Like his previous Rushmore
and Liberty, Curlee's latest picture book celebrates a monumental feat of engineering and craftsmanship, and makes clear the human contributions behind it. Completed in 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge's "stone towers were the most massive structures on the continent,… its span was by far the longest in the world." Curlee pays tribute to the remarkable people who built this massive structure as well as the tremendous sacrifices they made. Many of those who worked on the bridge incurred injuries, illnesses and even death over the 16 years from its initial design to completion, not least of which was Chief Engineer John Roebling, who died of complications from an accident while working on the bridge, and his son, Washington, who finished his father's work even as he suffered great physical pain. Washington's wife, Emily, played a crucial role in helping her husband carry out the landmark's completion. The sweeping cityscape oil paintings of the bridge during sunset fireworks and glowing in the moonlight illustrate its majesty and pageantry. Maps, paintings and diagrams clearly delineate the location, mechanics and challenges described in the prose. Appendix illustrations offer detailed diagrams of suspension and support, specifications and a timeline. Readers fascinated with how things work may well regard bridges with greater respect, and aspiring engineers will gain a strong sense of the all-encompassing process of designing and erecting a suspension bridge. Ages 8-12. (May)
