Curious Constructions

March 20, 2017
In the third entry in the Uncommon Compendiums series (following Extraordinary People and Unusual Creatures), Hearst highlights 50 unusual structures, name checking familiar marvels such as the Eiffel Tower, Great Wall of China, and Sagrada Familia but spending much more time with smaller-scale, lesser-known works—for example, El Pulpo Mecanico, a “giant mechanical fire-breathing octopus” that makes appearances at Burning Man. Though handsome, Johnstone’s modest graphics don’t necessarily do much to make the sites seem particularly special, though the wry humor in Hearst’s commentary will keep readers entertained: “Most scientists will agree than an experiment is a always success, so long as we learn something. And in the end, with Biosphere 2, we learned that maybe we’re not quite ready to colonize Mars.” Ages 8–12. Author’s agent: Jud Laghi, Jud Laghi Agency. Illustrator’s agency: Jelly London.

June 1, 2017

Gr 4-6-There are lots of weird, mysterious, funky, incongruous, and compelling structures in this world-ones that might leave students scratching their heads or staring with their mouths agape. Hearst obviously had a lot of fun compiling this interesting assortment of man-made creations, making great use of wit and puns to enliven the content. For instance, the spread on El Pulpo Mecanico, an enormous traveling metal sculpture by artist Duane Flatmo, begins, "Look out! It's a giant mechanical fire-breathing octopus! What's not to love?" Hearst introduces readers to such edifices as the Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongyang, North Korea; the Palm Jumeirah in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; and the Longaberger Building in Newark, OH, revealing curious facts about each. Johnstone's illustrations are detailed and colorful, with a slightly cartoonlike quality. While not glossy or photo-perfect, these attractive images still give readers a sense of the actual structures. Both would-be builders interested in quirky, unusual sights and teachers who want a mentor text that demonstrates how voice and tone can be used to present familiar information in a new light would appreciate this book. VERDICT A fine selection for geography and engineering collections.-Maggie Chase, Boise State University, ID

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2018
This third "Uncommon Compendium" (�cf2]Unusual Creatures�cf1]; �cf2]Extraordinary People�cf1]) features fifty structures (mostly human-constructed but some natural), from the Arecibo Observatory to the Watts Towers. Each has a two-page spread with a brief description, additional facts or true/false statements, and representational illustrations. The snarky tone Hearst uses isn't for everyone, but the right audience will be fascinated by this cool browsing book.

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)