Dams

Children's Literature

The construction and purposes of dams are explained in this book from the "Smart Structures" series. The first chapter, "Dams as Structures," explains common uses and types of dams. The shapes used in the construction are described in "Looking at Dams." "The Parts of a Dam" explains the different components of dams. "Building Materials" describes the materials used for constructing dams. The next chapter, "Dam Design," explains different types of dams and how locations are chosen. "Building a Dam" describes the steps taken when building various kinds of dams. "Working Dams" explains the purpose of dams and maintenance that must be performed to keep them working well. "Dams that Went Wrong" describes engineering, environmental, and social problems related to different dams. "Amazing Dams" describes statistics about the record-holding dams. The final chapter "Using Models to Learn About Structures" encourages children to build their own dams with construction sets. The book is well-illustrated with drawings, diagrams, and photographs. New words are set off in bold type, and defined both on the page on which they appear as well as a glossary. This book not only describes dams in great detail, it also explains political and social issues related to dams. 2003, Smart Apple Media, Ages 8 up.
— Amie Rose Rotruck