Capital [Paperback]

Lynn Curlee (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 9, 2006 | Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

How did the White House become white?

Who designed the capital city?

What is the Washington Monument made of?

Find the answers to these questions and many more about our stunning national capital, Washington D.C., within the pages of this illuminating book by award-winning author and illustrator Lynn Curlee.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This illuminating history of Washington, D.C., spotlights five of the city's most imposing structures: the U.S. Capitol, the White House, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial and the Jefferson Memorial. After explaining how George Washington selected the site of the new government seat, the author describes the original plan for the city, developed by engineer and architect Pierre-Charles L'Enfant, who "vowed to create a capital `magnificent enough to grace a great nation.' " Unlike his Brooklyn Bridge and Liberty, which focused on the development of one structure, Curlee here chronicles the planning and construction of all five landmarks, emphasizing the historical and architectural significance of each. He covers a lot of territory; some readers may wish he had dedicated the entire book to the most complex and captivating story (and the one to which he devotes the most pages): the Capitol. Curlee's paintings of the designs and buildings, especially the Capitol's dome, seemingly thrusting through the clouds, are as breathtaking as ever; the portraits of people, however, tend to be somewhat static or wooden. Budding historians will be most captivated by the tale of the Capitol's construction, its burning by the British during the War of 1812, its rebuilding and subsequent enlargements, as well as an ample sprinkling of trivia (e.g., Thomas Jefferson's anonymously submitted plans for the original "President's House" did not win its design competition; the Capitol served as a hospital during the Civil War; etc.). Curlee makes dramatic use of light in his spare, realistic acrylic paintings of this monumental architecture, readily conveying the buildings' splendor and grace. All ages.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-5-This in-depth look at the planning and construction of some of our country's most treasured architecture, which lines the National Mall in Washington, DC, is also U.S. history encapsulated. Mandated by the Constitution in 1787, the capital has existed as a potent symbol, both architectural and political, of a city and a government that belong to the entire country. At every architectural turn in the next two centuries, the building that has taken place around the Mall has echoed and amplified national events and concerns, and Curlee makes these connections clear. His training in art history is evident in his analyses of not only the buildings themselves, but also their role as expressions of our democratic beliefs. His oil paintings, which support the text admirably, are beautiful and architectural, almost severe, but often have human figures included both for scale and emotional accessibility, and in this they echo the text. This title is a worthy companion to Curlee's Liberty (2000), Rushmore (1999), and Brooklyn Bridge (2001, all Atheneum). It is a stirring, timely, and thoughtful reminder of the principles underpinning the creation of our nation, and a necessary addition to American history collections.
Dona Ratterree, New York City Public Schools
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (May 9, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416918019
• ISBN-13: 978-1416918011
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 8.4 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,101,665 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An informative tutorial for older picture book readers, April 7, 2003

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Capital (Hardcover)

Simon & Schuster continues to lead the flag-waving wave of children's books with "Capital," the publisher's latest patriotic primer. An informative tutorial geared for older picture book readers, "Capital" is a no-nonsense mini-text book decorated with colorful illustrations, renderings and maps. With years of scholarly research behind him as an art historian, author/illustrator Lynn Curlee takes a suitably serious approach. Though not chaptered, his book is clearly and concisely structured. First, Curlee gives an overview of the five great structures at the heart of the United States capital city, the "bustling metropolis of Washington, D.C." - namely, the White House, George Washington Monument, Abraham Lincoln Memorial, Thomas Jefferson Memorial, and the domed U.S. Capitol building - then proceeds to take a closer look at each one individually and chronologically. This is a fully fleshed account, with at least twice the text of the average non-fiction picture book, so no details are skimped, and the reader is never cheated with sketchy shortcuts. Amid the larger story, sections are peppered with interesting and memorable details such as the fact that future president Thomas Jefferson entered - and lost - a competition to design the original White House, then called the President's House. Curlee's bold, pristine paintings of buildings, settings and key figures architectural are highly stylized, yet accurately rendered to pay respect to the subjects, particularly the architectural details that are discussed in accompanying text. And at the very end, an author's note conveniently outlines the difference between "capitol," "Capitol" and "capital," which will surely aid conversations repeated again and again by teachers, students and most readers...including the book's editors who surely had an interesting proofreading task.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed--leaves a bad taste in my mouth, February 15, 2010

By 

happyhomemaker (VA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Capital (Paperback)

While this book has some interesting information and some lovely artwork, chose something else if you are looking for a balanced view of US history and famous men. Although this is primarily a book about buildings and monuments in D.C., the author understandably discusses some of our early leaders and presidents. I have no argument with that. What leaves a bad taste in my mouth is the negative view or impression of George Washington that my children would form after reading this book. While omitting most of the reasons George Washington was a truly great man, the author tells us our first president was "not a great intellect." Later Mr. Curlee says that Washington seems "remote" to us presumably because we have no photographs of him. What?? This appears to be a not too subtle rewriting of American history. If you want to teach your children the truth about George Washington, choose another book. The interesting information on the buildings is not worth the warped view of one our country's great men.