This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Reviewed by Lois J Wickstrom for Readers' Favorite
Arches to ZigZags: An Architectural ABC written by Michael J. Crosbie and photographed by Steve at Kit Rosenthal is a tour-de-force. It has sharp photographs of architectural details for every letter of the alphabet. Before reading this book I didn’t know that the strong blocks on the corners of buildings are called Quoin, or that the top-to-bottom X’s on some skyscrapers are called X-bracing. Some of the choices are unusual, like Neon for the letter N. Or Stone Urns for the letter U. And others are just plain fun, like Gargoyles for G, and Finials for F. I’d never seen a Capital on a Column with Corn before. And I hadn’t thought about Ruin as an aspect of architecture but of course it is – it’s what remains after a building is destroyed.
Since the point of alphabet books is to teach the alphabet, Michael J. Crosbie is to be commended for doubling up. His D page is Double Doors. His W page is Widow’s Walk. And his text rhymes. The best part of this book is that it doesn’t just teach the alphabet. It teaches the terms of architecture. It even goes into aspects of architecture that are only seen during construction like Joists for the letter J and I-Beams for the letter I. Arches to ZigZags: An Architectural ABC by Michael J. Crosbie has clear explanations and pictures of every aspect of architecture that the book teaches. Highly recommended for children who are interested in unusual aspects of buildings, like zigzag designs and arches.
