Bridges! Amazing Structures

Describes different kinds of bridges, their history, design, construction, and effects on populations, environmental dilemmas, safety, and more.

Grade 2-6-An upbeat blend of science, history, and how-to instruction that will delight children and educators alike. Each chapter consists of numerous short articles combining historical and technical information on the design and construction of bridges with easy hands-on experiments. Contents range from analysis of the arch, beam, and suspension systems to the "care and feeding" of structures and reflections on bridges of the future. Interspersed throughout are simple projects involving building, measurement, or observation, such as testing the strength of varied paper shapes or constructing a Popsicle-stick truss bridge or-for literary types-writing bridge poems. The book concludes with a challenge for young minds to "think outside the box." Students wishing to access the projects quickly can consult the index under "activities." Sidebars such as "Learn the Lingo" and "How It Works" explain key terms and concepts. Others solicit problem-solving responses. Eye-catching photographs and cartoon illustrations in blue and orange tones abound; clear organization of text and unifying page borders create an attractive graphic package. The volume includes a list of notable bridges by state and country; those mentioned in the text are highlighted. This is a good resource for libraries and science centers and will be well thumbed by future generations of bridge builders.
Mary Ann Carcich, Suffolk County Community College Library, Riverhead, NY
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Kaleidoscope Kids series, this informative, large-format paperback takes an action-oriented approach to bridges. Children will learn about the structural design, construction, mechanics, and maintenance of bridges, and they will also read entertaining bits of bridge history, from the triumphant to the disastrous. Photographs provide views of famous bridges; cartoonlike drawings show kids engaged in projects such as making a drawbridge using a couple of empty cereal boxes or hanging a suspension bridge between two trees. An appendix lists famous American bridges, state by state; Canadian bridges, province by province; and international bridges, country by country. A lively introduction to the history and science of bridges. Carolyn Phelan