KIDS BOOKS | National Building Museum

The Glass Pyramid: A Story of the Louvre Museum and Architect I. M. Pei

Katherine Till — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 23:36:52 +0000

In this ?stunning? (Booklist, starred review) picture book, award-winning picture book biographer Jeanne Walker Harvey tells the story of the renowned architect I. M. Pei and his triumph in redesigning the Louvre through problem-solving and persistence.

In 1981, I. M. Pei was on a mission. A successful architect known for his modern designs, Pei was asked by the French president to redesign the Louvre Museum in Paris, home to the Mona Lisa and now famous for the glass pyramid at its center. At the time, the Louvre had many problems and no pyramid.

Pei faced many obstacles, including discrimination because he was Chinese American. Determined to succeed and make the Louvre a welcome place for all, Pei worked hard?and sometimes in secret. This is the story of a visionary who worked patiently and persistently to solve problems and achieve his goals: to plant and grow a glass pyramid?

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What’s That Building? An Architectural Guessing Game

Katherine Till — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 23:36:52 +0000

By Rebecca Donnelly and Illustrated by Jocelyn Cho
A playful introduction to design and architecture with cutaway scenes of ten buildings, featuring an interactive guessing game and search-and-find. In this interactive first book of architecture, children discover how architects design everyday buildings, from planetariums, aquariums, and airports to supermarkets and shopping malls, so that they best meet their users? needs. Set up as a guessing game, the book presents clues that invite readers to guess which type of building is needed in 10 different scenarios. For example, what building do you need for students, teachers, and learning about science, history, and art? A school! Children continue the fun by looking for the hidden architect on each spread. Answers are provided in dramatic cutaway reveals that are jam-packed with details that children will delight in. Each building is accompanied by informative yet whimsical text that explains its architectural and design features. Hardcover, 48 pages. Ages 5-8 years.

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Rube Goldberg Inventions!

Katherine Till — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 23:36:51 +0000

Rube Goldberg Inventions
By Maynard Frank Wolfe
Welcome to the world of that archetypal American, Reuben Lucius Goldberg, the dean of American cartoonists for most of the twentieth century. ?For more than sixty-five years, Rube Goldberg’s syndicated cartoons — he produced more than fifty strips — appeared in as many as a thousand newspapers annually. ?He was earning a hundred thousand dollars a year…in 1915. ?He wrote hit songs and stories and was, in succession, a star in vaudeville, motion pictures, newsreels, radio, and, finally, television.? He even, at the age of eighty, began an entirely new career as a sculptor, and, in inimitable Goldberg fashion, was soon selling his work to galleries, collectors, and museums all over the world. Sure, Rube won the Pulitzer Prize. Every year?some?cartoonist wins the Pulitzer Prize. But the National Cartoonists Society?named?its award — the Reuben — after you-know-who.? But it was Rube’s “Inventions,” those drawings of intricate and whimsical machines, that earned Rube his very own entry in?Webster’s New World Dictionary:?Rube Goldberg…adjective…Designating any very complicated invention, machine, scheme, etc. laboriously contrived to perform a seemingly simple operation.
?Inventions,? even the earliest ones that date from 1914, are still being republished and recycled today as they have been over the last eighty-five years. ?New generations rediscover and enjoy them every day, even though their creator cleaned his pens, put the cap on his bottle of Higgins Black India Ink, and cleared his drawing board for the last time almost thirty years ago. ?The inventions inspired the National Rube Goldberg? Machine Contest, held annually at Purdue University, an “Olympics of complexity” in which hundreds of engineering students from American universities and colleges — and even middle and high schools — compete to build and run Rube Goldberg invention machines that perform, in twenty or more steps, the annual challenge.

In 1970 the Smithsonian Institution hosted a show honoring Rube Goldberg’s lifework. In a life filled with superlatives, it hardly needs mentioning that Rube is the only living cartoonist and humorist to have been so honored. In his speech at the show’s opening, Rube said, “Many of the younger generation know my name in a vague way and connect it with grotesque inventions, but don’t believe that I ever existed as a person. They think I am a nonperson, just a name that signifies a tangled web of pipes or wires or strings that suggest machinery. My name to them is like spiral staircase, veal cutlets, barber’s itch — terms that give you an immediate picture of what they mean…”? So welcome to a collection of spiral staircases and veal cutlets — to the inventions of an American original, a creative genius named Rube Goldberg.? Paperback, 192 pages.
Code:? 169642
Member Price:? $18.85

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ROME ANTICS

Katherine Till — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 23:36:51 +0000

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Rome Antics
By David Macaulay
A pigeon carrying an important message takes the reader on a unique tour through Rome. As we follow the path of this somewhat wayward bird, we discover that Rome is a place where past and present live side by side. Every time a corner is turned there is a surprise, just as every turn of the page brings a new perspective. This juxtaposition of ancient and modern, as seen with David Macaulay’s ingenious vision, gives the reader an imaginative and informative journey through this wondrous city. Afterwords by Macaulay about the ?Building Stories? exhibit at the National Building Museum.? Hardcover, 83 pages.
Code:? 169968
Member Price:? $17.95

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Rube Goldberg’s Big Book of Building: Make 25 Machines That Really Work!

Katherine Till — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 23:36:50 +0000

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Big Book of Building
By Rube Goldberg
To build a Rube Goldberg Machine, all you need is a pile of junk and a great imagination. Rube Goldberg?s granddaughter, Jennifer George, has teamed up with world-renowned Rube Goldberg machine builder Zach Umperovitch to show us just how true that is in this comprehensive guide to building Rube Goldberg Machines at home. Written in partnership with Rube Goldberg?s granddaughter herself, Jennifer George, this book breaks down how to build a variety of machines that solve simple problems in complex ways. Progressing in difficulty with each chapter, kids (and builders of all ages) will learn how to construct super simple machines that fit on a tabletop, to hard ones that take up entire rooms or yards! Learn how to start chain reactions that refill your popcorn automatically on movie night, open umbrellas, and even pack a picnic, one step at a time. Filled with jokes, fun facts, and tips and tricks to make building as successful as possible, this book is sure to satisfy every family?s most curious and inventive minds!? Hardcover, 240 pages.? Ages 8-12 years.
Code:? 169637
Member Price:? $31.50?

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Smash, Crash, Topple, Roll!: The Inventive Rube Goldberg – A Life in Comics, Contraptions, and Six Simple Machines

Katherine Till — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 23:36:50 +0000

?Smash, Crash, Topple, Roll!
The Inventive Rube Goldberg
By Catherine Thimmesh, Illustrated by Shanda McCloskey
A joyfully illustrated picture book biography of Rube Goldberg for STEM-loving children and the many people who enjoy doing simple tasks the hard way.
Award-winning author Catherine Thimmesh?s irresistibly engaging text and artist Shanda McCloskey?s energetic, cartoon-style artwork introduce readers to the life and creative legacy of Rube Goldberg, the world-famous inventor of crazy contraptions. A rollicking educational kids’ book that is part biography, part inspiration, and part physics how-to,?Smash, Crash, Topple, Roll!?posits the ultimate question ? why do?anything?the simple way? (Especially if, for instance, there is a catapult option?).? Because, of course, there are lots of things you can do the simple way: set an alarm, flip a switch, open a door, toast some bread . . . But what if,?instead, you did things the Rube Goldberg way? Endlessly entertaining, needlessly complex, and achieving a delicate balance of physics, humor, and excitement!
The book includes an overview of the six simple machines that power most of Goldberg?s inventions and puts the tools for making real-life Rube Goldberg machines right into readers? hands. It?s the perfect thing to spark the imaginations of budding inventors, artists, and thinkers of all ages?because the most promising relationships with science start not with a textbook but with the willingness to break stuff and ask silly questions!? Sure to excite students, teachers, and parents looking for a playful, hands-on way to dive into the sciences and connect to STEM and STEAM efforts in schools, where Rube Goldberg machines are already in use, this book offers a fun way to approach the sometimes-daunting subject of physics.? There are more and better opportunities for kids to embrace and explore a love of science and engineering today, and Rube Goldberg was an artist, too! This is the perfect book to encourage the scientist and artist in every kid.? Hardcover, 60 pages, ages 8-12 years old.
Code:? 169638
Member Price:? $17.99

The post Smash, Crash, Topple, Roll!: The Inventive Rube Goldberg – A Life in Comics, Contraptions, and Six Simple Machines first appeared on National Building Museum.

Engine of Change (Rube Goldberg and His Amazing Machines)

Katherine Till — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 23:36:49 +0000

Rube Goldberg and His Amazing Machines: Engine of Change
By Brandon T. Snider, Illustrated by Ed Steckley
Engine of Change?is?the third title in the hilarious Rube Goldberg and His Amazing Machines series by bestselling author Brandon T. Snider and featuring black-and-white illustrations by Reuben Award-winning artist Ed Steckley.? Evil Professor Zeero has disappeared, Superintendent Atwater has been put in his place, and all is right again in Beechwood . . . or is it?? When Rube Goldberg discovers the Null Corporation is building a giant machine in his beloved junkyard, he suspects something nefarious is at play. Then when he begins receiving anonymous messages from someone claiming to be an ally, he?knows?something is up. Together with his best friends Boob and Pearl, as well as friends like Reina, Lala, and Davin, Rube sets out to find out just what the company has planned for their town.? To throw a wrench in things, Rube?s dad has made an unexpected trip home, and Rube struggles to find the best way to share his new passion for problem-solving with the person he loves the most. Can Rube find all the answers he needs in time to save Beechwood?? Disguises, master plans, and, above all, Rube Goldberg Machines come together in this hilarious third title in the Rube Goldberg and His Amazing Machines series.? Hardcover, 256 pages.? Ages 8-12 years.
Code:? 169635
Member Price:? $13.49

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The New Switcheroo (Rube Goldberg and His Amazing Machines)

Katherine Till — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 23:36:49 +0000

Rube Goldberg and His Amazing Machines: The New Switcheroo
By Brandon T. Snider, Illustrated by Ed Steckley
Hijinks and hilarity abound in?New Switcheroo, the dynamic follow-up to?Rube Goldberg and His Amazing Machines, written by bestselling author Brandon T. Snider and featuring black-and-white illustrations by Reuben Award-winning artist Ed Steckley.? After unintentionally unmasking a criminal mastermind at his school?s Contraption Convention, Rube Goldberg?and his inventions?are the talk of the sixth grade. Rube?s star is on the rise, and it?s a lot of pressure. What if he?s lost his mojo? There?s no time to wonder, because Rube and his two best friends, Boob and Pearl, are busy planning Pearl?s campaign for class president.? With the Switcheroo Dance a weekend before the big election, Pearl?s path to victory is set. That is, until a new mystery strikes the town. Rube is eager to bring Zach into the fold, but Boob and Pearl can?t help but wonder if Rube?s mysterious new friend is hiding something . . . will Rube get his mojo back in time to unravel the mystery and save Pearl?s campaign?? Hardcover, 272 pages.? Ages 8-12 years.
Code:? 169636
Member Price:? $13.49

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Rube Goldberg & His Amazing Machines (Hardcover)

Katherine Till — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 23:36:48 +0000

Rube Goldberg and His Amazing Machines
By Brandon T. Snider, Illustrated by Ed Steckley
On the first day of middle school, Principal Kim announces that the school is going to throw a Contraption Convention?the perfect opportunity for young inventor Rube Goldberg to show off his inventions and get out of his summer-long funk!? But after a fight with his friends Pearl and Boob about where his priorities really lie, Rube?s Con Con entry gets off to a rocky start?and then strange incidents begin to throw the town into disarray. Boob is convinced it?s a ghost causing all this chaos.? Between Con Con, the ghostly mystery, and a new rival, Rube has his work cut out for him. But with the help of his friends, he might just get things back on track, get on top of his burgeoning anxieties, and come up with something brilliant before it?s time to face the judging table.? Hardcover, 240 pages.? Ages 8-12 years.
Code:? 169634
Member Price:? $12.59

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Rube Goldberg & His Amazing Machines (Paperback)

Katherine Till — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 23:36:48 +0000

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Rube Goldberg and His Amazing Machines
By Brandon T. Snider, Illustrated by Ed Steckley
On the first day of middle school, Principal Kim announces that the school is going to throw a Contraption Convention?the perfect opportunity for young inventor Rube Goldberg to show off his inventions and get out of his summer-long funk!? But after a fight with his friends Pearl and Boob about where his priorities really lie, Rube?s Con Con entry gets off to a rocky start?and then strange incidents begin to throw the town into disarray. Boob is convinced it?s a ghost causing all this chaos.? Between Con Con, the ghostly mystery, and a new rival, Rube has his work cut out for him. But with the help of his friends, he might just get things back on track, get on top of his burgeoning anxieties, and come up with something brilliant before it?s time to face the judging table.? Hardcover, 240 pages.? Ages 8-12 years.
Code:? 169634
Member Price:? $

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