as they were created; most integrated the latest in design and technology and required the skills of thousands of workers. For the first time, the Building America series chronicles the massive undertakings that mark some of the greatest triumphs of human engineering. The fact that these projects were even attempted, and then completed successfully, is a testament to the boldness of human ingenuity and a tribute to the brave spirit of the American people. It is that special spirit that is now captured in the pages of the Building America series.

Grades 3-7; 7 1/2 x 9; 48 pages; 40-45 photos; Chronology; Glossary; Further Reading; Source; Notes; Index ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Astrodome will always be thought of
I loved this book and I miss the Astrodome. I want the world to know more about the Astrodome. I read this book for more information on a book that I am writing about the Astrodome. I am an native Houstonian and proud to say I love the Astrodome and wish it were still in use.

I Miss the Astrodome
I found this book very informative about the best baseball stadium ever.I admit I am prejudiced.I've been an Astros fan since the late 1960s and loved going to both baseball and football games at the 'Dome'.I find it a shame that professional sports owners think they need a new stadium or arena every 20 years or so. If not for this sad occurence, the Astros would still be playing their home games in the Astrodome and the football Oilers never would have left Houston.

THE EIGHTH WONDER OF THE WORLD
The Astrodome is a marvel.It became outdated for baseball due to seating expansion for football which removed the famous scoreboard.The other factors included lack of home runs because the ball didn't carry inside and the modern retractable roof giving a stadium the option for outdoor events.As a building, it is the finest in sports I've ever seen and the first to use luxury boxes.Anyone calling the edifice a dump needs a dose of reality.The fact that "The Dome" is hardly used now is sad and the thought of knocking it down would be an American tragedy.After the Roman Colosseum, the Astrodome is the most famous sports theater that has ever graced the planet.

Hideous
I think Gary Thorne said it best: "Remember years ago when they thought the Astrodome was the wave of the future. People thought the Astros would play there forever...What a dump!"

An amazing look into the structure that set the standard.
Craig A. Doherty does a masterful job at examining the life and legacy of the Houston Astrodome.This book truly defines the Astrodome's place in architectural and sports history.Despite the larger and more modern domedfacilities, the Astrodome clearly remains the best.Details on itsconstruction and structural components are clearly explained in a trulyunderstandable fashion. Included is a glossary of Astrodome related terms. This is a great book for adults and kids. It is definitley a book to enjoyover and over again. ... Read more

Book Description

The 14-vol. set of Building America chronicles the massive undertakings that mark some of the greatest triumphs of human engineering. These projects are a testament to the boldness of human ingenuity and a tribute to the brave spirit of the American people. It is that special spirit that is now captured in the pages of Building America. Included in these volumes are:

• 40-45 photos
• Chronology
• Glossary
• Further Reading Section
• Source Notes
• Index

Book Description

The ancient Greeks built magnificent temples in which to worship their gods. The skill of their architects, builders, stonemasons and craftsmen is legendary.

Find out how a temple was planned and designed.

See how the huge ornate columns and carvings are created.

Book Description

Pat Cummings draws out personal stories and practical advice from thirteen talented and popular artists, including Paul O. Zelinsky, winner of the 1998 Caldecott Medal for "Rapunzel" (Dutton), and Peter Sís, author and illustrator of the Caldecott Honor book "The Starry Messenger" (Farrar Straus). Artists answer questions about how they got their first job, what their studios are like, what they do all day, and where they get their inspiration. Though the artists' answers are as unique and varied as their work, all of these remarkably talented people share a great passion for communicating with the world through illustration. Childhood snapshots or each artist, examples of first illustration attempts, a section on secret drawing techniques, and even an introduction to some special pets help make the third volume of "Talking with Artists" as humorous, engaging, and inspirational as its award-winning companions and a must-have for aspiring artists. Bibliography ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Not Just for Kids!!
I got this book at the library for my children, but I think I enjoyed it as much as they did! (I plan to buy a copy of my own!) Instead of a cool, impersonal presentation of artists and their work, this book provides a refreshingly personal view. The artists talk about their childhoods, how they spend their days (the answers are fun & honest!), their families, and best of all, they give us peeks inside their studios. I don't know about you, but I love seeing inside of an artist's private workspace! It's like a glimpse inside his/her mind.
The styles of the artists are very diverse and they use many different techniques that kids and adults alike would like to try out. I highly recommend this book!

This book is great!
Talking With Artists volume.3

This book is pretty interesting. It is about artists who share what they like to draw and about their lives. They are asked questions such as, "Do you have any kids or pets?" The illustrators show some of pictures that they drew when they were children. They also show how the children illustrators got their inspiration to draw.

I liked this book because it was neat to see how good some of the kids are at drawing and then to see them draw as they are older. Also that was cool it showed how to draw pictures in the back of the book. I recommend this book to people who are just stating to draw and people that want to read an interesting book. ... Read more

Book Description

The Empire State Building in New York City is probably the most famous building in America, and not only because of King Kong!When it was being built almost 70 years ago, 3,500 workers were employed on its site.One of them was sixteen-year-old Joe Carbonelli, whose job was to carry drinking water up to the other workers.Joe's story explains how the world's tallest skyscraper was built in only 18 months, a tower 1,250 feet high with 102 floors. People called it the Eighth Wonder of the World. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Joe and the Skyscraper
A great book! I bought it because my sons name is Joe. The true stor is very moving and I even cried. I have bought this book for two schools ... Read more

Book Description

From old favorites like Monticello, Falling Water, and the Chrysler Building, to lesser-known treasures like Bernard Maybeck’s First Church of Christ, Scientist (in Berkeley, California), the buildings that Janice Weaver presents tell the story of a nation and its people. Traveling through almost four hundred years of history – and to all four corners of the continental United States – Building America explores an architecture that is as diverse as the people who created it. Complete with timeline, glossary, and index, this fine introduction to architecture is splendidly illustrated by Bonnie Shemie’s detailed paintings. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

for adults also
They say it's for pre-teens. okay, but it's is also for adults. The book opens with a timeline, beginning in 1520, and showing a variety of buildings over nearly 5 American centuries, from the Jamestown buildings to Harvard, old Philadelphia structures, prairie homes, the Capitol Building, tin ceilinged commercial buildings, train terminals, airports, the Chrysler Builing, and international and postmodern edifices. The timeline ends 9/11/2001. Each page is illustrated with buildings and their significant attributes. Some standouts are: For the First Settlers section, there is the Adam Thoroughgood House of Norfolk VA, and the Stadt Huys city hall of NYC (1641-1703); For the Colonies section, Faneuil Hall (1762) and Redwood Library (1750); For the Revolution, Monticello is a standout; the Smithsonian and Haughwout's cast iron department store are examples of early 19th Century buildings; and the U.S., Oregon State, and Nebrasska State Capitol buildings show the edifices of power. The Moorish Plum Street Temple and the Georgian style Christ Church stand as examples of American houses of worship; and McKim's Pennsylvania Station and the Mission Style Union Station are an examples of the American worship of transportation. The buildings of the Columbian Exposition of 1893 get their own page, as do the representative works of Frank Lloyd Wright, Arts and Crafts, the Jazz Age; the International Style; and postmodernism. A great quick intro the American architecture

An intriguing historical guide for ages 9 and older
Building America reveals almost four hundred years of history and travels across the U.S., using architecture and its creators as a touchstone from exploring American history. The result is an intriguing historical guide for ages 9 and older, which considers key architectural accomplishments and their role in American history and culture. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The amount of detail and color are out of this world!
I have never seen any illustration like this one. This is truly a great book for all ages. a must buy! ... Read more

Book Description

illustrations depict Old London Bridge, the Bridge of Sighs and modern masterpieces—the Brooklyn Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge.
... Read more

Reviews (1)

An intricate and informative "coloring" book
This book contains very intricate line drawings of bridges around the world. While the drawings are wonderful and the accompanying text is informative, it is definitely not a coloring book for children ages 4-8. My 7 and 10 year olds weren't at all interested in it, but my husband is eager to get at it with watercolors. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Nice to see a Faberge' book about Carl Faberge'.
This book has photos about Mr. Faberge' that are hard to find in other books. There are color photos of his eggs that are not found in other books. The only drawback I found was that "all the czars family werekilled" and there is still a mystery about Anastasia. Otherwise it isa great addition to any Faberge' library. ... Read more

Book Description

Now reference can be accessibleeven to younger readers!

Thousands of captivating facts andfigures about America are packedinto these ten colorful introductoryreference volumes. Clear, simplespreads about our nation's mostawe-inspiring natural features andlandmarks make America's Top 10books a wonderful way to getyoung readers hooked onreference. Easy-to-digest entriesprovide the most importantbackground and history whilebulleted boxes offer quick,at-a-glance highlights and facts.Beautiful full-color photographsmake the pages come alive as thetext sparks curiosity and furtherinterest in the subjects. Also included are a glossary, further reading section and an index. ... Read more

Book Description

Thousands of captivating facts and figures about America arepacked into these colorful introductory reference volumes.Clear, simplespreads about our nation's most awe-inspiring natural features andlandmarks make 'America's Top 10' books a wonderful way to get youngreaders hooked on reference. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Awesome Skyscrapers
This book not only has skyscrapers but, it has everything you want to know about them.

America's Top Ten Skyscrapers
I thought this book was excellent even though it was made for children. I'm 18 and I loved it. It had great pictures and descriptions to follow. Everybody loves skyscrapers and I believe your child will love this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Now reference can be accessibleeven to younger readers!

Thousands of captivating facts andfigures about America are packedinto these ten colorful introductoryreference volumes. Clear, simplespreads about our nation's mostawe-inspiring natural features andlandmarks make America's Top 10books a wonderful way to getyoung readers hooked onreference. Easy-to-digest entriesprovide the most importantbackground and history whilebulleted boxes offer quick,at-a-glance highlights and facts.Beautiful full-color photographsmake the pages come alive as thetext sparks curiosity and furtherinterest in the subjects. Also included are a glossary, further reading section and an index. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

One Teacher's Opinion
I just finished reading this book as part of my preparation for a Middle School unit on Bridge Construction, and I am disappointed. If you are looking for a quick and simple reference book, you may be satisfied;however, I found it thin on text (only 24 pages long, including the index),with only two to five paragraphs of collected information, facts andhistorical bits on each bridge. The text is dry; thus, I am not convincedit would engage young readers, and it offers very little to help kidsconceptually understand the different brdige types it features.This booknever does answer the question: "Why are THESE ten bridges America'sTOP bridges?"

The full page, color photographs do offer goodexamples of suspension, trestle, cantilever, pontoon, and stone archbridges, all from the United States. ... ... Read more