Glass: Looking In, Looking Out
by Larissa Theule; illus. by Victoria Tentler-Krylov
Primary, Intermediate    Candlewick    48 pp.
2/26    9781536225839    $18.99

“Every day, we rely on glass in big and small ways, but we usually don’t pay attention to it. We mostly look through glass, not at it.” Theule (Concrete, rev. 9/22) presents a survey of the history of glass, beginning with its prehistoric origins, specific makeup, and unique properties. We learn that the invention of glass-blowing in the early first century CE represented an important milestone, with other developments and innovations eventually following: windows (including the beautiful stained-glass windows that adorn many places of worship), eyeglasses, telescopes, and microscopes. The engaging text then covers the more recent use of fiberglass to insulate buildings, tempered glass on solar panels to conserve energy, and fiber-optic cables for high-speed data transmission. And, since the construction of the Crystal Palace in 1851 for London’s Great Exhibition, glass has been an important element in modern architecture. A wide range of historical periods and artifacts is presented, and the brisk pacing of the narrative, with flashes of humor, is extremely effective. In Tentler-Krylov’s (illustrator of Love Is Hard Work, rev. 11/24) dynamic and varied watercolor illustrations, characters—from ancient humans poring over accidentally created glass to a modern-day child using a smartphone—occasionally add information and (fictional) commentary by way of speech bubbles. This thorough overview will satisfy curious young readers (and likely extend the knowledge of some adults too). A bibliography is appended.

From the January/February 2026 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.