Roller Coasters: From Concept to Consumer

by Kevin Cunningham

With their giant drops and twisting loops, roller coasters have been thrilling people for decades. These exciting rides give passengers a taste of danger, but thanks to the careful work of roller coaster designers, they are as safe as can be. Readers will learn how designers and engineers work together to plan and build some of the world's most incredible thrill rides.

64 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roller coasters excite riders. These exciting rides give thrill-seekers a taste of danger, but thanks to the careful work of roller coaster designers, they are safe and controlled. Cunningham fills a gap for most school and library collections by appealing to coaster enthusiasts while highlighting the scientific aspects that are integral to creating the ride experience. In this volume, readers discover how designers and engineers work together to plan and build some of the world's most incredible thrill rides. Diagrams, graphs, and charts clarify concepts, while the book’s layout and design encourage readers to further explore the topic. Science and technology vocabulary and photographs/illustrations are defined in context. Interviews with real-life scientists give readers a personalized and up-close look at their jobs and are further combined with statistics and sidebars to encourage consideration of these or similar jobs as future careers.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

This title is one of the “Calling All Innovators, a career for you” series. It covers the international appeal of roller coasters and their evolution in design with each new technological advance. Easy text describes the process of creating new rides, the people involved in their planning and construction, and the many innovative, exciting rides that have been created over the years. Numerous color action photographs, brief bio boxes and an interview with a roller coaster engineer round out this interesting read. A running timeline of coaster history is included. Back matter includes a career stats page, glossary, bibliography, publisher’s website and index. The lively and colorful format will appeal to browsers and reluctant readers. The science of roller coasters is explained in an easily understood manner. Order if needed as an addition to your career section.