The Glass Pyramid
A Story of the Louvre Museum and Architect I. M. Pei
Overview
The Glass Pyramid: A Story of the Louvre Museum and Architect I. M. Pei tells the story of the renowned architect I. M. Pei and his triumph in redesigning the Louvre through problem-solving and persistence.
In 1981, I. M. Pei was on a mission. A successful architect known for his modern designs, Pei was asked by the French president to redesign the Louvre Museum in Paris, home to the Mona Lisa and now famous for the glass pyramid at its center. At the time, the Louvre had many problems and no pyramid.
Pei faced many obstacles, including discrimination because he was Chinese American. Determined to succeed and make the Louvre a welcome place for all, Pei worked hard—and sometimes in secret. This is the story of a visionary who worked patiently and persistently to solve problems and achieve his goals: to plant and grow a glass pyramid.
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The Glass Pyramid: A Story of the Louvre Museum and Architect I. M. Pei
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Publishers Weekly New and Noteworthy Children's and YA Books: May 2025
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BOOKLIST 2025 Top 10 Arts Books for Youth
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Junior Library Guild (JLG) Gold Standard Selection
*STARRED* Review: Booklist, Publishers Weekly
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California Reading Association A Eureka! Honor Book Award
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BC/NSTA 2026 Best STEM K-12 Books
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text copyright © 2025 Jeanne Walker Harvey
illustrations copyright © 2025 Khoa Le
PRAISE FOR
The Glass Pyramid- Two STARRED reviews & more...
* “In spare, rhythmic prose and digital illustrations that combine architectural elements with vector-like precision, Walker Harvey and Le weave together Pei’s biography and the pyramid’s creation story.”
— Publishers Weekly (STARRED review)
* “Harvey adds another stunning title to her body of work in this lyrical picture book of an iconic piece of architecture...this is a worthwhile addition to any picture-book collection, especially where books about architects, artists, and architecture are popular.”
— Booklist (American Library Associaion) (STARRED review)
“A tour through the process, pitfalls, and ultimately successful 1989 debut of I.M. Pei’s redesign of the Louvre…A clear view into an extraordinary achievement from a legendary architect.”
— Kirkus Reviews
“The narrative is both lyrical and economical, every word carefully chosen… An additional purchase for libraries looking for more picture book biographies about groundbreaking Asian American artists.”
— School Library Journal
featuring Jeanne
BEHIND THE SCENES Q&As
Want more Glass Pyramid? Check out these
QUOTES BY
I.M. PEI
“light is the essential element to the key to architectural design...”
“Architecture is the very mirror of life.”
“I have a great love for nature.”
