Measuring Up: How Oliver Smoot Became a Standard Unit of Measurement

Gr 2-4–In 1958, MIT student Oliver Smoot and his friends measured the bridge across the Charles River from Boston to Cambridge by lying down and marking Smoot’s body length with chalk approximately 365 times. His horizontal length became known as a “Smoot” in MIT lore and was commemorated in various ways, like a plaque and permanent line markings on the reconstructed Harvard Bridge. This book tells that true story. The text is presented in a clear, straightforward fashion, while illustrations smartly evoke 1950s style. The clean lines and rich textures make the art resemble a mid-century modern PSA. Bron incorporates elements of the story’s motif into the compositions. For example, mathematical formulas are used as background patterns, and a string marking Smoot’s length transforms into the outline of his body so readers can picture it moving across the page. Despite the strong art, the book does little more than inflate the significance of a unit of measurement, obscure outside of the tech sector and the Boston area. Back matter includes more context, including a glossary that equates the Smoot with other units of measurement, such as the Scoville heat unit scale and the Mohs scale of hardness. Written by an MIT grad and published by MIT Press, this is a little niche.