Dani Sneed

The planners of the Chicago World’s Fair put out a call for a new structure to rival the Eiffel Tower premiered at the last World’s Fair. George Ferris, a civil engineer and steel business owner, answered the call with a “monster wheel” that fair participants would be able to take a ride on. Although the idea was initially rejected, George Ferris eventually won out and the 1893 World’s Fair featured the world’s first Ferris wheel.

This straightforward, factual book gives children a brief biographical sketch of George Ferris and then goes into detail of his famous invention, which is all written in a way that is easy to digest for young readers. The text is interspersed with numerous illustrations, mostly photographs highlighting key people and points. The book also contains a timeline of important events in George Ferris’s life, a glossary, a list of print and Web resources for additional information, and an index. Children will be interested to read how an ordinary man persevered and created the sight now so well known to anyone who has been to a fair or an amusement park. The story of one man’s iconic invention may also inspire children to “dream big” just like George Ferris.

I reviewed this book for the Rutgers University Project on Economics and Children. Read the full review here: http://econkids.rutgers.edu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17...… (mehr)