Walls - (Orca Timeline) by Gregor Craigie (Hardcover)

About the Book

Part of the nonfiction Orca Timeline series, with photographs and illustrations throughout, this book explores why and how people have built walls all over the world throughout the course of human history.

Book Synopsis

Building walls that separate us from others is as old as humanity.

People have built walls to keep others out for thousands of years, from the Great Wall of China to Hadrian's Wall to security fences along the US-Mexico border. But did you know they've also been built to keep people in, to grow food, to control nature and to collect taxes? Sometimes they've helped people and kept communities safe, but they've also created inequity and done more harm than good. Why do we have walls at all?

Walls: the Long History of Human Barriers and Why We Build Them explores the many reasons humanity has put up walls over the course of our history, and why we continue building them today.

The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Review Quotes

"Conveys an abundance of information about unique locations across the globe...An attractive purchase for larger collections or populations interested in understanding the history of walls, geography, and the human tendency to build barriers."

-- "School Library Journal (SLJ)"

"This historical account of the building of walls through the ages and into the present provides a unique and fascinating perspective of major events and activities in time... The careful organization of this book alongside clear, concise, and engaging information makes it an appealing resource for gathering historical information and expanding knowledge about important historical events."

-- "BC Books for Schools"

"Another great nonfiction instalment...There is a whole world of historical contemporary walls that await in these seventy pages."

-- "Children's Literature Comprehensive Database (CLCD)"

"Building walls and often tearing them down is a part of the world's history. Sometimes they have helped; other times they have been a hindrance. Why do we have them? If you really want to know, this is a grand place to start."

-- "Sal's Fiction Addiction"

"Provides a fascinating look at some of the different walls built over history, who built them, and why they were built. Walls provides a foundation on the topic for young readers and will be an excellent stepping stone for readers who want to learn more. Highly recommended."

-- "CM: Canadian Review of Materials"

"This is one of those specialized STEAM offerings that takes a seemingly mundane subject--walls--and turns it into an international survey of ancient through modern-day structures, bringing in elements of architecture, engineering, agriculture, economy, and problem-solving...This colorful and inviting offering fills a void and makes for great middle-school world history curriculum support while shoring up STEAM collections."

-- "Booklist"

"This thoroughly researched and well-written book will aid young readers in understanding how our society came to be, while looking at current systems from different perspectives. For any young person interested in learning more about the history of our world, exploring why humanity has put up barriers as we have evolved and why we continue this tradition, they couldn't ask for a better resource."

-- "BC BookWorld"

About the Author

Gregor Craigie is a radio journalist and writer. He has worked for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation for many years. Before that he worked in several cities, including London, England, where he was an announcer for the BBC World Service and a reporter for CBS Radio. Gregor's first book for adults, On Borrowed Time: North America's Next Big Quake, was a finalist for the Writers' Trust Balsillie Prize for Public Policy and the City of Victoria Butler Book Prize. His first book for children was Why Humans Build Up: The Rise of Temples, Towers and Skyscrapers, part of the Orca Timeline series. He lives in Victoria, British Columbia.

Arden Taylor is a Toronto-based freelance illustrator. A graduate of Sheridan College with an honors bachelor of illustration, she enjoys digitally creating colorful illustrations of architecture and people and designs for wallpaper and other projects. Her clients include Hazlitt Magazine and the California Institute of Technology, and her work has been featured in various magazines, newspapers, advertising campaigns and websites.