Editorial Review
Booklist Review for The Empire State Building
This entry in the American Places: From Vision to Reality series offers a pleasing overview of the skyscraper, from its inspirational design to its status today. Many of the two-page spreads focus on the engineering involved, especially the use of concrete and steel to support weight, as well as the construction teams. Those workers, including Mohawk “sky boys,“ are featured at fearful heights without safety gear in period photographs. Goldish explains how the continued construction of the Empire State Building during the Stock Market Crash of 1929 made the skyscraper a symbol of hope. The remaining text discusses the building’s opening day in 1931, its continuing history, and its enduring popularity. A concluding, “By the Numbers” graphic relates fast facts. This well-organized resource adeptly integrates social studies and STEM.