Walls: The Long History of Human Barriers and Why We Build Them (Orca Timeline #5)
by Gregor Craigie (Author) Arden Taylor (Illustrator)
Building walls that separate us from others is as old as humanity.
People have built walls to keep others out for thousands of years, from the Great Wall of China to Hadrian's Wall to security fences along the US-Mexico border. But did you know they've also been built to keep people in, to grow food, to control nature and to collect taxes? Sometimes they've helped people and kept communities safe, but they've also created inequity and done more harm than good.
Why do we have walls at all? Walls: the Long History of Human Barriers and Why We Build Them explores the many reasons humanity has put up walls over the course of our history, and why we continue building them today.
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School Library Journal
Gr 4-8--Craigie's latest details the age-old practice of building walls and the reasons behind them, from ancient wonders like the Great Wall of China to modern border fences. The book explores the many motivations for creating walls, such as protecting communities from invasion, deterring illegal immigration, safeguarding farms from animals, and reversing the effects of climate change. It explores the nuanced consequences of walls, from maintaining safety to fostering inequity and harm. Beyond its research value, this will appeal to geography and travel enthusiasts who seek unique information about locations around the world. The writing adopts an academic tone and within concise, single-page narratives, conveys an abundance of information about unique locations across the globe. The digitally created artwork, featuring earthy tones, adds visual appeal, while the occasional photographs allow readers to observe the actual places firsthand. A table of contents, glossary, further resources, and an index are all included. VERDICT An attractive purchase for larger collections or populations interested in understanding the history of walls, geography, and the human tendency to build barriers.--Kate Rao
Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.ALA/Booklist
This colorful and inviting offering fills a void and makes for great middle-school world history curriculum support while shoring up STEAM collections.
Review quotes
"Conveys an abundance of information about unique locations across the globe...An attractive purchase for larger collections or populations interested in understanding the history of walls, geography, and the human tendency to build barriers."
— "School Library Journal"Gregor Craigie is a radio journalist and writer. He has worked for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation for many years. Before that he worked in several cities, including London, England, where he was an announcer for the BBC World Service and a reporter for CBS Radio. Gregor's first book for adults, On Borrowed Time: North America's Next Big Quake, was a finalist for the Writers' Trust Balsillie Prize for Public Policy and the City of Victoria Butler Book Prize. His first book for children was Why Humans Build Up: The Rise of Temples, Towers and Skyscrapers, part of the Orca Timeline series. He lives in Victoria, British Columbia.
Arden Taylor is a Toronto-based freelance illustrator. A graduate of Sheridan College with an honors bachelor of illustration, she enjoys digitally creating colorful illustrations of architecture and people and designs for wallpaper and other projects. Her clients include Hazlitt Magazine and the California Institute of Technology, and her work has been featured in various magazines, newspapers, advertising campaigns and websites.
JNF043000 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Social Science | Politics & Government
JNF005000 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Architecture
JNF025260 - Juvenile Nonfiction | History | Symbols, Monuments, National Parks, Etc.
