Picture Books

Building Our House by Jonathan Bean

(Children Picture Book Lg BEAN)

A young girl narrates her family’s move from the city to the country, where they have bought a piece of land and live in a trailer while they build a house from the ground up, with help from relatives and friends.

Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beaty; illustrated by David Roberts

(Children Picture Book + BEATY)

Ever since he was a baby, Iggy Peck has built towers, bridges, and buildings, which comes in handy when his second grade class is stranded on an island during a picnic.

Arches to Zigzags: An Architecture ABC by Michael J. Crosbie; photography by Steve and Kit Rosenthal

(Children Picture Book + CROSB)

A rhyming alphabet of architectural elements, from arches and doors to I-beams, mantels, and urns.

Henry Builds a Cabin by D.B. Johnson

(Children Picture Book JOHNS)

Young Henry Thoreau appears frugal to his friends as he sets about building a cabin. Includes biographical information about Thoreau.

What’s Inside? Fascinating Structures Around the World by Giles Laroche

(Children Picture Book + LAROC)

An introduction to architectural structures and the stories behind their creation.

Informational Books

Julia Morgan: Architect of Dreams by Ginger Wadsworth

(Children CT225.M67 W32 1990)

Recounts the life of the architect whose projects included designing the Hearst Castle at San Simeon, California.

Spiderwebs to Sky-scrapers: The Science of Structures by David Darling

(Children TA634 .D37 1991)

Hands-on experiments introduce natural and manmade structures such as a bird’s nest and skyscraper and such structural elements as arches, domes, trusses, and beams.

Building: The Fight Against Gravity by Mario Salvadori

(Children TA634 .S24 1979)

An introduction to the basic principles of architecture and engineering including a discussion of structural materials and their properties and such problems as how skyscrapers are kept from swaying excessively and buildings prevented from sinking into the ground.

Castle by Christopher Gravett; photography by Geoff Dan

(Children + GT3520 .G738 2000)

A look at these fascinating structures through full-color photos.

Castle by Richard Pratt; illustrated by Stephen Biesty

(Children Lg GT3550 .B54 1994)

Detailed cross-sections allow readers to explore how people lived and defended themselves in medieval castles.

Great Building Stories of the Past by Peter Kent

(Children Lg NA2555 .K46 2001)

Explains the stories and principles behind some the world’s greatest structures, including the Great Pyramid at Giza, the Great Wall of China, the Eiffel Tower, and the Brooklyn Bridge.

Building Big by David Macauly

(Children + NA2555 .M24 2000)

“Why this shape and not that? Why steel instead of concrete or stone? Why put it here and not over there? These are the kinds of questions that David Macaulay asks himself when he observes an architectural wonder. These questions take him back to the basic process of design from which all structures begin, from the realization of a need for the structure to the struggles of the engineers and designers to map out and create the final construction. As only he can, David Macaulay engages readers’ imaginations and gets them thinking about structures they see and use every day—bridges, tunnels, skyscrapers, domes, and dams. In Building Big he focuses on the connections between the planning and design problems and the solutions that are finally reached. Whether a structure is imposing or inspiring, he shows us that common sense and logic play just as important a part in architecture as imagination and technology do. As always, Macaulay inspires readers of all ages to look at their world in a new way.” — Provided by publisher.

Mosque by David Macaulay

(Children Lg NA4670 .M33 2003)

An author and artist who has continually stripped away the mystique of architectural structures that have long fascinated modern people, David Macaulay here reveals the methods and materials used to design and construct a mosque in late-sixteenth-century Turkey. Through the fictional story and Macaulay’s distinctive full-color illustrations, readers will learn not only how such monumental structures were built but also how they functioned in relation to the society they served.

Cathedral by David Macaulay

(Children Lg NA4830 .M32)

Text and detailed drawings follow the planning and construction of a magnificent Gothic cathedral in the imaginary French town of Chutreaux during the thirteenth century.

City: A Story of Roman Planning and Construction by David Macaulay

(Children Lg TA16 .M33)

Text and black and white illustrations show how the Romans planned and constructed their cities for the people who lived within them.

The Story of Buildings by Patrick Dillon; illustrated by Stephen Biesty

(Children + TA149 .D54 2014)

Examines how architecture has evolved over time by looking at buildings that typify each period, from the pyramids and the Parthenon to the Chrysler Building and the Sydney Opera House.

Building by Philip Wilkinson

(Children + TA634 .W54 2000)

Take a tour of world architecture from the slender minarets of Turkish mosques to the earthquake-resistant skyscrapers of Tokyo.

Underground by David Macaulay

(Children + TD159.3 .M3)

Text and drawings describe the subways, sewers, building foundations, telephone and power systems, columns, cables, pipes, tunnels, and other underground elements of a large modern city.

Bridges: From My Side to Yours by Jan Adkins

(Children + TG148 .A35 2002)

A look at bridges throughout history, from simple arrangements of stepping stones, to famous landmarks such as London Bridge, to marvels of engineering such as New York’s Brooklyn Bridge.

Unbuilding by David Macaulay

(Children Lg TH153 .M23)

This fictional account of the dismantling and removal of the Empire State Building describes the structure of a skyscraper and explains how such an edifice would be demolished.

Mill by David Macaulay

(Children Lg TS1324.R4 M33 1983)

The mills at Wicksbridge are imaginary, but their planning, construction, and operation are quite typical of mills developed in New England throughout the nineteenth century.

Castle by David Macaulay

(Children Lg UG405 .M18)

Text and detailed drawings follow the planning and construction of a “typical” castle and adjoining town in thirteenth-century Wales.