Glass: Looking In, Looking Out

＂As clear and colorful as its topic.＂ --Kirkus Reviews

The author of Concrete: From the Ground Up brings her illuminating and often dry-humored approach to reflecting on another marvel of the everyday world.

Meteoric collisions, volcanic eruptions, lightning strikes. Three catastrophes, all capable of producing glass--the stuff we use to protect us from the elements, send images, store energy, aid with everyday tasks, and make medical and scientific progress possible. With the help of human ingenuity, glass has evolved from its lumpy natural origins to a refined wonder that helps humankind see into the farthest reaches of outer space or the smallest particles of life on Earth. Glass is all around us and is one of the most versatile--and sparkling--wonders of the material world, still changing the way we build, the way we think, the way we see.Enlivened with speech bubbles and full of memorable facts, this thoroughly engaging intro to the history and STEAM applications of glass is fortified with a bibliography in the back matter.

Larissa Theule is the author of several books for children, including the first book in the Material Marvels series, Concrete: From the Ground Up. She is also the author of Kafka and the Doll, illustrated by Rebecca Green, and A Way with Wild Things, illustrated by Sara Palacios. She was inspired to write about the history of materials science because she believes that tracking the course of human innovation can help guide us to where we’re going next. Having lived in many different parts of the world throughout her life, Larissa Theule now lives in Southern California with her family and dog.

Victoria Tentler-Krylov is a trained architect turned children’s book author and illustrator, as well as an editorial illustrator. She grew up in Russia and studied architecture and urban design in New York City. She has illustrated several children’s books, including Love Is Hard Work: The Art and Heart of Corita Kent by Dan Paley; Sanctuary: Kip Tiernan and Rosie’s Place, the Nation’s First Shelter for Women by Christine McDonnell; and I’m Gonna Paint: Ralph Fasanella, Artist of the People by Anne Broyles. Her author-illustrator projects include Building Zaha: The Story of Architect Zaha Hadid and The High Line: A Park to Look Up To. She has created three covers for the New Yorker. Victoria Tentler-Krylov lives just outside New York City with her family.