Look at That Building!

September 15, 2011
Grades 1-3 Despite the subtitle, there is significantly more information packed in here than might be expected for a first book of anything (for that, try Ryan Ann Hunter's Into the Sky, 1998, which effectively introduces children to skyscrapers). Here, a number of architectural concepts are considered in the context of a group of children attempting to build a doghouse: foundations, floors, and ceilings; how animals in nature build houses; decorative elements such as domes and columns; and more. Winsome cartoon art shows a multicultural group of friends taking steps to tackle their project: noticing the need, researching at the library, observing real-life structures to figure out what might work, and only then making drawings to design the doghouse. Budding architects and anyone researching the process will appreciate this colorful overview. An index and table of contents keeps things organized, and a mini-doghouse-building activity extends the possibilities.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)