A Grand Idea: How William J. Wilgus Created Grand Central Terminal

by Megan Hoyt (Author) David Szalay (Illustrator)

A Grand Idea: How William J. Wilgus Created Grand Central Terminal
Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

Written by award-winning author Megan Hoyt, this thoughtful STEM picture book biography about the brilliant architect of Grand Central Terminal is a celebration of resilience in the face of adversity, creative problem solving, and, of course, trains!

There was once a place in New York City that had a tennis club, movie theater, and art gallery—all in the same building! It also had a secret passageway, a huge library, and even a ski slope.

This astounding building is Grand Central Terminal, and it was the work of one brilliant man: William J. Wilgus. When William, an experienced engineer, wanted to create a new electric-powered train system, he knew he needed to house this special fleet somewhere exceptional. His grand idea of a solution? An underground multilevel train station that would become an iconic New York landmark, and one that is still an integral part of the city over a century later.

Acclaimed author Megan Hoyt pays homage to William J. Wilgus and his crowning achievement in this STEM-oriented picture book biography, with whimsical illustrations by Dave Szalay.

Select format:
Hardcover
$19.99

Find books about:

School Library Journal

Starred Review

K-Gr 4--Hoyt and Szalay's words and pictures respectively recreate a noble idea followed by a miraculous set of circumstances, including the right people in the right place at the right time, who set it in motion. Anyone who has ever set foot into Grand Central Terminal in New York City knows what an iconic hub it has become. But who had the vision? William J. Wilgus was a chief engineer who saw that the coal-powered trains were part of a gigantic, city-clogging problem, and when two trains crashed and 55 people were "injured or worse," he set about inventing trains that would be steam-powered and require electricity. He also came up with plans that included two stories of train track, as much steel as three Eiffel Towers, a notion to run those tracks underground, and enlisted the wealthy Vanderbilts to fund it. The details of this story are themselves electrifying--that one man envisioned all this and then set about making it happen is clearly explained, fully illustrated, and brilliant. There are fights! The Vanderbilts have their own ideas about who should be the architects. There are delays! Arguing materials, paths, logistics--it all takes time. Then, the building opens about a decade after it's first considered, and it's beautiful. The stories after that are also included--from the sale of the "air rights" above it to bring in money, to the dawn of the aviation age and Grand Central's fall into disrepair. Resplendent paintings, in a style that borrows the flat forms of American folk art, bring all this to life, while the afterword and time line of events help readers get their bearings in history, not only of New York City, but globally as well. VERDICT A charming tale, and to think it's all true! Whether readers are train and construction buffs or not, this is a living, breathing biography of a building, and the man who believed in it from the ground up. Extraordinary.--Kimberly Olson Fakih

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

"A colorful tale. A rare introduction to one of New York City's more influential but lesser-known builders, and his "Grand" work." — Kirkus Reviews

"Hoyt's lively text is chockful of information, presented in a child-friendly way. Szalay's textured, detail-fueled digital illustrations ably convey time and place." — Horn Book Magazine

Classification
Non-fiction
ISBN-13
9780063064744
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Quill Tree Books
Publication date
January 23, 2024
Series
-
BISAC categories
JNF038100 - Juvenile Nonfiction | People & Places | United States
JNF007040 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Biography & Autobiography | Music
JNF025210 - Juvenile Nonfiction | History | United States/20th Century
Library of Congress categories
History
New York
New York (N.Y.)
Biographies
Picture books
1898-1951
Civil engineers
Grand Central Terminal (New York, N.Y.)
Railroad terminals
Wilgus, William J

Subscribe to our delicious e-newsletter!