Up Goes the Skyscraper!

by Gail Gibbons

Follows, in simple text and illustrations, the building of a skyscraper step by step.

Genres: Nonfiction, Picture Books, Construction, Childrens

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

From gailgibbons.com: I was born in Oak Park, Illinois, in 1944. Even as a little child, I was always busy putting books together. Sometimes I would bind them with yarn to hold the pages together. I've always loved drawing and painting. I was also a very curious child. My parents tell me that I was always asking lots and lots of questions.

Later, I went on to the University of Illinois, where I studied graphic design. Then I moved to New York City, where I got a job doing artwork for television shows. Eventually I was asked to do the artwork for a children's show. While doing that show, some of the children asked me if I had ever thought of doing children's books. My mind immediately recalled how much I enjoyed doing that type of thing when I was a child. So I put an idea for a book together and right away a publisher bought it. That book was called Willy and His Wheel Wagon. Since then, over 170 books that I have written and illustrated have been published. The type of books I write are non-fiction books. This is because I love researching so much. I get to ask lots of questions, just like when I was a kid. I also get to travel and meet lots of interesting people. While doing research for my book Nature's Green Umbrella: Tropical Rain Forests, I traveled to two islands where there are tropical rain forests, Saba and Dominica. I also had a great time writing and illustrating the book. I get a lot of pleasure from doing the type of work I do.

Reviews

[Aaron Berlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

2 words. STEEL. I-BEAMS. Flatbeds transport them. Cranes move them. Augers dig bases for them (idk). Construction boys weld and secure them.

Read this to my son at an earlier age and he has never been so locked in. He can spot steel I-beams a mile away now in real life.

[Anita]

Gibbons books are always a bit too detailed for storytime read alouds; however, I always love to feature them in these lists as recommendations for kids that like to read on their own and absorb lots of detailed information.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great Gail Gibbons book! I love how she takes very technical concepts and makes them readable and enjoyable. My son and I enjoyed reading this together and I learned just as much as he did!

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn't one of my favorite books, but it's perfect for the child who doesn't care for fiction and/or who likes to watch machinery at work. I have a nephew who would have loved this book, but I didn't have it when he was into bridges, factories, and the like.

This is written for two levels of readers. The art and large captions at the bottom of the page are good for the younger kids. The older and/or more interested child will appreciate the text in the small boxes that provide more info about particular stages of construction.

I was going to give this 3 stars, but with my nephew in mind, I gave it 4.