| Title | : | The Hoover Dam (Wonders of the World) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1931414130 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781931414135 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 48 |
| Publication | : | First published October 6, 2001 |
They called the river the Red Bull. Desert silt gave the Colorado its distinctive color, but it was its power and unpredictability that made its fierce reputation. Speeding down from the high Rockies, the Colorado would flood without warning, wiping out any farmer foolish enough to settle near its banks.
But what if the Red Bull could be tamed? Farmlands irrigated by the Colorado's waters could bloom in the desert. Cities electrified by the Colorado's power could grow and prosper. The Hoover Dam grew from this dream and with it much of the modern American west.
Built in the middle of The Great Depression, the Hoover Dam was set in an unforgiving landscape whose climate defied habitation much less intense, backbreaking physical labor. Yet, during those hard times and in that desolate place, there rose an extraordinarily sophisticated feat of modern engineering.
The Hoover Dam is the dramatic story of the danger, suffering, courage and genius that went into the building of one of America's most famous landmarks.
Wonders of the World series
The winner of numerous awards, this series is renowned for Elizabeth Mann's ability to convey adventure and excitement while revealing technical information in engaging and easily understood language. The illustrations are lavishly realistic and accurate in detail but do not ignore the human element. Outstanding in the genre, these books are sure to bring even the most indifferent young reader into the worlds of history, geography, and architecture.
"One of the ten best non-fiction series for young readers."
- Booklist
The Hoover Dam (Wonders of the World) Reviews
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The 9YO had some questions about the Hoover Dam as we were working through the Percy Jackson series, so John brought this book home from the library. This book is aimed at kids in maybe grades 5-7, but is fascinating enough that even adult readers will enjoy it. There's plenty of photos of the construction of the dam, and diagrams explaining how it all actually works. Also, at the back of the book, the names of all the men who died during construction are listed, along with their date of death. I thought this was a nice touch as it shows the human cost of the project.
Would recommend to anyone wanting more info than a Wikipedia page but less than a textbook. -
This was an enjoyable book. We took it slowly, reading 2 to 4 pages a day. The mixture of illustrations and photos was helpful in understanding the structure and the lifestyle. We learned a lot, not only about the dam but about the political and social climate at the time. So far this has been a great series and I'll continue to look for more.
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An interesting book that brought this concept to life in a human-interest slant......
