Who Built That? Bridges: An Introduction to Ten Great Bridges and Their Designers

Gr 4–6—An overview of 10 bridges and their architects. Each engineering feat is introduced in chronological order, from 1779 to 2013. Several, such as the Brooklyn Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge, will be familiar to the intended audience, although most will be new discoveries. Readers are also introduced to a number of other famous or notable creations done by each designer. For example, the chapter on architect Santiago Calatrava and the Peace Bridge in Calgary, Canada, includes a page on his design for the new World Trade Center Transportation Hub in New York City. Expertly rendered line drawings give this a picture book feel, but the text is geared toward an older, more studious audience. The design resembles a bridge, asking readers to pursue it horizontally rather than vertically. Footnotes clarify the writing on certain spreads.