Reaching Across the Sky: A ­Celebration of Bridges

Gr 2-6–Hale’s note to readers sets the stage for this primer on bridges. It is a love letter to the variety, beauty, and grandeur of bridges and their power to connect people and places across a gap, thereby making life better. The main text is purposely short and simple in extolling the power of bridges, including their ability to link locations together, giving people access to the things they need, saving time, and creating a safe path, all while opening possibilities for new adventure. Also mentioned is how their construction often mimics nature: fallen trees, stepping stones, natural arches, vines, and spider webs. Each page or spread contains the main text with illustrations of related bridges, plus additional text containing details about the depicted bridges, including location. Magnificent collage illustrations show more than 100 bridges within these pages, but despite the load of information, the design ensures that readers are never overwhelmed by the content; instead, they are carried forward by the variety of images and their thoughtful placement. The final six pages are a more detailed look at seven different bridge types with several illustrations each; also ­included is a section offering further information about loads and forces. ­