Who Built That? Bridges by Didier Cornille

Who Built That? Bridges is a clever picture book-in-translation that illustrates ten famous bridges and the construction process and engineers behind them.

Who Built That? Bridges: An Introduction to Ten Great Bridges and Their Designers by Didier Cornell. Princeton Architectural Press, 2016. 96 pages.

• Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12
• Recommended For: Ages 10 and up

Thomas Farnolls Pritchard designed the first cast-iron bridge in 1779. Spanning 100 feet, this bridge was erected in a mere eight weeks and is still in use today! Nearly two hundred years later, in 1974, Jean Muller, a mechanical engineer who worked with concrete, helped design the Rio-Niterói Bridge; this bridge is eight miles long! Wow!

Who Built That? Bridges is a fascinating, but succinct, look at ten different bridges from around the world and the men (and, occasionally, a woman) who designed and built them. Each bridge featured includes something interesting that makes that bridge unique. Sometimes it’s the setting. Sometimes it’s a new way of building bridges. Simple drawings illustrate each page, effectively showing the different architectural and mechanical elements at work. The format of the book also enhances the experience: it is very long and skinny and must be read sideways.

Perhaps because this is a book in translation (it was originally published in French), the text occasionally feels a little choppy. I doubt that will slow readers down. More importantly, the text assumes a certain background knowledge of bridge design. Some new terms are explained, but terms such as caissons or cantilever are not. This won’t slow down young engineers-in-training, but it does mean that this picture book is better for middle school and up. It would make an excellent school library addition or even a gift for those young future engineers.

Bottom Line: Who Built That? Bridges is an intriguing look at ten famous bridges and would be a great addition to a school library.

*indicates a starred review.

Recommended Reading at Redeemed Reader

• Book Review: The Wild River and the Great Dam: a book about the construction of the famous Hoover Dam.
• Resource: Go Build Something! a book list for future engineers
• Book Review: Machines in Motion: a book all about transportation (not bridges, but bridges are there to facilitate transportation!)

We are participants in the Amazon LLC affiliate program; purchases you make through affiliate links like the one below may earn us a commission. Read more here.

Buy this book on amazon.