• Booklist Reviews : Booklist Reviews 2019 April #2
  *Starred Review* Macaulay's nonfiction has enlightened many of us, explaining topics from architectural wonders to household gadgets to the human body in his classic The Way Things Work (1988). Here he offers a somewhat personal glimpse at oceanic vessels and the steam engines that powered them. In 1957, 10-year-old Macaulay and his family emigrated from Britain to the U.S., traveling on the SS United States, the fastest steamship of the day. Macaulay treats readers to a history of steam engines (and their many improvements), leading up to a detailed account of the construction of the United States, designed by engineer William Francis Gibbs. Macaulay's succinct, explanatory text propels the narrative, drawing readers into his meticulous, captioned artwork that further clarifies the discussion. The illustrations are varied (cutaway views, aerial perspectives, spot art, and full-page spreads) and often depict the artist's hand at work: building models, executing a drawing, and lifting the page to remind readers of the Macaulay family. The most amazing spread is a triple gatefold depicting the entire ship, featuring both cutaway and exterior views. Juicy tidbits (the ship was outfitted with an operating room, a morgue, and seven caskets) augment scientific and historical details, and Macaulay's memories of his own voyage add a child's perspective. Appended with an afterword, time line, and photos, this is not to be missed. Grades 4-8. Copyright 2019 Booklist Reviews.

David Macaulay received his bachelor of architecture degree from Rhode Island School of Design. In January 1973, Macaulay went to France to work on the first of his more than two dozen books, Cathedral. Macaulay is perhaps best known for The Way Things Work. His numerous awards include a MacArthur Fellowship, the Caldecott Medal, the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, the Christopher Award, an American Institute of Architects Medal, the Washington D.C. Children’s Book Guild Nonfiction Award, the Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis, the Dutch Silver Slate Pencil Award, and the Bradford Washburn Award. He was U.S. nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen Award twice. Macaulay and his family live in Norwich, Vermont.