Amazing Impossible Erie Canal (Aladdin Picture Books)

This educational story tells about the construction of the Erie Canal. Colorful illustrations project the happiness felt by many once the waterway was completed. Along with these illustrations are diagrams and captions provided on most pages. Such graphic aids help the reader understand many different aspects of the canal. Readers ten years and older will appreciate the additional information as it explains how the canal operated. I would recommend this book for readers at the fourth grade level and higher. It is an informative story with exceptional illustrations. Readers will find the history of the canal engaging and the graphic aids intriguing.

This is an excellent expansion of the "picture book" format for more mature readers; the colorful pictures show action scenes while text elaborates historical details. Additional embedded illustration shows map details of regional sections as the story unfolds. Fascinating information helps us understand why this feat was so important to the country's development at that time.