Title: The Picture History of Great Buildings

Written and illustrated by:  Gillian Clements

Published by: Frances Lincoln

Gillian Clements detailed illustrations are a fantastic introduction to the wide variety of architectural styles throughout history across the whole world. The writing is concise and informative providing a wealth of information to satisfy the most inquisitive of minds. This book would be great for dipping into as well as for looking in-depth at the history of specific buildings, their designers and the impact the buildings have on architecture today.

From a teaching point of view, Great Buildings, would be an ideal book for the classroom to supplement history topics on the Romans, Greeks, Aztecs and the Egyptians, as well as supporting technology topics on bridges, skyscrapers and ICT modelling. The book could even inspire a Religious Education topic on churches. I particularly like the way it has been organised in chronological order starting with the first homes, cities and ancient monuments right through to postmodern building, contemporary and beyond.

Great Buildings is unique in that it provides excellent timelines to show what other buildings were being constructed at the time in different parts of the world, to give an overall picture, which I have not found anywhere else.

This book review was previously published on the online Armadillo Children’s Book Review Magazine.