Amanda Abler and Mary Boone — 'Big Bertha' and 'School of Fish'

Third Place Books are delighted to welcome Amanda Abler and Mary Boone to our Ravenna store! Abler and Boone will be discussing their new kids books, under Seattle and . This event is free and open to the public. Readers of all ages welcome!

For important updates, registration is highly recommended in advance. This event will include a public signing and time for audience Q&A. Sustain our author series by purchasing a copy of the featured book!

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This incredible story about Bertha, the massive tunnel boring machine that successfully constructed the longest and widest road tunnel in the contiguous United States, under the city of Seattle, brought to life in vibrant and engaging illustrations, will appeal to kids ages 7-10 fascinated with big machines and how they work.

In 2013, construction crews raced to replace a crumbling elevated highway along Seattle’s waterfront with a double-decker tunnel running almost two miles under the city. This is the story of Bertha, the mammoth and complex tunnel boring machine that simultaneously dug and built the tunnel, and Deputy Project Manager Greg Hauser and his dedicated crew.

Kids interested in engineering and how machines function will love learning about the tunnel boring machine, how it worked, and how Bertha's crew solved problems that arose along the way to ultimately construct an amazing, earthquake-safe highway under the city.

In addition to the narrative story the book includes additional information about Bertha and this fascinating engineering feat, including:

Facts about Bertha and the tunnel

How Bertha simultaneously dug and built a tunnel

Engineering background about the tunnel’s construction

Students work together to raise salmon in the classroom.

Emmy and her classmates have a special hands-on assignment: raising salmon and releasing them into the wild! At school, they learn about the biology, life cycle, and habitat of salmon, and watch them grow from egg stage to fry stage. When Release Day comes, the students wish their fry goodbye and good luck, hoping that one day they'll find their way back to spawn.

Amanda Abler grew up in New Hampshire where she developed a love of snow, being on the water, and maple syrup. She studied biology in college and continues to love all things related to science. She enjoys writing nonfiction because of the many interesting things she gets to learn and the new people she gets to meet. Amanda lives in Seattle with her family and their small, ferocious dog, Bear. She is the author of The Spirit of Springer and Galloping Gertie and her latest book, Big Bertha. Find out more on her website: AmandaAbler.com
Mary Boone has jumped out of an airplane, DNA tested salmon, and baked dozens of cricket cookies – all in the interest of research for her books and magazine articles. She’s written 70+ nonfiction books, including her newest: School of Fish (Albert Whitman). On the horizon: picture book biographies Pedal Pusher (Henry Holt, 2025) and Flying Feminist (Andersen Press, 2026) and a middle-grade collection of stories related to the sea, Unfathomable (Bright Matter, 2026). Mary lives in Tacoma with her husband Mitch, and the world’s most stubborn Airedale Terrier, Ruth Bader.

About Third Place Books

Founded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, Washington, Third Place Books is dedicated to the creation of a community around books and the ideas inside them. With locations in Lake Forest Park and Seattle's Ravenna and Seward Park neighborhoods, Third Place Books is proud to serve the entire Seattle metro area. Learn more about their event series at thirdplacebooks.com/events.

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