Curious Constructions: A Peculiar Portfolio of Fifty Fascinating Structures

by Michael Hearst, Matt Johnstone (Illustrator)

Overview

An illustrated collection of unusual architecture, perfect for young builders, written with a “wry humor” that is sure to “keep readers entertained” (Publishers Weekly).
 
Curious about constructions? Inside this book, you’ll come face-to-face with fifty incredible structures, including: a fire-breathing octopus sculpture; the skateboard ramp you’d need to jump the Great Wall of China; a whole community of tree houses in Costa Rica; and a life-size X-Wing Starfighter built of Legos. These and many more fascinating accounts of constructions both fantastically useful and gloriously unnecessary await inquisitive readers, aspiring engineers, and anyone who ever looked at a skyscraper and thought, “Yeah, but what if it had a roller coaster on top?”
 
“Hearst obviously had a lot of fun compiling this interesting assortment of man-made creations, making great use of wit and puns.” —School Library Journal

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781452162492
Publisher:	Chronicle Books LLC
Publication date:	03/22/2023
Series:	Uncommon Compendiums
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	112
File size:	15 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

Michael Hearst is a composer, multi-instrumentalist, and writer. He is the author of the other Uncommon Compendiums, Unusual Creatures and Extraordinary People. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Matt Johnstone is an illustrator who has worked for a wide range of clients around the world. He is currently based in London.

Editorial Reviews

03/20/2017
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. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

"The wry humor in Hearst's commentary will keep readers entertained."-Publishers Weekly

"Hearst obviously had a lot of fun compiling this interesting assortment of man-made creations, making great use of wit and puns."-School Library Journal

"Highlights 50 incredible structures."—Design Mom

From the Publisher

06/01/2017
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

School Library Journal