The Brooklyn Bridge: The story of the world's most famous bridge and the remarkable family that built it. (Wonders of the World Book) [Hardcover]

Elizabeth Mann (Author), Alan Witschonke (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 1 and up | Series: Wonders of the World Book

John Roebling had a dream.

He would build the world's longest bridge and he would build it in a new way. But his way was too new. It took 15 years to convince people it would work. And then, just as construction was to begin, John Roebling was killed in a freak accident.

That should have been the end of the story of The Brooklyn Bridge. Instead, it was the beginning. For John wasn't the only Roebling who could dream.

The Brooklyn Bridge is about a legendary feat of engineering and an extraordinary family. Through rare, historical photographs, informative diagrams, and powerful illustrations, we learn exactly how this magnificent bridge was designed and constructed. From the Roeblings, we learn of loyalty, courage, sacrifice, and commitment.

The Brooklyn Bridge is the story of a bridge across a great river and a bridge across generations, a bridge of stone and steel and one of the human spirit.

Wonders of the World series

The winner of numerous awards, this series is renowned for Elizabeth Mann's ability to convey adventure and excitement while revealing technical information in engaging and easily understood language. The illustrations are lavishly realistic and accurate in detail but do not ignore the human element. Outstanding in the genre, these books are sure to bring even the most indifferent young reader into the worlds of history, geography, and architecture.

"One of the ten best non-fiction series for young readers."
- Booklist

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This first volume of the Wonders of the World series offers an uneven account of the problem-plagued construction of the renowned suspension bridge. Brief, choppy sentences and too much extraneous technical detail slow the narrative's pace considerably, while sidebars prove distracting. Yet Mann includes some lively analogies (describing the anchorages, she says, "That's like having 12,000 large elephants hanging on to the main cables"), and she succeeds in giving young readers a close-up, on-the-scene view of a complex engineering project. The unfortunate design presents a visual hodgepodge of simple, uncluttered pages and busy spreads featuring illustrations of various media. These include period drawings that range from delicately detailed to blurry; photographs; and disappointingly stiff original art by Witschonke. Two gatefolds, one vertical and one horizontal, are similarly disjointed, not visually integrated into facing spreads. Ages 7-up.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6. Two eye-catching titles that feature an informative mix of historical reproductions, striking illustrations, and clearly presented texts. Each book opens with an attention-grabbing fictional scene. The Brooklyn Bridge begins on the Fulton Ferry, where John Roebling and his son discuss the need for a more efficient method of crossing the East River. The design, step-by-step construction, personalities involved, multiple setbacks, and ultimate completion of this New York City landmark are all presented in a readable narrative, supported by diagrams and dramatic illustrations. In the first pages of The Great Pyramid, an enthusiastic farm boy leaves his small village to help construct the tomb of the pharaoh Khufu. The book touches briefly on the religious beliefs and social structure of ancient Egypt, while focusing on Khufu's reign and the construction and design of his 50-story monument. The full-page paintings are stunning; touched with tones of gold and textures that reflect a desert setting, they point to the mystery of this ancient civilization. Captioned, full-color photos of artifacts also enhance the well-written text. Both of these beautifully designed titles include fold-out sections that give readers a sense of the size of these structures. Although they include enough information for homework assignments, these books are a browser's paradise.?Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 1 and up
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Mikaya Press (September 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0965049302
• ISBN-13: 978-0965049306
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 10.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #676,017 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An extraordinary book, April 7, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Brooklyn Bridge: The story of the world's most famous bridge and the remarkable family that built it. (Wonders of the World Book) (Hardcover)

This is an extraordinary book, which would make a lovely gift for any child fascinated by bridges - or New York City. Its text is both informative and lively. And the illustrations are as fine. There are original illustrations of both the bridge and the people involved in its building, diagrams that clearly show how the bridge was built (and prevent the author from having to muddy up the text with too many technical details) and historical photos. Truly a creative approach to illustrating an inspiring book. My son, 8, has asked me to find him Elizabeth Mann's other books - she's written one about the pyramids and the Great Wall of China - right away. What a recommendation.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Brooklyn Bridge, April 9, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Brooklyn Bridge: The story of the world's most famous bridge and the remarkable family that built it. (Wonders of the World Book) (Hardcover)

This is a great book for kids and it has wonderful illustrations. I am using it in a lesson plan for a fourth grade art appreciation class on New York architecture.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great story, May 20, 2009

By 

K. Flood (New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Brooklyn Bridge: The story of the world's most famous bridge and the remarkable family that built it. (Wonders of the World Book) (Paperback)

This is a really touching story about the building of the Brooklyn Bridge. The illustrations are beautiful and the story is very educational.