Angelo

Angelo by David Macaulay, 2002

Brief annotation:

While restoring the front of a church, an old plasterer rescues several injured pigeons and nurses them back to health.

Themes include architectural conservation and restoration, wildlife rescue, friendship and death.

This is a good read aloud about friendship. It could lead to an interesting discussion about how Angelo and the pigeon helped each other even though they aren't a likely pair.

The Way We Work

The Way We Work by David Macaulay, 2008
Brief annotation

Many of us spend most of our lives oblivious to even basic information about the most amazing thing we'll ever take for granted-our own bodies. In The Way We Work, David Macaulay gives readers an opportunity to discover just how remarkable the human body really is. This comprehensive and entertaining resource reveals the inner workings of the human body and all of its systems and mechanisms, as only David Macaulay could. Page after page of beautifully illustrated spreads detail everything from cells to the bones and organs they build, clearly explaining the function of each, and offering up-close glimpses, unique cross-sections and perspectives, and even a little humor along the way. This book is for you and everyone you know. It can serve as a reference for children of all ages, families, teachers, and anyone who has questions about how their body works. This informative and engaging guide introduces you to you, and you will come away with a new appreciation of the amazing world inside yourself. When you open the cover you will see how David Macaulay builds a body and explains THE WAY WE WORK. There is no other book like it!

Themes include human physiology and anatomy and understanding your own body.

This would be a good book to use in health or physical education classes. It can be used as a reference book for projects.

Mosque

Mosque by David Macaulay, 2003

Brief annotation:

An author and artist who has continually stripped away the mystique of architectural structures that have long fascinated modern people, David Macaulay here reveals the methods and materials used to design and construct a mosque in late-sixteenth- century Turkey. Through the fictional story and Macaulay’s distinctive full-color illustrations, readers will learn not only how such monumental structures were built but also how they functioned in relation to the society they served.
As always, Macaulay has given a great deal of attention to the relationship between pictures and text, creating another brilliant celebration of an architectural wonder.

Themes include architecture, 16th century Turkish civilation and culture. Cultural understanding and diversity.

This is a great book to use to give a better understanding of Muslim culture during the 16th century. It is not trying to convince anyone of anything and therefor should not be at all contravorsal. It simply is a look at a moment in time, just as Cathedral and Pyramid look at the entire civilazation surrounding the building of the catherdral and the pyramid.

Cathedral

Cathedral by David Macaulay, 1973

Brief annotation:

Text and detailed drawings follow the planning and construction of a magnificent Gothic cathedral in the imaginary French town of Chutreaux during the thirteenth century.

Themes include architecture, 13th century civilization and culture.

This book would be great to use in an introductory French class, just as a way to learn about French culture historically. It would also be a good book for an art class that is looking at how to draw architecture.

– New York Times Ten Best Illustrated Children’s Books of the Year in 1973 and Caldecott Honor Award (1974)

Pyramid

Pyramid by David Macaulay, 1975

Brief annotation:

Text and black-and-white illustrations follow the intricate step-by-step process of the building of an ancient Egyptian pyramid.

Themes include architecture, ancient civilization and Egyptian culture.

This book would go great with the 2nd grade social studies SOL's regarding ancient Egypt. The reading level is probably a little high for 2nd graders to get through the entire book but it can be used as a reference book if they are focusing on one aspect of ancient Egypt.

– New York Times Outstanding Books of the Year, Boston Globe-Horn Book Award (Honor Book, 1976) and Christopher Award (1976)

The Way Things Work

The Way Things Work by David Macaulay, 1988

Brief annotation:

Text and numerous detailed illustrations introduce and explain the scientific principles and workings of hundreds of machines including a lawn sprinkler, pneumatic drill, electric guitar, and a smoke detector.

Themes include science, mechanics, household items and innovation

This is a good informational book to use like a reference book. It could be helpful for science fair projects or simply a good recommendation for students who are interested in how things work.

– Best Nonfiction awarded by Boston Globe-Horn Book (1989)

Black and White

Black and White by David Macaulay, 1990

Brief annotation:

Four brief "stories" about parents, trains, and cows, or is it really all one story? The author recommends careful inspection of words and pictures to both minimize and enhance confusion.

Themes include family, creativity and looking at the world in different ways. In the four stories, 3 of the four have words while the other one has no words.

Readers really have to pay attention with this book. Get students to point out differences from one page to the next, similarities occurring within the four stories and how these stories might be influencing each other ... or not.

– Caldecott Medal Winner