Review by Booklist Review
Gr. 3-6. The Great Pyramid at Giza, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Colossus of Rhodes. Millennia after these structures graced the earth, and, except for the Great Pyramid, disappeared, their names still suggest the majesty and mystery of the ancient world. In this picture book for older children, Curlee, an art historian, offers an informative, richly descriptive text and artwork that enables readers to envision the wonders for themselves. She begins with an introduction to all seven wonders and then employs four-page spreads to discuss each one individually, with a special eye to how each was built and what each meant to the community that built it. The art, drawn with geometric precision, captures the scope of the structure (sometimes presenting it from a unique perspective) and makes readers experience a bit of what the original observers must have felt. There are, however, a few flaws that come with uncaptioned pictures. Children probably won't recognize Napoleon at the Great Pyramid, and the figures of nude men running a race will come as a surprise, especially because the Olympics are explained on the previous page and, in any case, never mention nudity. The map of the ancient world also seems inadequate, as there's no explanation of where these sites would have been located today, and there are no notes. Despite these missteps, there's no denying that this book is both fascinating and strongly executed. --Ilene Cooper
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Curlee (Liberty; Rushmore; Brooklyn Bridge) broadens his scope from famous American monuments to global feats of antiquity. He opens with a poem by the Greek poet Antipater of Sidon, naming the septet of "wondrous marvels," then the author states "Seven was a mystical number to ancient people, and each of these spectacular sights was a masterpiece of architecture, sculpture, or engineering, famous for its great size, beauty, grandeur, and perfection." Ironically, the oldest of these, the Great Pyramid at Giza, is also the only one still standing. To emphasize its enormity, Curlee paints an image of Napoleon standing on the ruins of another nearby pyramid; thus, readers view how the "huge pile of carefully cut and fitted stones" was constructed as well as a sense of scale. The author then proceeds, chronologically, through the other six wonders, responsibly discussing various archeological theories. He confirms, for instance, that the foundations of a ziggurat at King Nebuchadrezzar II's palace were uncovered, but that experts disagree about whether sufficient proof exists of the hanging gardens at Babylon. Curlee also takes subtle stands: although he sketches four "versions" of the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, he expresses his own preference with his full-bleed portrait of the structure. The expanse of his ambitious subject does not allow the author to delve into the kinds of details allowed by his single- subject volumes, but he certainly whets readers' appetites with this well-researched introduction. Ages 8-12. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-8-Like the author's Liberty (2000) and Brooklyn Bridge (2001, both Atheneum), Seven Wonders has a lucid narrative, complemented by full-page, full-color illustrations. However, it may be a harder sell. Unfamiliar names will stymie many readers (there's no pronunciation guide); students may also have difficulty following the trail of evidence that documents each structure's history and legend. A map of the ancient Hellenistic world is provided. A diagram shows the relative sizes of the wonders to one another and to modern structures. Meticulous, flat line work and a limited color palette of ochre, blue, and magenta create an austere visual impression. Curlee transports readers unflinchingly from past to present with drawings of a scuba diver exploring toppled undersea fragments of statues from the Pharos, and jets whizzing through the sky over the Great Pyramid. He concludes gravely: "Perhaps many centuries from now- archaeologists will uncover the ruins of the marvels of our own modern age-." A book for students with a sure grounding in history and a love of the fantastic.-Mary Ann Carcich, Mattituck-Laurel Public Library, Mattituck, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
In clear, steady prose, Curlee discusses how the list of the seven ancient wonders originated, then devotes four pages each to the Great Pyramid, the Hanging Gardens, the Temple of Artemis, the Statue of Zeus, the Mausoleum, the Colossus of Rhodes, and the Pharos. The stylized acrylic illustrations, though careful, are static; a composite at the end shows the marvels in scale with modern structures. From HORN BOOK Fall 2002, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
The author of Rushmore (1999) and other visits to modern wonders turns to the seven originals-though, as he points out, the list only became set in stone (as it were) within the last 500 years, long after all but the Great Pyramid at Giza had vanished. Next to monumental, full-page views done with a severe formality reminiscent of Leonard Everett Fisher's work, Curlee surveys what we know of each Wonder from ancient sources and modern archaeology. Though many mysteries remain, such as what the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus actually looked like (Curlee supplies four possibilities) or exactly where the Colossus of Rhodes stood, for most the size, materials, even sometimes the names of the artist-builders have been preserved-as well as each structure's eventual fate. Curlee cites no books or Web sites to fan any flames of interest he might kindle, but he does supply a map. After references to other human-made Wonders past and present, he gathers his once-mighty subjects (quietly substituting Babylon's Ziggurrat of Marduk, which has a more impressive silhouette, for the Hanging Gardens) for a final, to-scale, group portrait alongside the Statue of Liberty and the US Capitol. It's a memorable tour, whether fueled by interest or class assignment. (Nonfiction. 8-10)
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
