San Francisco Book Review
This book has a lot of interesting facts. The original idea for the carving didn’t include presidents, they were going to carve western heroes. Most of the carving was done with dynamite, not picks and drills. The design had to be changed many times because the rocks cracked, were too soft, or had other problems. I really liked the book because it gave facts about how the land was taken and how the monument was built.
School Library Journal
11/01/2014
Gr 4–6—This fascinating series delves into the shadows of some of America's most iconic monuments to reveal the intrigue, conflict, and scandal that surrounded their construction. A host of design elements are sure to keep readers engaged. A handful of tantalizing questions such as "What do [the Lincoln Memorial's] columns mean" and "Was [Mount Rushmore] sculpted by a man who valued democracy, or did he have a secret agenda?" introduces each title. Occasional sidebars grab readers' attention with facts that have the aura of insider information—for instance, ways in which the finished Mount Rushmore sculptures differed from the original scale model. An expertly curated collection of photos, drawings, and ephemera round out each title with flair and substance. For instance, an early plan for the Lincoln Memorial depicts a ziggurat, a far cry from the columned temple so recognizable today. Concise but informative, this series is a valuable addition to most collections.
