Colossus: Amazing Feats of Engineering
Review by Dr. Jerry Flack
Colossus opens with a double-page spread of text and images that answer a key question: What is an engineer? The iconic images are a parade of human-made accomplishments that range from the Great Pyramid of Giza, towering skyscrapers, wind turbines, trains, bridges, sacred monuments and an orbiting space shuttle. British author Colin Hynson writes that “an engineer is someone who finds practical solutions to everyday problems.” He further notes that such solutions are usually discovered through the use of mathematics and physics.
Some engineering feats go back in time across thousands of years and their construction may still mystify contemporary engineers. How were such marvels as the great pyramids of Egypt and England’s Stonehenge constructed upwards of five thousand years ago?
The world’s engineering marvels include bridges, railways, canals, dams, artificial islands, subways, tunnels, defensive structures, statues, skyscrapers, ship building and even orbiting spacecraft stations.
The captivating horizontal and vertical spreads found in Colossus highlight
well-known engineering feats including the Great Wall of China, Egypt’s pyramids, Rome’s Colosseum, the Panama Canal, the Statue of Liberty, Stonehenge, the Eiffel Tower, and London’s Underground.
Many gifted readers may be amazed by lesser-known engineering achievements such as the Trans-Siberian Railway, the International Space Station, London’s gigantic glass and steel skyscraper, The Shard, bullet trains in China and Japan, and the Skytree in Tokyo.
Gifted readers are introduced to great structures that have been designed to withstand such natural disasters as earthquakes. Tokyo’s Skytree is one such engineering accomplishment. The Skytree is the tallest tower in the world and the second highest structure on earth (after the Burj Khalifa in Dubai). Incredibly strong steel tubes are placed within a massive concrete column. They are placed in the center of the construction and come to rest upon six giant rubber bearings. The steel tubes and concrete column are separate from one another and are thus designed to move in different directions to provide stabilization and prevent the tower from collapsing during an earthquake. The Skytree is based upon the Japanese design of pagodas that also feature central columns to help them remain stable even when the nearby earth trembles and buckles.
Even well-known engineering wonders are presented along with unique facts that heighten reader interest. Colin Hynson has been a museum curator and is a science and educational writer. Hynson shares many landmark structures that will be familiar to young readers, but even when writing about famous constructions, he includes facts that are illuminating. The Golden Gate Bridge spans the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay. Due to severe weather, it took thousands of workers four years to build. When the structure opened in 1937, it was the highest and longest suspension bridge in the world.
Strong winds, turbulent waters, and thick fog delayed the building of the bridge. Safety nets under the bridge during its construction saved the lives of countless workers. The two main cables are more than a mile long and each contains 27,000 wrapped steel wires. If the wires were positioned end to end, they would encircle the earth three times. The bridge’s bright orange color is more than an aesthetic choice. The vibrant color makes the bridge visible during intense fog.
In addition to a glossary of terms (e.g., cantilever, plinth) and an index, Colossus features additional informational gems. A double-page spread of famous engineers opens to reveal a four-page timeline of the history of engineering. The timeline begins with engineering feats from 12,000 to 3,000 BCE that include structures so unique that either their purpose or their building skills remain unknown to modern day engineers. One example is a stone edifice in Turkey that is believed to be 11,000 years old and remains still standing. Throughout history, people have called upon engineers to build higher, faster, bigger, (and now), greener.
Among the most recent engineering marvels revealed in this colorful and attractively illustrated gate-fold timeline includes the Palm Jumeirah, the world’s largest human-made island. Students will recognize such great problem solving engineers as Leonardo Da Vinci and Wilbur and Orville Wright, but will they recognize Imhotep or Hedy Lamarr? Imhotep is thought to be the world’s first engineer. He supervised the building of the Djoser Pyramid in Egypt in 2600 BCE. Hedy Lamarr was a glamorous 1940s Hollywood film actress who patented inventions for new kinds of radio signals for missiles used by the Allies to win World War II. Present-day engineers note that her inventions contributed to the development or invention of Wi-Fi. A final two pages are devoted to the future of engineering. How, for example, are present-day problem solving engineers creating such exceptional feats as Bosco Verticale or Vertical Forest in Milan, Italy that help produce oxygen and prevent smog? Wearable technology that include smart glasses and watches may well replace contemporary smart phones.
One of the joys of Colossus is that it is the type of information book that makes for enticing coffee table display and shared reading. To its credit, this STEM-oriented book is well-organized and follows logical development of successful technological problem solving. However, it is also a book that may be picked up and opened randomly to any page that piques the curiosity of readers. The author makes science and technology accessible to even elementary readers, but there is enough novelty and engineering science included to engage older readers. Lombardo’s illustrations are realistic and faithful to scale. Appropriately, the illustrations have a draftsperson’s appearance. Visual learners will appreciate the manner in which the artistic images complement the verbal tributes to engineering. Lombardo includes every detail short of blueprints.
Home and School Activities
The Great Sphinx is one of the world’s most famous carved monoliths. What is a monolith? Compare the Great Sphinx to the human-engineered massive heads found on Rapa Nui (Easter Island). Flakes of red, blue, and yellow paint embedded in the soft stone of the Great Sphinx indicate that the great monolith may once have been brightly colored. Why were visitors to Giza unable to fully view the Great Sphinx for thousands of years? According to Egyptian mythology, what is believed to be the purpose of the incredible monolith?
Not all exceptional feats of engineering are universally applauded. Completed in 2006, off the coast of Dubai, Palm Jumeirah is the world’s largest artificial island. It adds an incredible 49 miles to Dubai’s coastline. Why has such an extraordinary engineering feat generated negative reactions, especially among environmentalists?
There are many different kinds of engineers (at least 20 types). Examples include aerospace, chemical, civil, electrical, marine, architectural, and mechanical engineers. Many young STEM students have career aspirations to become problem solvers through careers as engineers. Invite students to list and describe different types of engineers and then explain the kind of engineering work they imagine in their future.
A popular culture idea that has surfaced in the past two or more decades is the creation of personal Bucket Lists. Typically, such lists feature unique things people want to accomplish and places they want to visit during their lifetimes. After students have read Colossus, suggest gifted readers create their own bucket list of engineering marvels they want to see. Encourage young readers to select one particular structure or monument that is high on their bucket list. Invite them to engage in further research about their chosen engineering marvel and write and illustrate an essay about their imagined visit. Better still, encourage family members to share dinner table conversation about the greatest engineering wonder they believe exists.
Atinuke. Africa, Amazing Africa: Country by Country. Illus. by Mouni Feddag. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2021. Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review).
