Digging Tunnels

Children's Literature - Carrie Hane Hung

Tunnels serve as underground or underwater passageways for transportation or mining. Read and learn about these man-made tunnels in this informational text from the "Construction Zone" set. The written text broadly describes the planning and work that takes place in constructing a tunnel. Some of the people (geologists, engineers, miners and construction workers) involved in the building of the tunnels are included in the written text. There is a full-page, color photograph on each layout; a few of the snapshots would be enhanced with the support of captions and/or labels for better understanding of the scene. Young readers may need support with the content vocabulary and guidance on using informational text features. These nonfiction text features include a table of contents, glossary and index. Additional resources for reading about tunnels are listed in the back of the book. The FactHound internet site and book ID are provided for additional websites to visit. The FactHound site provides a portal to a website that has further information, pictures and videos about the different machines used in construction that students may enjoy exploring. Also, the set has five additional books about construction. Reviewer: Carrie Hane Hung

School Library Journal

K-Gr 1

Limited vocabulary accompanies full-page color photos that show, in brief terms, the processes described in these titles. Two sentences per page serve as the caption for the facing photo. Demolition indicates that sinks, doors, and windows are the only things salvaged from a building before it is destroyed. The book does not use the term "implode" when discussing the use of dynamite to destroy tall buildings. Tunnels makes no mention of the Chunnel, compares a tunnel to a mine, and implies that coal and gold are the only ores that are mined in them. Readers will likely misinterpret the word "clay" when the text discusses using clay or concrete on the sides of an excavation to "hold the soil in place." Both titles end abruptly. Strictly marginal buys.-Eldon Younce, Harper Elementary School, KS