Marcia Schonberg

Twenty six inventions, from aluminum to odomoeter to zipper, are highlighted in this colorful picturebook. Each entry includes a simple sentence that names and briefly describes an invention. For older students or more specific discussion, a set of paragraphs describe the invention in greater detail. Appendix includes a set of 14 questions (answers included) that encourage readers to think more on what they learned while reading. Also at the end is a full page on patents - what they are and why they are important. Illustrations are large and colorful, showing the invention in use, most often the original version is depicted (wooden bicycle, old style radio).… (mehr)

With an invention for each letter of the alphabet, the author explores the ideas of men and women from all over the world and how those ideas affected people, including us today. Each letter has a simple four-line poem telling about the invention followed by a detailed description with facts about the inventor, history on what was happening at the time, and how the world changed because of the work.

Inventions from the "E" elevator to "N" neon signs to "Z" zipper are explored. At the back of the book is a whole page of thought-provoking questions (including the answers upside-down on the page) to spur more questions and imagination. There is also a page devoted to what a patent is and how to apply for one.

This book would be a springboard for many great lessons. How about letting each child describe something they would like to invent that would make life better for people today.
An inventions convention like a science fair would be fun for older children.… (mehr)

The poetry is not particularly inspired. It's actually kind of clunky. And I was surprised to find that the whole state of Ohio did not hold one illustrator competent to make drawings for this book, so they went to Wisconsin to find someone. C'mon, if you are going to write a book about how awesome Ohio is, the least you could do is to have a home-grown illustrator.

Overall it's a book full of facts that are presented in a fairly pedestrian way. The illustrations involving wildlife are head and shoulders above the rest. The poems in the center of each illustration are, as I said, clunky in the extreme. The text in the sidebars is just wooden but certainly informative.… (mehr)