February 1, 2012
Gr 3-6-The first book highlights some of the world's biggest and fastest (and scariest) amusement-park attractions and how they operate, such as the Steel Dragon 2000 in Japan, Insano in Brazil (the tallest water slide in the world), and The Crypt in Virginia. Skyscrapers features some of the tallest buildings in the world and their dramatic architecture, including Burj Khalifa in the United Arab Emirates, the Empire State Building, and the Petronas Towers in Malaysia. Buildings shows off some of the world's strangestlooking structures, such as the Oriental Pearl TV Tower in Shanghai, the Longaberger Home Office in Ohio, and the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Spain. Each title begins with historical and background information, then highlights eight rides or buildings, followed by their opening dates, locations, heights, and a special feature that makes them unique. Clear writing provides factual information about each structure and how it measures up in comparison to familiar objects, giving readers a better understanding of its size and scale. Small boxes with quick facts are directed at specific points in full-page color photos, providing additional information. Smaller pictures include close-ups of the ride or building. Each title concludes with a page of four additional structures of interest. Readers will be mesmerized by the awesomeness of these one-of-a-kind man-made creations.-Janet Weber, Tigard Public Library, OR
Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
January 1, 2012
Grades 1-5 Amusement-park rides, buildings, skyscrapers, and sports stadiums. No big deal, right? But the So Big Compared to What? series looks at extreme versions of these commonplace structures. The structures in Freaky-Strange Buildings include the Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai, which sits on a man-made island and was constructed to resemble the sail of an Arabic boat, or dhow. In addition to a paragraph of information, each of the entries (eight per book) includes date of opening, location, height, and noteworthy feature. The colorful photos are fun to examine, and cloudy-sky backgrounds on each page enhance the larger-than-life feel. There are thought bubbles, stat boxes, and size comparisons throughout, making this series particularly child-friendly. Back matter includes additional examples of adjective-worthy rides and structures, a glossary, and suggestions for further reading.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)
January 1, 2012
Straightforward texts provide very general facts about quirky, unusual, and intriguing buildings from around the world. Some of the size comparisons are useful while others seem like filler. There's just enough information to satisfy the most basic requirements of an elementary-school report. Accompanying photographs are generally large, clear, and well-produced (some are a little fuzzy). Reading list. Bib., glos., ind.
(Copyright 2012 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)