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Harvey, Jeanne Walker

The Glass Pyramid: A Story of the Louvre Museum and Architect I. M. Pei

40 pp. | Atheneum | May, 2025 | Trade ISBN 9781665953337 $19.99 | Ebook ISBN 9781665953344 $10.99
(2) K-3 Illustrated by Khoa Le. Harvey focuses on one pivotal project in I. M. Pei’s (1917–2019) career to vividly document the ways in which the gifted architect balanced creativity, technical know-how, and public perception. Commissioned by the French president to redesign the Louvre, Pei readily identifies the structural problems (“visitors must undertake a tiresome trek from the entrance to reach the artworks”) that a good design might solve. Despite combining his immersive research on French architectural traditions with inspiration from his Chinese roots and his “experience in America, which fosters innovation,” Pei’s design is roundly rejected by the French public. The architect’s story, as outlined by Harvey, is one of perseverance, quoting his tenet that “success is a collection of problems solved.” The text deftly incorporates elements of Pei’s biography -- his childhood play in Su-zhou rock gardens, his outsider status as a student at MIT -- without losing sight of the Louvre project at the narrative’s center. Pei eventually wins over public opinion via media interviews and “a full-size mock-up of the [glass] pyramid.” Although the digital art renders some human figures -- especially at a distance -- somewhat flat, Le’s precise line work is well suited to capturing the architectural details of the Louvre and other buildings, as well as organic forms representing Pei’s creative process. Back matter offers additional biographical details along with information on the Louvre pyramid’s construction and up-keep -- including how all those panes of glass are kept clean.
Reviewer: Norah Piehl | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2025

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