Curious Constructions: A Peculiar Portfolio of Fifty Fascinating Structures

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.)