Who Built That? Skyscrapers: An Introduction to Skyscrapers and Their Architects

Cornille, a professor at the École des Beaux-Arts du Mans in France, offers elegant overviews of eight towering structures including the Eiffel Tower, Chicago’s John Hancock Center, and the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, currently the world’s tallest building. Beginning with a brief biography of each of the men behind the structures (female architects are absent from this book, but fare marginally better in Who Built That? Modern Houses, available simultaneously), Cornille then highlights the construction, materials, and defining design characteristics of each tower. Clear prose and crisply drafted illustrations, including exploded and cutaway views of some of the buildings, make this an accessible guide to a handful of remarkable buildings. Ages 7–12. (Sept.)