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)

by Elizabeth Mann (Author), Alan Witschonke (Illustrator) "In the winter of 1852, John Roebling and his 15-year-old son, Washington, were riding a Fulton Ferry boat across the East River from New York..." (more)
Key Phrases: main cables, East River, New York, Brooklyn Bridge (more...)

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 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Mikaya Press (September 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0965049302
• ISBN-13: 978-0965049306
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 10.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,045,424 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An extraordinary book, April 8, 1998

By A Customer

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 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.