Editorial Review

"Is it a fact--or have I dreamt it--that, by means of electricity, the world of matter has become a great nerve, vibrating thousands of miles in a breathless point of time?" If you, like Nathaniel Hawthorne, are kept up at night wondering about how things work--from electricity to can openers--then you and your favorite kids shouldn't be a moment longer without David Macaulay's Read more

Reviews (24)

Amazing Book for the Inquisitive.
This was one of my favorite books as a child, and is a great deal of the reason why I have such an interest in science.The explanations are well written for anyone to understand, and the diagrams really help the reader understand the science better.If you, like me, take things apart to find out how they work, this is the book for you.

Great book
The book was a gift. It helps in the learning process.
A Work of Art
"The Way Things Work" took almost three years to create. A cute and sometimes silly "Great Wooly Mammoth" makes his appearance throughout the book. The facial expressions and animal antics are at times very amusing.
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Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Science    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    3. Juvenile Nonfiction    4. Popular works    5. Reference - General    6. Science & Nature - General    7. Technology    8. Technology (General)    9. Technology - How Things Work/Are Made    10. General science    11. Juvenile Nonfiction / Science & Technology / How Things Work    12. Technology & Applied Sciences   

Editorial Review

"Monster" is what the prosecutor called 16-year-old Steve Harmon for his supposed role in the fatal shooting of a convenience-store owner. But was Steve really the lookout who gave the "all clear" to the murderer, or was he just in the wrong place at the wrong time? In this innovative novel by Walter Dean Myers, the reader becomes both juror and witness during the trial of Steve's life. To calm his nerves as he sits in the courtroom, aspiring filmmaker Steve chronicles the proceedings in movie script format.Interspersed throughout his screenplay are journal writings that provide insight into Steve's life before the murder and his feelings about being held in prison during the trial. "They take away your shoelaces and your belt so you can't kill yourself no matter how bad it is. I guess making you live is part of the punishment."Read more

Reviews (606)

Monster is scary, not in a great way
I found that the story was too fast paced for something as dramatic as a 16 year old boy on trial for murder.The settings changed too quickly at the beginning, and I found the plot kind of confusing.The plot though, was believable and realistic, and there was very little profanity, if any.The language was not coated with heavy accents, the closest it got was gangsta talk. The point of view was from Steve Harmon, and there was a fair share of the plot jumping around. The characters were very real, and you could really picture it in your mind.Sadly, I could not say this for much of this book.
Is He Truly A Monster?
I'm not going to say much about the text in the book except that it was well written and well thought out. The format of the book was nicely put, because it is easy to read when the words aren't crammed together on a small page, and I liked how it was written in a script format.
Amazon book review by Karen
Monster by Walter Dean Myers was an excellent book.This book was about Steve Harmon.He was accused of being part of a robbery during which Mr. Nesbit was murdered.The book really puts the reader inside Steve's mind and emotions; the reader really hopes that Steve gets off trial and is let go without any charges.
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Subjects:  1. African Americans    2. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    3. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    4. Fiction    5. Juvenile Fiction    6. Law & Crime    7. People & Places - United States - African-American    8. Prisons    9. Self-perception    10. Social Issues - General    11. Social Issues - Prejudice & Racism    12. Social Issues - Violence    13. Social Situations - Prejudice & Racism    14. Social Situations - Violence    15. Trials (Murder)    16. Juvenile Fiction / Social Situations / Prejudice & Racism    17. Reading Group Guide   

Editorial Review

David Macaulay has made it his business to demystify science andtechnology for children (and certainly one or two surreptitious adults) with hisworldwide bestseller, Read more

Reviews (11)

Disappointing!Models don't work!
We find Macaulay's books intriguing and so proceeded to order the kit for our 11 year old daughter.She loves science, does experiments on her own at home, elects to attend science camps every summer, and wants to be an engineer.She found the instruction cards attractive and easy to follow BUT"half the things didn't work" and "it was boring". She was extremely disappointed with the kit as she painstakingly followed instructions, and attempted to troubleshoot and adapt the models when she found they wouldn't work. My husband and I are an electrical engineer and a physician respectively, and we too were unable to shed any light on the problems she was having. We definitely would advise parents NOT to buy this kit.

Still fun after all these years
I have loved David Macaulay's books since I was a kid. Though I've grown up, I am still facinated by his unique way of explaining things we take for granted. The Way Things Work is a road map for today's highly confusing and intimidating technological times. It allows you to gain a glimpse of the wonder of engineering, from the very simple, to the most complex.

great idea but very poor execution
it's a very poorly designed kit.parents have to do a LOT of it.Macaulay should have teamed up with LEGO to create his kit.Read more

Subjects:  1. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    2. Popular works    3. Technology    4. Technology (General)    5. Technology: General Issues   

Reviews (23)

A book ALL Archaeologists / Historians should read
If you are a fan of David Macaulay's books about the contruction of such wonders as a Cathedral, Pyramid, City, Mill, etc ... then you will really enjoy this book about future archaeologists / explorers "discovering" the burried ruins of an American motel room in the 41st century ... and the miss-identification of just about every item found. Motel of the Mysteries
I think this book is creatively written to get young people to read, and to get a good laugh about how people in the future look at people in the past.

Motel of the Mysteries
Great and interesting book for adolescents!Iwould highly recommend this book because it will keep you on the edge of your seats. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1950-    2. Anecdotes, facetiae, satire, etc    3. Antiquities    4. Civilization, Modern    5. Form - Parodies    6. Humor    7. North America    8. Juvenile Fiction / Humorous Stories    9. Modern fiction   

Editorial Review

A coming of age tale for young adults set in the trenches of the Vietnam War in the late 1960s, Read more

Reviews (257)

A War Story Chills You to the Bone
Fallen Angels, by Walter Dean Myers, is a deep, exhilarating war story about Richard Perry, a young recruit along with his fellow soldiers as they endure the horrors of war in Vietnam. I recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of war stories. This book is action packed, has a colorful cast of characters, and displays the horrors of war vividly.
Fallen Angels
The book Fallen Angles by Walter Dean Myers is a great book. Walter Dean Myers is one of my favorite authors. I have never been disapointed by any of his books. This one was about a young man drafted into the army. He was sent to active duty in Vietnam. It was all an errorthathe ended up in active duty he had a bad knee.The story brought you with the main character Richie Perry to the Vietnam war. Walter Dean Myers had you understand the fears and the feelings of the men in Perrys group. You met his new friends, sargents, and nurses. The book makes you feel like you areright there with them. You don't want to put the book down you were given more information about the Vietnam war. Its not as much the detail of the location and what was happening but more about the thoughts of the troops. You got the view from the people that were actually there in the trenches. They where trying to survive. There where men dying,they were friends there where feeling of loosing your friend to the war. Every one wanted to get out alive and well and start a new life. I recomend this book to anyone who likes war stories. This book will not only give you the war story, but the view from those who served. Not just the facts but the feelings.

Fallen Angels
The book Fallen Angles by Walter Dean Myers is a great book. Walter Dean Myers is one of my favorite authors. I have never been disapointed by any of his books. This one was about a young man drafted into the army. He was sent to active duty in Vietnam. It was all an errorthathe ended up in active duty he had a bad knee.The story brought you with the main character Richie Perry to the Vietnam war. Walter Dean Myers had you understand the fears and the feelings of the men in Perrys group. You met his new friends, sargents, and nurses. The book makes you feel like you areright there with them. You don't want to put the book down you were given more information about the Vietnam war. Its not as much the detail of the location and what was happening but more about the thoughts of the troops. You got the view from the people that were actually there in the trenches. They where trying to survive. There where men dying,they were friends there where feeling of loosing your friend to the war. Every one wanted to get out alive and well and start a new life. I recomend this book to anyone who likes war stories. This book will not only give you the war story, but the view from those who served. Not just the facts but the feelings. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Afro-Americans    2. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - History    3. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12)    4. Fiction    5. Historical - Military & Wars    6. Juvenile fiction    7. Vietnamese Conflict, 1961-1975    8. Juvenile Fiction / General   

Editorial Review

It's no wonder that Read more

Reviews (73)

A Blip in the Slew of 5 Star Reviews
Though I doubt that my review will be either found helpful or noticed through the slew of 5 star reviews and 1 star reviews that go something like, "this book was hella dumm," the point of reviews in to speak your mind.This book, though it has rich characters and relationships, lacks the most important aspect of a novel: a plot.Victor Martinez fails to set out a definitive goal for the main character, and rather writes with "train of thought." The entire book is a jumble of situations the main character encounters that don't revolve around a central goal or conflict.Besides using unoriginal and sterotypical Mexican names such as "Hernandez" and "Garcia," the author writes with an overused and overly metaphorical style which doesn't pull the reader in until the last 15 pages or so.I recommend using spending your money elsewhere.

Ameica's Review
For teenagers 15 and up; Especially for the mexican-American who go trough a lot of tough times. Manney Hernandez is goin trough a difficult age. His brother Bernardo or "Nardo" as they call him goes from job to job; He never settels down in one. Manny's father is always getting drunk and gets fierd from work. Manny has been trough a lot he saw his father's arrest for having an unlicensed gun. All Manny wants is to gain respect. He is thinking about joining a gang but is that the only way to gain respect. How will Manny gain respect will it be trough hard work or is he going to take the easy way out and join a gang that will bring nothing good in the future. Coming of age is very difficult for evryone in that situation. The book should be read by guys who are in that difficult stage and the peer pressure of becoming a man.

Parrot in the oven
Parrot in the Oven
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Subjects:  1. Alcoholism    2. Children's Books - Young Adult Fiction    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. Classics    5. Family life    6. Fiction    7. Mexican Americans    8. People & Places - United States - Hispanic/Latino    9. Social Issues - Adolescence    10. Social Situations - Adolescence    11. Fiction dealing with multiculturalism    12. Juvenile Fiction / Classics    13. Reading Group Guide   

Editorial Review

Imagine yourself in 13th-century England. King Edward I has just named the fictitious Kevin le Strange to be the Lord of Aberwyvern--"a rich but rebellious area of Northwest Wales." Lord Kevin's first task is to oversee the construction of a strategically placed castle and town in order to assure that England can "dominate the Welsh once and for all." And a story is born! In the Caldecott Honor Book Read more

Reviews (17)

For kids and their parents
I bought this book twenty years ago while in college because it was so well illustrated, and it did such a great job of answering questions I had about how castles were built and arranged.I haven't looked at it since, but save dit because I knew someday my kids would love it as much as I did.
Super Again!
I received"Castles" in a timely manner, and in good condition. I am always pleased with my purchases.

Wonderful non-fiction for kids
'Castle' gives a remarkable look a the creation of a medieval castle. The specifics of date, place, and people are all fiction, but the details of planning and construction are facts.
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Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Castles    3. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    4. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    5. Fortification    6. General    7. Juvenile Nonfiction    8. Juvenile literature    9. Architecture & buildings    10. Juvenile Nonfiction / Architecture   

Editorial Review

When children catch their first glimpse of a pyramid, a sea of questions inevitably tumbles forth. "Why are they shaped like that?" "How were they made?" "Who made them?" "What were they used for?" Perplexed adults can sigh with relief now that David Macaulay has found a way to thoroughly answer all those deserving questions. His exquisitely crosshatched pen-and-ink illustrations frame the engaging fictional story of an ancient pharaoh who commissions a pyramid to be built for him. With great patience and respect for minute detail (not unlike the creators of the early pyramids), Macaulay explains the sometimes backbreaking tasks of planning, hauling, chiseling, digging, and hoisting that went into the construction of this awe-inspiring monument. Just when the narrative teeters on the edge of textbook doldrums, Macaulay brings us back to the engaging human drama of death and superstition. This respectful blending of architecture, history, and mysticism will certainly satiate pyramid-passionate children as well as their obliging parents. ALA Notable Book. (Ages 9 and older) Read more

Reviews (10)

A captivating book on a popular subject with children
With exquisitely detailed black-line drawings, this book shows how the pyramids in Egypt may have been constructed. A two-page introduction gives some background of life in Egypt, including an overview of Egyptian spiritual beliefs and practices, especially those related to death and dying. The introduction makes clear that this book is based on an imaginary pharaoh and an imaginary pyramid and that there are differences of opinion about the construction process the Egyptians used.
good introduction
Though this was written nearly thirty years ago, this is stillone of the best introductions to the building of the pyramids out there, as he distills the basics down to the bare minimum without sacrificing much detail.The drawings, too, are superb, though the one page showing the various bald-headed workers made me think of Blue Man Group. A GREAT, FUN READ
My friend checked this book out from the library and lent it to me, and I really enjoyed it. Communicating through words and drawings, Mr. Macaulay makes us feel like we're there in Egypt watching the pyramids being built through the decades. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a book they can really sink their teeth into. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Children's 9-12 - Architecture    3. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    4. Children: Grades 4-6    5. Civilization    6. Design and construction    7. Egypt    8. Juvenile literature    9. Pyramids    10. Juvenile Nonfiction / Architecture   

Reviews (139)

My review for Slam
The book slam was ok but all he talked about was how hard his math was, how good he is at basketball, how he's going to make it into the nba, how he lives in the ghetto, and how much he likes his wannabe girlfriend. I like basketball and all but when he gives you every detail about what is going on in the games I get bored and want to read something else. I think he talked himself up to much and he seems in the book like he's selfish, and isn't as good as he thinks he is. The author did a good job describing literary techniques and the setting though, I had a picture in my head the whole time just like a movie. I would recommend this book to a 10 to 12 year old boy who likes basketball.

slam
Slam is a pretty good book. You are probably wondering why the title is Slam; Slam is the title because of the main character, Greg "Slam" Harris. Love basketball? Its almost what you could categorize as a must read. While reading this book I could almost imagine myself out on the court. Yes, this book is long, but if you have to read a book as an assignment, you should definitely read this one.
How do I feel about this book
I think that this book was really boring. I mean the book did not catch my attention and it was not really interesting to me. It was okay but i think that this book should be for younger middle aged kids to read like 12-14. Teenages theses days want to read about more intersting things that excite them. So in my own oppinion i think that the book is for young kids and not teenagers and it was not the best book that i have read ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Afro-Americans    2. Basketball    3. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    4. Children's Books - Young Adult Fiction    5. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    6. Fiction    7. High schools    8. Juvenile Fiction    9. School & Education    10. Social Issues - Adolescence    11. Social Issues - General    12. Social Situations - General    13. Sports & Recreation - Basketball    14. Juvenile Fiction / General   

Reviews (4)

An important teen read with beautiful black and white illustrations
Teenager Jesse is writing the autobiography of his childhood friend and "blood brother" Rise, in a series of sketches, portraits, and comic strips from their times together.Rise is a little older than Jesse and is starting to be pulled in by the allure of the protection of gangs and the easy money of drugs.His biographer, Jesse, is confused by the change in his friend, and by Rise's attempts to turn the local boys' club into a street gang at war with neighborhood rivals.Given the title of the novel, one can only guess what the outcome of Rise's foray into drugs, guns, crime, and the power struggle is going to be.
The comic of Spodi Roti and Wise was brilliant.
This was an enthralling read. I liked the depth of this book and it painted a realistic portrait of poverty and gang life. The best part of this book was the incorporation of the comics and illustrations into the plot. The comic of Spodi Roti and Wise was brilliant. I also liked how most of the main characters in this book were not gang members or looking to be involved in gangs but simply wanted to survive long enough to explore their talents in music and artistry. It's nice to have a book about poverty and class that doesn't stereotype but gives a more realistic and in-depth picture.

An in-your-face tale of growing up and getting by in the inner-city
To pick up a book written by Walter Dean Myers is to expect nothing less than literary greatness. Among his many accolades, MONSTER was the first winner of the Michael L. Printz Award, a National Book Award Finalist, a Coretta Scott King Honor Book, and Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book. He has received the Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults and has penned over 70 award-winning books intended for a wide age range of readers, from picture books to teen novels. His son, Christopher Myers, is a Caldecott Honor and Coretta Scott King Honor recipient, and has illustrated a number of breathtaking books for young readers, including his solo effort entitled BLACK CAT.
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Subjects:  1. African Americans    2. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    3. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    4. Drive-by shootings    5. Fiction    6. Friendship    7. Gangs    8. Juvenile Fiction    9. People & Places - United States - African-American    10. Social Issues - Death & Dying    11. Social Issues - Drugs, Alcohol, & Substance Abuse    12. Social Issues - Violence    13. Juvenile Fiction / Social Situations / Drugs, Alcohol, Substance Abuse   

Reviews (71)

Why not us?
This was a great book. Very hard to read at sometimes. To the one who didn't said it was boring how dare you! When I first started reading it was very slow but it quickly speeded up. As soon as this happend I couldn't put the book down. I was done before everyone else in my class. This is one of the best books I've read.
Daniel's Story
This book is about the Holocaust. Daniel's Story is a very educational and fun book. Daniel is a Jew. The Nazis are killing all Jews.
Daniels Story
Daniels Story is about the holocaust. This story is very interesting, sometimes I would gasp at some of the parts in the story. This story can be sad at times because the Germans where being very unkind to the Jewish children and adults. Germans would put the Jews in camps and put them in gas chambers, put them in a flaming fire, or even shot them in the head! When the Germans where getting the Jews out of there houses they would throw them out the windows! (Newborns,3,4,5,6,7...years old still out the windows!)It was very hard to listen to and it was very rude. They where trying to take over the world so they could have it them selves! I really injoyed reading this book because it was interesting and educating in almost every way! I dislike what the Germans did to the Jews, it was very cruel. This is actually the only holocaust book I've ever read, but atleast I can say it was the best! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - Historical    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. Concentration camps    5. Fiction    6. Historical - Holocaust    7. Holocaust, Jewish (1933-1945)    8. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)    9. Juvenile Fiction / Historical / Military & Wars   

Reviews (6)

Bought 2 copies, 1 to preserve & 1 to reread
I really didn't think much about it when I first picked up 'Beauty' to read.Then I could not put it down!Robin Mckinley took a very good but very old story and breathed beautiful, rich, grand life back into it!
McKinley's best
Any teen who enjoys good fantasy should have this book on their shelf.If they don't, then then need to go out and buy it immediately.McKinley has written many works, beloved by teens, but her original and first published work, BEAUTY is by far her best.
great book
I loved this book. I never had afavorite fairy tale, but after reading this book this with out a doubt my favorite. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    3. Fairy Tales & Folklore - General    4. Fairy tales    5. Folklore    6. France    7. Girls & Women    8. Juvenile Fiction    9. Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic    10. Juvenile Fiction / Fairy Tales & Folklore / Single Title   

Editorial Review

The Gothic cathedral is one of humanity's greatest masterpieces--an architectural feast that couldn't help but attract the attention of renowned author-illustrator David Macaulay. Once an architectural student at the Rhode Island School of Design, Macaulay glories in the intricacies and beauty of structure, as evidenced in his masterful pen-and-ink drawings in critically acclaimed children's books such as Read more

Reviews (13)

An excellent masterpiece!
Words are useless to describe this masterpiece created by David Macaulay.
spellbinding for children and adults alike
Like all of Macaulay's architectural books, CATHEDRAL is ripe with vivid illustrations that are both enthralling and educational to behold. The drawings not only illustrate the cathedral's method of construction, but convey the presence and majesty of the space as well. One feels the dizzying height of the tower and the formidable strength of the foundation stones. I was always amazed at the ingenuity of the laborers in completing tasks that I would have otherwise felt impossible to attemp without power tools.
A wonderful introduction to architecture and the Middle Ages
Having just finished a great book called "Great Cathedrals", filled with 400 pages of jaw-dropping photographs, I kept wondering how in the world they could have built such marvelous edifices with rudimentary implements over 800 years ago.David Macaulay's "Cathedral" is a book ostensibly written for children but which will fascinate readers of all ages.In scarcely 80 pages, Macaulay takes us back in time to the year 1252 in the fictional French village of Chutreaux where the people decide to build the "longest, widest, highest and most beautiful cathedral in all of France" for the glory of God.Macaulay's text is minimal, but his exquisite black and white line drawings say it all: the step-by-step stages in the building's construction, the craftsmen and the tools they used, and the dedication that kept this project going for 80 years until its completion.We feel a sense of awe at the dedication of the original architects and craftsmen and builders who knew that they would be long dead before the cathedral was finally finished.Macaulay's glossary at the end of the book helps us to understand the major elements of the Gothic cathedral, and his cross-sections and diagrams provide clear illustration of just how the cathedral rose from its foundations.At the end of this volume, we share the awe and pride the townspeople felt at having shared a goal for over 80 years and making it a reality.Macaulay's "Cathedral" is a marvelous creation in more ways than one. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Architecture, Gothic    3. Cathedrals    4. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    5. Children: Grades 3-4    6. General    7. History - Medieval    8. Juvenile Nonfiction    9. Juvenile Nonfiction / Architecture    10. Religious buildings   

Reviews (13)

David Macauley is brilliant!
This video presentation of the building of the city of Rome is a must for anyone interested in the classics or architecture.
A must have for Roman history
I am a huge fan of David Macaulay's historically based line drawings.I found myself drawn into the images and fact-based fictional story.I forgot I borrowed this for my children!After you read the book, you may want to view the PBS video Roman City hosted by Mr. Macaulay.It features footage of ruines as well as animation sequences that follow the story set-up in City.Be sure to include this book in your study of 1st century BC / AD Rome- you won't be disappointed!

A Must Have Book
If you're studying Rome, you NEED this book!There are no pretty colored pictures here, no photos either, just very clear, exceptionally detailed line drawings that make it apparent even to quite young students (I used this with a grade 3 homeschool student) how very much "modern" life owes to Roman engineering genius. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Antiquities    2. Building    3. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    4. Children: Grades 4-6    5. City planning    6. Civil engineering    7. General    8. Juvenile literature    9. Rome    10. Juvenile Nonfiction / Architecture   

Reviews (62)

Swallowing Stones
Michael McKenzie is turning 17. It's the fourth of July and his parents are throwing him an all day barbeque and pool party with all of his friends. He's having the time of his life! Little does he know that this day will change the rest of his life---for the worse. Swallowing Stones by Joyce McDonald made me realize how an innocent act can turn your life upside down. The protagonist, Michael, is in conflict with himself throughout the entire book when he realizes that he has unknowingly killed a man with the 45-70 Winchester rifle that his grandfather has just given him. Michael goes from an athletic, popular, well-liked student with a wonderful girlfriend to a withdrawn kid who loses most of his friends. I felt sorry for him as the plot thickened. He was scared and since he remained silent he didn't have anyone he could turn to for help. He loses all of his relationships and is alone. His personality changes and he is constantly on edge. News of the details spread throughout town as the police close in on their investigation. When the detectives appear on his doorstep to question his father, Michael's story becomes twisted and he even implicates his own best friend. Will Michael clear his conscious and turn himself in? Read Swallowing Stones by Joyce McDonald to find out how this thriller ends.

swallowing stone
i'am writing about swallowing stones because this book was a really good book.the reason why i set her and say it was a good book because it it was a book the most boys like it had action and i donotno what boy or girl that wouldn't like a book with action.it also made me want to keep reading the book ever time i had to take a brake and it is really hard to make me read just one book.so that's why i say it's a good book.

Swallowing Stones

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Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    3. Death    4. Fiction    5. Grief    6. Guilt    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. Social Issues - Death & Dying    9. Social Issues - General    10. Social Situations - General    11. Juvenile Fiction / Social Situations / General   

Reviews (4)

Good clear book for the layman / secondary school child
An award winning book, famous amongst teachers of architecture.This book is full of pen and ink cutaway line drawings of just about every underground structure, explaining to the lay person how they all interact.The problem is it is set in the USA, but that aside, it is a very interesting book.
anatomy of an infrastructure
This book ranks as one of Macaulay's best, as it reveals the networks of systems that are the lifeblood of a city, from various building foundations to sewers to subways, showing how they are constructed and sometimes interact with each other.The text, though minimal, is packed with information, which is supplemented by the superb and detailed drawings.One of the coolest aspects of the book, though, is the views from below, as if a rat with x-ray vision were able to gaze up at this intricate maze of technological wonders.Macaulay's sense of humor is evident throughout, as seen by his inclusion of various critters (including an alligator and an elephant), lots of references to dogs and fire hydrants, a billboard ad for his book PYRAMID, and even a human skull and hand (!!) in one drawing of an excavation.Great fun to read and highly recommended.

"What are those round metal things in the street?"
What Mr. Macaulay does is pull up a city by the roots, shake the dirt off, and take a no-nonsense (well, maybe a little nonsense) look at what is revealed.The illustrations are clear and informative, with just a touch of whimsy.The book covers sanitary sewers, storm sewers, water lines, electricity, telephone, subways and building foundations.A gift for aspiring civil engineers of all ages! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Technical    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. City and town life    5. Civil engineering    6. Juvenile literature    7. Science & Technology    8. Underground construction    9. Underground utility lines    10. Juvenile Fiction / Science & Technology   

Reviews (204)

One of my favorites!
I also have read this book repeatedly!It is one of my favorites (along with the preceeding novel "The Hero and the Crown" by the same author).
One of my absolute favorite books. A must read
My older sister read this for a seventh grade English class, and reccomended it to me, then in fifth grade. I was drawn into it immidiately and read avildly until the end, then reccomended it to my friends. However, when my friends began to read it they complained of a boring beginning and did not want to go on. Did not want to go on? I quickly re-read the beginning of the book, and though I did not entirely agree, I did see where they were coming from. I asked them to promise me to get through chapter five. (Not TO chapter five, THROUGH chapter five.) If they weren't interested after that, then I would not be offended if they put it down. They did as I asked, and as I knew would happen, once they got through the fifth chapter they simply had to read on, and this book is now one of their favorites as well.