Illustrator: James Ransome
Genre Study--Historical Fiction
To this day, the construction of the Empire State Building is a feat not easily topped. Once the tallest building in the world, the Empire State Building was opened on May 1, 1931. According to this book, more than three thousand men put in over seven million hours to construct the magnificent structure. And, perhaps most impressive, it was completed in record time: 410 days.
This book by Deborah Hopkinson is an informative piece of historical fiction. It follows a boy plagued by the Depression and his family's struggle to get by. He watches the Empire State Building being built and desperately wishes he could help in some way. In the end, his father takes him to the observation deck to look down over the streets of Manhattan. His father is amazed at the feat of mankind. He believes if man could create such a structure, man can do anything.I was in awe of the information presented in this book. It presents true facts from the standpoint of an innocent young boy. I have always wanted to visit New York, and when I do, I will definitely visit the Empire State Building. It is an icon of New York City, as well as the United States of America. In addition, I was intrigued to read about the TV tower that stands 204 feet above the roof of the building. In doing some additional research, I learned that this tower was first utilized by NBC, and now it is shared by several television networks. Interestingly, NBC's Today celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2012. On the morning of January 13, the Empire State Building was lit in the colors of Today: red, orange, and yellow. This was the first time the colors have been changed to reflect a television show.
I guess this iconic building actually represents two feats of mankind: an opulent structure and a popular entertainment medium. What would the little boy's father think today?
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