San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge wasn't originally meant to be orange, and Dave Eggers (A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius) and Tucker Nichols (Crabtree) tell this story in this artful, charmingly odd, 100-plus-page picture book.
"In the beginning there was a bridge," the book begins. A simple, textured, gray, cut-paper bridge on a blue strip spans the spread. "No, before that, there was a bay," corrects the companionable narrator, who then explains why some felt a bridge was needed to cross the bay. Some absolutely didn't: "It will mar the beauty of this land, they said." (Here, the dissenting voices are represented by eight colorful cut-out talking heads.) In 1928, the decision to build the bridge was made, and Joseph Strauss was hired to design it. His first design was "functional, but it was grotesque," so he called in Leon Moisseiff to help, then Irving Morrow. The navy thought the bridge should be yellow and black ("like a tiger with jaundice"), and the army preferred red and white stripes ("like a candy cane"). But Irving Morrow wanted it orange, the same reddish orange as the rust-prevention paint used on the bridge's steel and, in time, he convinced "the powers that be."
This Bridge Will Not Be Gray is sure to pique the interest of anyone who has, or hasn't, thought about the creative, engineering, logistical and bureaucratic hurdles, "dangerous and complicated work" and just plain bickering that go into building a bridge. The book is also an inspiring testament to making bold choices--orange!--and having the courage of one's convictions. (Bonus: The book jacket folds into a poster.) --Karin Snelson, children's and YA editor, Shelf Awareness