Mighty Models: The Legendary Life Story of . . . the Lever!

Ages 4 to 8, Grades P to 3

Discover the importance of the lever and its crucial role in history from ancient civilizations to the modern day; perfect for fans of The Highlights Book of How and The New Way Things Work, by David Macaulay.

Think a lever is just a plank of wood? Think again! Levers have been used to hunt mammoths, raise the Great Wall, and even defend the Crown Jewels.   

This Mighty Models title highlights ten important key moments in which the lever leveled up in history—from being a spear-thrower to a robotic arm. Plus, readers build their own working catapult using the included build-it-yourself model to see the power of the lever in action!

Christine Van Zandt’s nonfiction STEM book, ideal for readers 5 to 8 and up, captures the marvels of early machinery in an engaging, interactive, and innovative format for budding engineers, historians, and scientists.

About the Author

Christine Van Zandt is a freelance editor and the award-winning author of Milkweed for Monarchs and A Brief History of Underpants. Her stories and  poetry have appeared in Highlights and High Five magazines, and in the book, Gnomes and Ungnomes: Poems of Hidden Creatures. She lives in Los Angeles with her family.