 | Big Bertha : how a massive tunnel boring machine dug a highway under Seattle Author: Abler, Amanda | |
| Price: $14.24 | ||
Summary:
A nonfiction picture book about the drill that made the longest and widest tunnel in North America underneath Seattle.
| Illustrator: | Wu, Katy |
Reviews:
Booklist (+) (09/01/24)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 09/01/2024 *Starred Review* After an earthquake in 2001 damaged a major Seattle highway, engineers were recruited to find a safer replacement for it. Twelve years later, plans to dig a tiered traffic tunnel beneath the city were underway. This exciting account of the project, known as the SR 99 Tunnel, introduces deputy project manager Greg Hauser and the real star of the show, Bertha, the massive tunnel-boring machine custom-built in Japan. Readers will grasp the magnitude of both the construction project and of Bertha herself (she was five stories tall!) and become engrossed in the complex process of building this tunnel. Primary colors pop in the energetic illustrations, which reverberate with construction noises and include awesome cross sections that reveal Bertha grinding her way through the rock beneath the city. Even kids who aren’t vehicle-obsessed will be fascinated by Bertha’s ability to dig through the earth and build the tunnel at the same time. The basics of these functions are explained in the main text and accompanying artwork, but Abler provides more details in the top-notch back matter, where readers can also find stats, a photo of the real Bertha and construction crew, information about bridge and tunnel design, and additional resources. Fueled by the drama of a subterranean breakdown and a race to the finish line, this big-machine tale is anything but boring. - Copyright 2024 Booklist.
