Big Digs - by Kiko Sanchez (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

"Highly recommended for its compelling content, global inquiry, and stunning illustrations." - School Library Journal

A fascinating book for young readers to discover 3,000 years of tunnels!

From ancient burial chambers to modern megaprojects, Big Digs is a beautifully illustrated nonfiction book that takes young readers on an unforgettable journey into the world beneath our feet, exploring the science, history, and wonder of underground construction.

Travel through hidden passages beneath palaces, secret tunnels under cities, and engineering marvels like the Channel Tunnel and the Large Hadron Collider. Each spread reveals a new underground world with fun facts, vibrant artwork, and surprising stories from around the globe.

Packed with educational content and visual charm, Big Digs is perfect for curious kids who love history, science, or exploring the unknown. A captivating book that will open young minds to what lies beneath!

Review Quotes

"Thought-provoking fare to launch deeper research." - Booklist

"Cutaway views reveal a dazzling worldwide gallery of vaults, tunnels, shelters, and excavations in this work translated from Spanish...Explanatory captions and well-chosen inset details illuminate finer details of construction and design" - Kirkus

K-Gr 5-"This fascinating history of underground construction marvels takes -readers from earliest times to the present in a chronological journey through gargantuan human feats of engineering. The colloquial tone is spare and humorous, with an eye on innovation through the ages. Beginning with the "Tunnel of Contents," chapters include the ancient (1100-300 BCE) walls of rock and caves in Cornwall, now the United Kingdom. "Over the years, it has been pillaged by collectors and nosy people," which means there's not much left to discern its use. Best guesses are the low-ceilinged, narrow tunnels may have been burial sites or grain storage. Surely, the rocks were dragged from distant quarries, which testifies to incredibly hard work in ancient times. Works include the Gadara (Jordan) Aqueducts in the 1st century; the 12th century Dover Castle; Spiral and Tijuana Narco Tunnels; the Seoul Subway; the Chunnel Tunnel between England and France; and even the White House Bunker in Washington, D.C. Most unusual is the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, which preserves agricultural biodiversity in case of global wars and is built into the rock to withstand floods, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or other disasters. Located on a remote Arctic island, the temperature is kept at zero degrees -Fahrenheit to avoid contaminating seed samples. Many other incredible big digs with superb illustrations will galvanize students and inspire pre-engineering aficionados. VERDICT Highly recommended for its compelling content, global inquiry, and stunning -illustrations." -Lonna Pierce, School Library Journal

"The future architect will love this book, a detailed look on the various underground tunnels and structures across the globe." -Youth Services Review

"Informative and approachable, this book highlights some of the most intriguing underground marvels of human creation, and it is a positive addition to library nonfiction collections for upper elementary school-aged readers." - Mary Lanni Reads

About the Author

Kiko Sánchez is a Mallorca-born illustrator known for his intricate, architectural style and richly detailed imaginary worlds. His work spans maps, models, and visual storytelling for museums, publishers, and brands. He lives in Barcelona, Spain.