A real boy, a real building, and the process through which that building soared floor-by-floor into the sky make for a dramatic entry in the Adventures in Architecture series. The superimposed cartoon of Joe on a black-and-white photograph of real workers may mislead readers into thinking that this book is about a fictional character’s involvement in the construction of the Empire State Building. In fact, Joe was a young man from Brooklyn, just 16 when he went to work as a waterboy on the then-tallest building in the world. He met workers, from the Native-American Mohawk steelworkers to crane operators, masons, carpenters, and finish workers, people whom readers also see in tremendously affecting archival photographs. Joe also met the building’s architect, William Lamb, and the photographer and later children’s book author Lewis Hine, but he only glimpsed the “governor,” failed presidential candidate Al Smith, who successfully raised this building in the depths of the Great Depression. The book’s fascinating information makes it a felicitous companion to David Macaulay’s Unbuilding, especially in the details of how the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel had to be torn down to make way for the gleaming new skyscraper. (Nonfiction. 6-10)
Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2000
ISBN: 3-7913-2103-X
Page Count: 28
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 1999
In his quest for easy moolah, Owen learns that the road to financial solvency can be rocky and fraught with work. Greene (Owen Foote, Soccer Star, 1998, etc.) touches upon the often-thorny issue of chores and allowances: Owen’s mom wants him to help out because he’s part of the family and not just for the money—while Owen wants the money without having to do tedious household chores. This universal dilemma leaves Owen without funds and eagerly searching for ways to make a quick buck. His madcap schemes range from original—a “free” toilet demonstration that costs 50 cents—to disastrous, as during the trial run of his children’s fishing video, Owen ends up hooking his ear instead of a trout. Enlisting the aid of his stalwart, if long-suffering, friend Joseph, the two form a dog-walking club that becomes vastly restricted in clientele after Owen has a close encounter with an incontinent, octogenarian canine. Ultimately, Owen learns a valuable lesson about work and money when an unselfish action is generously rewarded. These sudden riches motivate Owen to consider wiser investments for his money than plastic vomit. Greene’s crisp writing style and wry humor is on-target for young readers. Brief chapters revolving around a significant event or action and fast pacing are an effective draw for tentative readers. Weston’s (Space Guys!, p. 392, etc.) black-and-white illustrations, ranging in size from quarter- to full-page, deftly portray Owen’s humorous escapades. A wise, witty addition to Greene’s successful series. (Fiction. 8-10)
Pub Date: Sept. 18, 2000
ISBN: 0-618-02369-0
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2000
PLB 0-688-13166-2 King Midas And The Golden Touch ($16.00; PLB $15.63; Apr.; 32 pp.; 0-688-13165-4; PLB 0-688-13166-2): The familiar tale of King Midas gets the golden touch in the hands of Craft and Craft (Cupid and Psyche, 1996). The author takes her inspiration from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s retelling, capturing the essence of the tale with the use of pithy dialogue and colorful description. Enchanting in their own right, the illustrations summon the Middle Ages as a setting, and incorporate colors so lavish that when they are lost to the uniform gold spurred by King Midas’s touch, the point of the story is further burnished. (Picture book. 7-9)
Pub Date: April 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-688-13165-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Morrow/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 1999
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