In the book world, the month of November is dedicated to reading and sharing non-fiction books. This month I’ll be sharing some non-fiction books that I think would be great for readers, young and old. These books will cover various topics and interests.
Click HERE to see more amazing #NonFicNov books like GOLDEN GATE: Building the Mighty Bridge.
GOLDEN GATE
Building the Mighty Bridge
By: Elizabeth Partridge
Illustrated by: Ellen Heck
Published: October 8, 2024
Publisher: Chronicle Kids
Non-Fiction
I haven’t had the opportunity to drive across the Golden Gate Bridge. I’m actually okay with that because I have a pretty big fear of bridges anyway, but I would love to see it in person. This story of the building of the Golden Gate Bridge mixes a bit of fiction with a whole lot of facts. Along with detailed and gorgeous illustrations, kids will learn all about the building of one of the most beautiful bridges ever built.
Readers will watch the building of the bridge from the eyes of a brother and sister whose dad is the lighthouse keeper. Because of his job and their proximity to the building of the bridge, they were able to watch it being built right before their eyes. Construction officially began on January 5, 1933, right in the heart of the Depression. Many men came to San Francisco with hopes of being hired to build this great bridge. However, due to the complexity and danger, many men were turned away.
The danger wasn’t only due to the location (high above the ocean) but the weather was constantly a factor. Workers had to deal with fog, slick roads, wind, and high tides. Even though everyone thought it was impossible, the bridge was opened just over four years later on May 27, 1937.
This oversized book covers the excitement of the children watching the bridge being built, the hard work it took day and night to build it across a vast bay, and the architect’s desire to build a beautiful bridge. The illustrations are unique showing a close-up view of the bridge being built with a far-away overview of the bridge across the bay at that particular stage of the build.
I knew really nothing about the Golden Gate Bridge and found this story to be so interesting and liked the angle of it being told from the perspective of a family living nearby. The illustrations include a lot of detail and offer kids a perspective of what it was like to work on the bridge. Future engineers or kids who like to learn about history will enjoy this fascinating book.
Elizabeth Partridge has lived near the Golden Gate Bridge all her life. Driving or walking across the strong steel bridge, suspended between sky and water, always thrills her. Elizabeth is a National Book Award finalist and has won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Young Adult Literature, a Michael L. Printz Honor, and the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. She lives in Berkeley with her three-generation family, two dogs, and the world’s shiest cat. For more information visit her website, HERE.
Ellen Heck is a printmaker. For seven wonderful years, she made prints at Kala Art Institute in Berkeley, across the bay from the Golden Gate Bridge. Orange was not one of her favorite colors as a child. Now it is, and she spends many hours making prints on a very orange etching press in very green North Carolina, where she lives with her family, all of whom kindly modeled for these illustrations. For more information, please visit her website, HERE.
To purchase a copy of GOLDEN GATE, click HERE.
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Thanks to the publisher for sending a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. This review is my honest opinion. If you choose to make a purchase through the above links, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase.
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