Using historical facts and rollicking rhythm, author Jean L.S. Patrick reveals how the mountain was carved and why George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt were chosen. Rich illustrations by Reně Graef make the unique history of Mount Rushmore come alive for children.

It was world-famous sculptor Gutzon Borglum's dream to carve sixty-foot-high likenesses of four presidents on a granite cliff in South Dakota. Does that sound like a wacky idea? Many at the time thought so. Borglum faced a lot of opposition and problems at every turn; the blasting and carving carried out through the years of the Great Depression when funding for anything was hard to come by. Yet Mount Rushmore now draws almost three million visitors to the Black Hills every year. This is an entertaining chronicle of one man's magnificent obsession, which even today sparks controversy.

The first book to tell the complete story of Rushmore. "I had seen the photographs and the drawings of this great work. And yet, until about ten minutes ago I had no conception of its magnitude, its permanent beauty and its importance." —Franklin Delano Roosevelt, upon first viewing Mount Rushmore, August 30, 1936 Now in paperback, The Carving of Mount Rushmore tells the complete story of the largest and certainly the most spectacular sculpture in existence. More than 60 black-and-white photographs offer unique views of this gargantuan effort, and author Rex Alan Smith—a man born and raised within sight of Rushmore—recounts with the sensitivity of a native son the ongoing struggles of sculptor Gutzon Borglum and his workers.

Readers will learn about what Mount Rushmore is, how it was built, and the faces that are carved into the side of the mountain. The title is complete with historical and modern images, bolded glossary terms, a More Facts page, and a picture glossary. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Abdo Kids Junior is an imprint of Abdo Kids, a division of ABDO.

The complete story of Guzton Borglum's carving of this magnificient shrine of democracy Is told by his "right arm," his son Lincoln. This 9" x 12" book is overflowing with beautiful photos and interpretive text on this National Park for your enjoyment.

A pictorial history of J. Gutzon Borglum's shrine to four U.S. presidents, Mt. Rushmore.

Shares the accomplishments of Gutzon Borglum, the sculptor responsible for the creation of Mount Rushmore, revealing his motivations for constructing the monument and the response he received after its completion.