Atlas of Amazing Architecture by Peter Allen and Ziggy Hanaor, illustrated by Peter Allen. Cicada Books Ltd, 2021. 9781908714879
Rating: 1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 3
Format: Hardcover
What did you like about the book? Come and explore global architecture sites with such great detail for a picture book. Readers are introduced to over twenty different sites around the world. They range from the Shanxi Hanging Monastery built in China in 491 CE all the way to the SGAE Headquarters in Spain built in 2008. On each two-page spread, readers are introduced to the building, stories behind the creation of the building and even architectural terms that describe its style and how it was built. The two-page illustrations of the buildings/sites are so detailed. The author also stayed away from the “typical” amazing architecture buildings that readers would have been very familiar with, such as the Pyramids or famous skyscrapers. There is also a glossary of terms in the back for reference.
Anything you didn’t like about it? Sometimes the details on the pages feel a little overwhelming. It would have been helpful on each page to have a small photo of the actual buildings for comparison.
To whom would you recommend this book? This book is perfect for the reader who loves to build and learn how things are built. With the level of detail this book would suit children ages 11 and older.
Who should buy this book? Middle schools
Where would you shelve it? Nonfiction, 720
Should we (librarians/readers) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? No
Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City and State: Rose Metayer, Boston Latin School, Boston MA
Date of review: October 15, 2021
Youth Services Book Review 
You must be logged in to post a comment.