Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 05/01/2017 PreS-Gr 2–From the concrete foundation to the final spire, this nonfiction picture book shows young audiences the basics of building the exterior of a skyscraper. Each spread depicts one step in the process, from digging the initial trench and pit to installing rebar and concrete to building floors skyward with beams and glass. A small inset box included on each spread provides a cutaway view of the skyscraper's gradual progress. Two separate blocks of text describe each stage of construction, one with a simple rhyme for reading aloud and the other providing a sentence or two of descriptive prose. O'Rourke's digital illustrations have a charming cartoon quality yet successfully depict tools and machines with detail and accuracy. Additionally, a green wall along the top of the construction site acts as a reference point as the building progresses, and color-coding between the inset box and the larger illustration makes it easy to pick out each of the key elements, from gray concrete piles to orange beams. Labels abound for those curious about the different parts of a cement mixer or the names of the various large vehicles digging, drilling, and hauling. The diverse cast of male and female construction workers all wear hard hats, safety goggles, and vests, and safety netting and harnesses are frequently pictured. VERDICT An illuminating primer on a perennially favorite topic that will please budding engineers and construction fanatics.—Chelsea Couillard-Smith, Hennepin County Library, MN - Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 06/01/2017 This book is a strong entry in an oft forgotten genre: the nonfiction picture book. Readers are taken on a behind-the-scenes tour of a construction site in a bustling city and get to watch as crews build a skyscraper, from its subterranean foundation to its roof spire. Tools, materials, and equipment are all labeled within the illustrations of men and women hard at work, creating a body of technical terms for youngsters to practice that will appeal to building and construction aficionados. A sight-word-rich rhyming text lends a storylike quality to the book, while a more detailed explanation of the construction process is presented in tandem. Because of the dual narratives, the detailed illustrations, and the clearly described STEM concepts, the book can be appreciated by readers on a variety of interest and reading-readiness levels. With a rhythmic singsong text, a body of high-interest facts, and brightly colored illustrations, this book will be read again and again. - Copyright 2017 Booklist.