Stem Guides to Construction

November 1, 2013

Gr 3-7-These relentlessly instructional titles offer superficial quantities of engineering or design information that are transformed on nearly every spread into often-inane math problems. In Travel, for instance, sound's speed is given as a single number without mention that it will vary in different mediums. In Construction, which introduces structures ranging from Egyptian pyramids to modern homes, readers are invited to calculate how long the Great Wall of China is in feet and figure out what kind of bridge the Verrazano Narrows is. This title also gives arbitrary measures for three bridge types. Neither the ordinary color photos nor closing sets of "Show What You Know" questions give these volumes reader appeal.

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