Brooklyn Bridge

Heavily based on David McCullough’s The Great Bridge, one of four items in the bibliography, this awe-inspiring study provides an excellent resource for young people. (specifications, timeline, bibliography) (Nonfiction. 8-12)

Copyright 2001 Kirkus Reviews, LLC Used with permission.

Gr 3-6-A wonderful picture book that tells the history behind the bridge and its construction, complete with the engineering facts and the human-interest anecdotes as well. Using full-color illustrations and diagrams, Curlee explains why the bridge was needed, why the engineering behind it was so important and innovative, and what the bridge has meant to those living in New York. The book's most important features include careful diagrams and descriptions showing how construction was conceived and executed. A map shows the bridge's location and a cross-section drawing delineates the caissons, supply shafts, air locks, etc. The narrative opens with New York City after the Civil War, explains the financing and final decision to build the bridge, and describes the roles of John A. Roebling and, later, his son, Washington, as Chief Engineer. A list of the bridge's specifications and a time line are appended. While not as complex as Elizabeth Mann's The Brooklyn Bridge (Mikaya, 1996), this title will appeal to audiences looking for report information and to those looking for an exciting story.-Susan Lissim, Dwight School, New York City Copyright 2001 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Like his previous Rushmore and Liberty, Curlee's latest picture book celebrates a monumental feat of engineering and craftsmanship, and makes clear the human contributions behind it. Completed in 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge's "stone towers were the most massive structures on the continent, its span was by far the longest in the world." Curlee pays tribute to the remarkable people who built this massive structure as well as the tremendous sacrifices they made. Many of those who worked on the bridge incurred injuries, illnesses and even death over the 16 years from its initial design to completion, not least of which was Chief Engineer John Roebling, who died of complications from an accident while working on the bridge, and his son, Washington, who finished his father's work even as he suffered great physical pain. Washington's wife, Emily, played a crucial role in helping her husband carry out the landmark's completion. The sweeping cityscape oil paintings of the bridge during sunset fireworks and glowing in the moonlight illustrate its majesty and pageantry. Maps, paintings and diagrams clearly delineate the location, mechanics and challenges described in the prose. Appendix illustrations offer detailed diagrams of suspension and support, specifications and a timeline. Readers fascinated with how things work may well regard bridges with greater respect, and aspiring engineers will gain a strong sense of the all-encompassing process of designing and erecting a suspension bridge. Ages 8-12. (May) Copyright 2001 Publishers Weekly Used with permission.