Golden Gate: Building the Mighty Bridge
Two children witness history as they watch the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge. Their seaside home below the rocky cliffs of the Pacific (their father tends the foghorn) is the perfect vantage point to mark the project’s progress. From the first day, when machines and dynamite blasts “carve a place for the anchorage block,” to the opening day celebration, when “towers touch the sky,” the text provides a concise and fascinating summary of the building process. The mixed-media illustrations of this towering picture book give a sense of vista and scale, while also revealing the children’s keen, ongoing interest. A more detailed image along the bottom of each spread exhibits the current stage of work being done in the context of the landscape or from a blueprint perspective. A lengthy afterward provides additional intriguing facts about the bridge’s construction, including the length of time it took (four years). ©2025 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
Illustrated by Ellen Heck
CCBC Age Recommendation: Ages 5-10
Age Range:
PreK-Early Elementary (Ages 4-7)
Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10)
Format:
Picture book
Subjects:
20th Century
Architecture and Architects
Building/Construction
Engineering and Engineers
Publisher:
Chronicle
Publish Year: 2024
Pages: 49
ISBN: 9781452135144
CCBC Location: Non-Fiction, 624 Partridge