Books For Kids: Wright Brothers

Who Were the Wright Brothers?

By James Buckley, Jr., Illustrated by Tim Foley

As young boys, Orville and Wilbur Wright loved all things mechanical.  As young men, they gained invaluable skills essential for their success. They worked with printing presses, bicycles, motors, and any sort of machinery they could get their hands on.  As adults, the brothers worked together to invent, build, and fly the world’s first successful airplane. This is the story of the two inventors and aviation pioneers who never lost sight of their dream: to fly, and to soar higher! 

Science Comics: Flying Machines: How the Wright Brothers Soared

Benjamin A. Wilgus, Illustrated by Molly Brooks

Follow the famous aviators from their bicycle shop in Dayton, Ohio, to the fields of North Carolina where they were to make their famous flights. In an era of dirigibles and hot air balloons, the Wright Brothers were among the first innovators of heavier than air flight.

But in the hotly competitive international race toward flight, Orville and Wilbur were up against a lot more than bad weather. Mechanical failures, lack of information, and even other aviators complicated the Wright Brothers’ journey. Though they weren’t as wealthy as their European counterparts, their impressive achievements demanded attention on the international stage. Thanks to their carefully recorded experiments and a healthy dash of bravery, the Wright Brothers’ flying machines took off. 9-13 years

Wright Brothers: Inventors Whose Ideas Really Took Flight

By Mike Venezia

Meet the Wright Brothers! Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Inventors and Scientists series combines a mix of full-color historical reproductions, photos, and cartoon-style illustrations. These bring to life the work and contributions of renowned scientists and inventors. 

The Wright Sister: Katharine Wright and her Famous Brothers

By Richard Maurer

Not many people know that the Wright brothers had a sister, Katharine Wright. She supported her high-flying, inventor brothers through their aviation triumphs and struggles. This is her story.

On a chilly December day in 1903, a young woman came home from her teaching job in Dayton, Ohio, to find a telegram waiting for her. The woman was Katharine Wright. The telegram, from her brother Orville, announced the first successful airplane flight in history.  Richard Maurer tells Katharine’s story. Smart and well-educated, she was both confidant and caregiver to her bachelor brothers. She managed many of their affairs, traveling with them on frequent trips to demonstrate and promote their invention. She cared for them when they were sick from disease and injury. In doing so, she gave up her ambitions as a teacher and her early hopes of marriage.

The Wright Brothers: How They Invented the Airplane

By Russell Freedman

This is a narrative account of Orville and Wilbur Wright’s story. They had little formal schooling but a knack for solving problems. The book chronicles their lives from their early mechanical work on toys and bicycles through the development of several flyers. The Wright Brothers follows the siblings through their achievements—not only the first powered, sustained, controlled airplane flight, but the numerous improvements and enhancements.

The Wright Brothers For Kids: They Invented the Airplane, 21 Activities Exploring Science and the History of Flight

By Mary Kay Carson

This activity book tells the true story of how two bicycle-making brothers from Ohio, with no more than high-school educations, accomplished a feat that forever changed the world. At a time when most people still hadn’t ridden in an automobile, Wilbur and Orville Wright built the first powered, heavier-than-air flying machine.

Woven throughout the story of the two brothers are activities that highlight their ingenuity and problem-solving abilities as they overcame many obstacles to achieve controlled flight. 

First Flight: The Wright Brothers DK Reader

By Leslie Garrett

In this DK Level 4 Reader, follow the story of brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright as they plan and build a flying machine!

Photographs combine with illustrations and age-appropriate stories to capture a child’s interest while developing their reading skills and general knowledge. 

The Wright Brothers First Flight: A Fly on the Wall History

By Thomas Kingsley Troupe, Illustrated by Jomike Tejido

From a sandy North Carolina dune to mid air … Two cartoon flies join readers as they follow Orville and Wilbur Wright on their quest for flight. This book provides a blend of facts and fun while telling the story of a great moment in American and aviation history. 

My Brother’s Flying Machine: Wilbur, Orville and Me

By Jane Yolen, Illustrated by Jim Burke

In celebration of the Wright Brothers’ flight, this story is told from the point of view of their sister, Katharine, who watched her brothers play with a toy flying machine, which was the beginning of their remarkable collaboration. 

The Story of the Wright Brothers

By Annette Whipple

The Wright brothers were the first people ever to build and fly an airplane, doing what many people at the time didn’t think was possible. Before they made history with their airplane, Wilbur and Orville were curious kids who loved learning about the world around them and how it worked. They fell in love with the idea of flying and taught themselves everything they needed to know to make their dream come true.

Explore how the Wright brothers went from young boys growing up in Ohio to world-famous inventors, aviators, and businessmen. How will their hard work and big imaginations inspire you?

The Story of the Wright Brothers includes:

  • Lasting change―Learn about how the Wright brothers’ inventions changed how we live today.

  • Helpful glossary―Find definitions for some of the more advanced words and ideas in the book.

  • Visual timeline―Watch the Wright brothers progress from curious kids to famous flyers.

The Wright Brothers: Nose Diving into History

By Ben Thompson

A hilarious nonfiction look at two of history’s most epic “failures”: the Wright brothers, whose countless crashes ultimately led to groundbreaking success.

Although Orville and Wilbur Wright are celebrated today as heroes for their revolutionary contributions to science and engineering―they are acknowledged as the first men to successfully achieve powered, piloted flight―their success was hard-earned. (Spoiler alert: there were a lot of nosedives involved.) In fact, it took the self-taught engineers years of work and dozens of crashes before they managed a single twelve-second flight!

The book descriptions used are primarily from the publishers.

If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and/or leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author

You may like, Books For Kids: Amelia Earhart https://barbaralowell.com/books-for-kids-amelia-earhart

 

Books For Kids: Leonardo da Vinci

Leonardo da Vinci

By Jane Kent, Illustrated by Isabel Munoz

Why could Leonardo da Vinci paint the human form so accurately in all its beauty? How was he educated and trained as an artist? What inspired his most famous works, including The Last Supper and the Mona Lisa? And what fun machine did he invent? Find out about this unique artist and the many areas, from architecture to flight, he drew on and influenced.  

Leonardo Beautiful Dreamer

By Robert Byrd

Famous in his time as a painter, prankster, and philosopher, Leonardo da Vinci was also a musician, sculptor, and engineer for dukes, popes, and kings. What remains of his work, from futuristic designs and scientific inquiry to artwork of ethereal beauty, reveals the ambitious, unpredictable brilliance of a visionary, and a timeless dreamer. 

Who Was Leonardo da Vinci

By Roberta Edwards, Illustrated by True Kelley

Leonardo was a gifted painter, talented musician, and dedicated scientist and inventor. He designed flying machines, submarines and even helicopters.  Yet, he had a hard time finishing things, a problem anyone can relate to.  Only thirteen paintings are known to be his. As for the illustrated encyclopedia he intended to create, all that he left were thousands of disorganized notebook pages.  Here is an accessible portrait of a fascinating man who lived at a fascinating time—Italy during the Renaissance. 

The Science and Technology of Leonardo da Vinci

By Elizabeth Pagel-Hogan, Illustrated by Micah Rauch

During the Renaissance, inventors and other creative thinkers designed and constructed many new things. It was a time of discovery, wonder, and exploration. And one of the people on the forefront of that awakening was Leonardo da Vinci. Readers explore the life of one of the world’s most amazing minds. They discover what it might have been like to live in the fourteenth century, when work, entertainment, medicine, travel, and food were very different. They ponder the same kinds of questions that drove Leonardo to tinker and experiment endlessly, even while creating artwork that influenced entire generations who came after him. What is the inside of the body like? How might humans fly? How can geometry be used to design stronger buildings?

His dedication to invention, experimentation, and art, along with his insatiable curiosity, gave the world new insight into anatomy, botany, engineering, and much more. Kids gain these same insights through hands-on STEM activities, essential questions, text-to-world connections, and links to online resources, including primary sources, that encourage readers to take a closer look at the world of the Renaissance.

Neo Leo: The Ageless Ideas of Leonardo da Vinci

By Gene Barretta

In 1781, Thomas Paine came up with a model for a single-span bridge; in 1887, Adolf Eugen Fick made the first pair of contact lenses; and in 1907, Paul Cornu built the first helicopter. But Leonardo da Vinci thought of all these ideas more than five hundred years ago!

An artist, inventor, engineer, and scientist, he wrote and drew detailed descriptions of what would later become hang gliders, automobiles, robots, and much more. Gene Barretta cleverly shows how Leonardo’s ideas, many inspired by his love of nature, foreshadowed modern inventions and offered a window into the future. 

I am Leonardo da Vinci

By Brad Meltzer, Illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos

This book features Leonardo da Vinci, the Renaissance artist and inventor. He always followed his interests, no matter where they led! His quest to fly led him to study birds’ wings and his invention designs were the very earliest sketches of helicopters and other flying machines. His hard work and dedication to his curiosities is why we still remember him today.

The Story of Leonardo da Vinci

By Ciari O’Neal

Leonardo da Vinci was a famous artist and thinker. He created well-known paintings like the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, and even had ideas for modern-day inventions like cars and contact lenses. Before he amazed the world with his creative mind, he was a bright kid who loved asking questions.

As a teenager, he studied under an expert artist who taught him different ways to create, like painting and sculpting. Explore how Leonardo went from being a thoughtful young boy to an artistic genius whose artwork still hangs in museums all over the world.

The Story includes:

  • Core curriculum standards―Learn the Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How of Leonardo’s life, and test your knowledge with a fun quiz.

  • His lasting legacy―Discover more about how Leonardo da Vinci changed the world for future generations, including you!

  • A visual timeline―Explore a timeline marking the major milestones of his life so you can watch him progress from a little kid to a brilliant artist.

 

The Genius of Leonardo Da Vinci

By Guido Visconti, Illustrated by Bimba Landmann

Artist, engineer, pacifist, inventor: Leonardo da Vinci was a genius of a very particular kind. This introduction to his life and work is vividly retold through the eyes of his young apprentice, Giacomo, making it easy for young readers to relate to his story. 

Leonardo da Vinci: Extraordinary Machines

By David Hawcock

The most significant creations of the Renaissance genius, Leonardo da Vinci, come to life in the pages of this illustrated pop-up book. Published to commemorate the 500th anniversary of his death, this book reveals the intricacy and importance of his designs for robots, flying machines, and other timeless inventions. The 3-D models are based on the master’s actual drawings and are accompanied by his notes. 

Leonardo da Vinci

By Diane Stanley

Born in 1452, to a peasant woman and a country gentleman, Leonardo da Vinci was one of the most amazing people who ever lived. He grew up to be a great painter, sculptor, architect, scientist, and inventor.

As a boy, he was apprenticed to a famous artist. But he quickly became more skilled than his teacher. He filled thousands of pages with plans for incredible inventions including a submarine, and air-cooling system, “glasses to see the moon large,” and even a flying machine. 

Leonardo and the Flying Boy

By Laurence Anholt

Zoro is a little boy in 17th-century Italy, long before airplanes flew in the sky. But Zoro is also an apprentice to the artist and inventor Leonardo da Vinci–and Leonardo is experimenting with a revolutionary flying machine! 

Leonardo da Vinci for Kids: His Life and Ideas, 21 Activities

By Joan Herbert

The marriage of art and science is celebrated in this activity book. Kids will begin to understand the important discoveries that da Vinci made through inspiring activities like determining the launch angle of a catapult, sketching birds and other animals, creating a map, learning to look at a painting, and much more. Includes a glossary, bibliography, listing of pertinent museums and websites, a timeline, and many interesting sidebars. 

Leonardo Da Vinci

By Mike Venezia

Clever illustrations and story lines, together with full-color reproductions of actual paintings, give children a light yet realistic overview of Leonardo DaVinci’s life and style.

The book descriptions are primarily from the publishers.

If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and/or leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author

You may like Leonardo da Vinci Invented https://barbaralowell.com/leonardo-da-vinci-invented

Leonado da Vinci for kids https://www.ducksters.com/biography/leonardo_da_vinci.php

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Books For Kids: Thomas Edison

Timeless Thomas: How Thomas Edison Changed Our Lives

By Gene Barretta

What do record players, batteries, and movie cameras have in common? All these devices were created by the man known as “The Wizard of Menlo Park,” Thomas Edison. He is most famous for inventing the incandescent light bulb. But at his landmark laboratories in Menlo Park and West Orange, New Jersey, he developed other staples of modern technology. He persevered despite many failures. We are lucky that he did because it would be very difficult to go through a day without using one of his life-changing inventions. 6-10 years

A Wizard From the Start: The Incredible Boyhood and Amazing Inventions of Thomas Edison

By Don Brown

A wizard from the start, Thomas Edison had a thirst for knowledge, taste for mischief, and hunger for discovery—but his success was made possible by his boundless energy. At age fourteen he coined his personal motto: “The More to do, the more to be done,” and then went out and did: picking up skills and knowledge at every turn. When learning about things that existed wasn’t enough, he dreamed up new inventions to improve the world. From humble beginnings as a farmer’s son, selling newspapers on trains and reading through public libraries shelf by shelf, Tom began his inventing career as a boy and became a legend as a man. 4-7 years

When Thomas Edison Fed Someone Worms

By Mark Andrew Weakland, Illustrated by Thomas Radcliffe

Thomas Edison became a great American inventor and businessman. But do you know what he was like as a child? From exploring shipyards and pastures to feeding a girl worms, Thomas was a curious and creative child. This playful story of his childhood will help young readers connect with a historic figure and will inspire them to want to achieve greatness. 6-8 years

The Unexpected Light of Thomas Alva Edison

By Raymond Arroyo, Illustrated by Kristina Gehrmann

No one thought much of young Thomas Alva Edison. He couldn’t focus at school and caused trouble around the house. But where others saw a distracted and mischievous boy, his mother saw imagination and curiosity. At only seven years old, Al, as he was called as a young child, was educated by his mother, who oversaw his rigorous at-home education while also allowing him great freedom to explore and dream. Those early years of encouragement and loving guidance formed the man who would apply those valuable lessons as well as his rich imagination to inventing the phonograph, the motion picture camera, the light bulb, and more. 4-8 years

Thomas Edison and His Bright Idea

By Patricia Brennan Demuth, Illustrated by Jez Tuya

This nonfiction reader shines a light on Thomas Edison and his greatest invention — the light bulb! As a curious child who was always asking questions, it’s no wonder he grew up to become a famous, prolific inventor. This story follows Edison from his time in school to his career as full-time inventor. His discoveries will fascinate and inspire all curious young minds. 6-8 years

Who Was Thomas Edison?

By Margaret Frith, Illustrated by John O’Brien

One day in 1882, Thomas Edison flipped a switch that lit up lower Manhattan with incandescent light and changed the way people lived. The electric light bulb was only one of thousands of Edison’s inventions. As a boy, observing a robin catch a worm and then take flight, he fed a playmate a mixture of worms and water to see if she could fly. 8-12 years

Thomas Edison Lighting the Way

By Lori Haskins Houran, Illustrated by Gustavo Mazali

Most people today know Thomas Edison as the inventor of the light bulb—except, he isn’t! In Edison’s time, other inventors were working on the light bulb, but no one could figure out how to keep the light bulb lit. This is where Edison came in. Read and find out all about the real story of Thomas Edison’s life and his many amazing inventions, like the movie camera and the battery for an electric car! Biography reader includes a timeline and historical photos all about the life of this inspiring figure. 4-8 years

The Inventor’s Secret: What Thomas Edison Told Henry Ford

By Suzanne Slade, Illustrated Jennifer Black Reinhardt

Thomas Edison and Henry Ford started off as insatiably curious tinkerers. That curiosity led them to become inventors — with very different results. As Edison invented hit after commercial hit, gaining fame and fortune, Henry struggled to make a single invention, an affordable car, work. Witnessing Thomas’s glorious career from afar, a frustrated Henry wondered about the secret to his success. This little-known story is a fresh, kid-friendly way to show how they grew up to be the most famous inventors in the world and best friends, too. 6-9 years

Young Thomas Edison

By Michael Dooling

How did Thomas Edison grow up to be America’s greatest inventor? This book explores the beginnings of his genius from his difficulty in school, to his early years as a young scientist, to the man everyone called, “The Wizard of Menlo Park.” 7 and up

National Geographic Readers: Thomas Edison

By Barbara Kramer

Learn all about Thomas Edison, one of the most important figures in American history, in this leveled reader written in an easy-to-grasp style that will encourage the inventors of tomorrow!  5-8 years

DK Biography Thomas Edison: A Photographic Story of a Life

By Jan Adkins

Filled with archival photographs and amazing facts, this biography tells the story of the famous inventor, from his childhood as an “addled” student, to his reign as the “Wizard of Menlo Park,” where he developed the electric light bulb, the phonograph, and many other inventions still in use today. 10-17 years

Thomas Edison For Kids: His Life and Ideas, 21 Activities

By Laurie Carlson

Thomas Edison, one of the world’s greatest inventors, is introduced in this activity books. Children will learn how he ushered in an astounding age of invention with his unique way of looking at things and his refusal to be satisfied with only one solution to a problem. This books helps to inspire kids to be inventors and scientists, as well as persevere with their own ideas. Activities allow children to try Edison’s experiments: making a puppet dance, using static electricity, manufacturing a switch for an electric current, constructing a telegraph machine, and many more. 9-12 years.

The book descriptions used are primarily from the publishers.

If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author

You may like: Thomas Edison Invented https://barbaralowell.com/thomas-edison-invented

 

Books For Kids: Galileo

Galileo Galilei

I, Galileo

by Bonnie Christensen

Galileo’s contributions were numerous. They included the telescope and the microscope. And his ideas were world-changing especially the sun-centric solar system. Albert Einstein called him “the father of modern science.” But in his own time he was branded a heretic and imprisoned in his home. He was a man who insisted on his right to pursue the truth, no matter what the cost. This made his life as interesting and instructive as his ideas. 8-12 years

Starry Messenger

By Peter Sis

In every age there are courageous people who break with tradition to explore new ideas and challenge accepted truths. Galileo Galilei was just such a man, a genius, and the first to turn the telescope to the skies to map the heavens. In doing so, he offered objective evidence that the earth was not the fixed center of the universe but that it and all the other planets revolved around the sun. He kept careful notes and made beautiful drawings of all that he observed. Through his telescope he brought the stars down to earth for everyone to see. 6-10 years

Who Was Galileo?

By Patricia Brennan Demuth, Illustrated by John O’Brien

Born in Pisa, Italy, in the sixteenth century, Galileo contributed to the era’s great rebirth of knowledge. He invented a telescope to observe the heavens. He turned long-held ideas about the universe topsy turvy with his support of a sun-centric solar system. This brilliant man lived in a time when speaking scientific truth to those in power was still a dangerous proposition. 8-12 years

 

Galileo Galilei and the Movement of the Planets (Graphic Biography)

By Jordi Bayarri Dolz

Galileo Galilei believed in the power of scientific observation over traditional ideas. His close study of the night sky helped support the theory that planets move around the sun. His defiant personality made him powerful enemies. This graphic biography covers Galilei’s life from his early work with projectiles to his revolutionary look at the cosmos. It also depicts the backlash to his bold ideas and his trial under the Inquisition. 10-14 years

Galileo! Galileo!

By Holly Trechter and Jane Donovan

For hundreds of years, people have dreamed of Jupiter, the king of the planets. But the trip across the solar system is so long and dangerous that it seems almost impossible. This is the incredible, true story of NASA’s Galileo Mission. It’s narrated by the medieval genius Galileo, who connects with middle-grade readers in a humorous way. Strap in for this epic adventure of imagination, brilliance, and plain old grit. 8-12 years

Galileo Galilei and the Pisa Tower: 

A Bilingual Picture Book About the Italian Astonomer

(Italian and English Text)

By Nancy Bach, Illustrated by Leo Latti

Young readers and language learners will find this bilingual book easy to read and understand. This simple story introduces the Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei, his life, work and discoveries. All ages

Along Came Galileo

By Jeanne Bendick

One of the most important figures to come out of the awakening world of the Renaissance was Galileo Galilei. Often referred to as the “Archimedes of his time, Galileo was forever asking questions. Is it possible to measure heat? Is it possible to weigh air? Does the earth stand still or does it move? How fast do objects fall to the earth? His questions led to some of the most important answers of the scientific world and to his contributions to astronomy, physics, and mathematics. All ages

Galileo for Kids: His Life and Ideas, 25 Activities

By Richard Panchyk

Galileo, one of history’s best-known scientists, made revolutionary discoveries and proposed sometimes controversial theories that changed his world and laid the groundwork for modern astronomy and physics. The activities in this book allow children to try some of Galileo’s experiments on their own. 9 and up

Galileo’s Journal 1609-1610

By Jeanne Pettenati, Illustrated by Paolo Rui

On his summer vacation, Galileo Galilei hears about the newly invented telescope and decides to build one of his own. Turning his new “spyglass” to the night sky, he sees things that no one has ever seen before. He discovers that the Milky Way is made of stars, and that the moon has mountains. He notices a strange formation of “stars” that will eventually turn people’s understanding of the world upside down. Fictional journal accounts capture the famous Italian scientist’s curiosity and wonder as he makes some of the most amazing discoveries in history. 6-9 years

Galileo: The Genuis Who Charted the Universe

By Phillip Steele

Galileo made the first effective use of the refracting telescope to discover important new facts about astronomy. His observations led him to support Copernicus’s claim that Earth and the other planets circled the sun. His genius lay in the way he approached scientific problems. He reduced problems to simple terms on the basis of experience and common-sense logic. Then he analyzed and resolved the problems according to simple mathematical descriptions, opening the way for the development of modern mathematical physics. 8-12 years

The book descriptions used are primarily from the publishers.

If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author

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Galileo For Kids: https://www.ducksters.com/biography/scientists/galileo_galilei.php

 

 

Thomas Edison Invented…

Thomas Edison grew up at a time when children went to work to help support their families. At age twelve or thirteen, he sold newspapers on the train that ran from his hometown, Port Huron, Michigan, to Detroit.

In his free time, Thomas liked to read all about science and technology. He also liked to experiment with chemicals. He set up a laboratory in his basement. And he even conducted experiments in the baggage car of the train he worked on.

Young Thomas Edison (Wikimedia Commons)

At age sixteen, Thomas became a telegraph operator for the railroad. But he had to leave his job after a train accident was blamed on him. He then worked for the Associated Press at night. This job allowed him to read and work on experiments during the day.

Thomas Edison (Wikimedia Commons)

His first invention was an electric vote recorder. The recorder could be used by members of legislatures to count their votes on bills right away. But it was a failure. Thomas discovered that politicians did not want a fast way to count their votes.

Thomas’s first successful invention was a stock ticker that improved on earlier ones. His stock ticker let investors know quickly what was happening in the stock market.

Thomas Edison and his phonograph (Pixabay)

Thomas Edison’s first big invention was the phonograph. It recorded and produced sound that people could hear clearly. This invention made him famous all over the world. He became known as “The Wizard of Menlo Park.” Menlo Park was his research laboratory complex in New Jersey.

Thomas Edison and engineers at Menlo Park (Shutterstock)

Now it was time for his greatest invention, the incandescent light bulb. Inventors had tried for years to come up with an electric light bulb that would replace gaslight. But no one had found a practical way to do that.

First, Thomas set up the Edison Electric Light Company. Then he worked for years trying to perfect a light bulb. He failed many times until he tried a platinum filament. The light bulb burned for 13 1/2 hours. But Thomas wanted a bulb that would burn much longer and would be cheaper to make.

Edison light bulb (Shutterstock)

Thomas had been fishing with a bamboo pole made from bamboo threads. He decided to try a carbonized bamboo filament. And eureka, his light bulb lasted for over 1,200 hours. It was affordable too. Thomas demonstrated his light bulb by lighting up his Menlo Park laboratory complex.

Thomas Edison (Pixabay)

Thomas wasn’t satisfied just inventing a practical light bulb. He wanted to light up everyone’s home, business, and factory. He started the Edison Illuminating Company. Thomas’s first power station went into operation in Manhattan. It lit up a one-mile square area. It was only a matter of time until electric light lit up the world.

His other inventions include a motion picture camera, and a Kinetoscope to project the images on, and the first alkaline battery for electric cars. It was the forerunner of the alkaline batteries we use today. 

A quote by Thomas Edison (Shutterstock)

To learn more about Thomas Edison and his inventions visit: https://www.nps.gov/edis/learn/historyculture/edison-biography.htm

If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author

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Books For Kids: Thomas Edison https://barbaralowell.com/books-for-kids-thomas-edison

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Leonardo Da Vinci Invented… https://barbaralowell.com/leonardo-da-vinci-invented

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Books For Kids: Ben Franklin

Benjamin Franklin’s Wise Words

by K.M. Koystal and Benjamin Franklin, Illustrated by Fred Harper

Discover history through the eyes of one of the smartest, funniest, and coolest figures from America’s past. Ben gives sage advice on everything from good citizenship, manners,  friendship, and being happy. 

Ben Franklin & the Magic Squares

By Frank Murphy, Illustrated by Richard Walz

A funny, entertaining introduction to Ben Franklin and his many inventions, including the story of how he created the “magic square.” A magic square is a box of nine numbers. They are arranged so that any line of three adds up to the same number, even on the diagonal. 

What’s the Big Idea Ben Franklin

By Jean Fritz, Illustrated by Margaret Tomes

A fun historic tale by Newbery Honor-winning author, Jean Fritz! No matter how busy he was, Ben Franklin always found time to try out new ideas. A man of many talents, he was an ambassador, a printer, an almanac maker, a politician, and even a vegetarian (for a time.)

Ben Franklin Thinks Big

By Shelia Keenan, Illustrated by Gustavo Mazali

Ben Franklin was a famous inventor, statesman, and writer who helped the thirteen colonies become the United States. From inventing the lightning rod to helping write the Declaration of Independence, his big ideas had a lasting impact on American history.

Beginning readers will learn about the milestones in Ben Franklin’s life in this Level Two I Can Read biography. This biography includes bonus materials, complete with a timeline and historical illustrations, including Franklin’s electrical machine invention and his leaf print money that couldn’t be counterfeited. 4-8 years

When I Grow Up: Benjamin Franklin

By Annmarie Anderson, Illustrated by Gerald Kelley

Benjamin Franklin is one of America’s most beloved Founding Fathers and a man of many talents. He is most well-known for discovering electricity. But he was also an author, and editor, a printer, and a diplomat. And he invented many things we still use today. This book takes the reader on an exciting journey from Ben’s childhood to his adulthood as a famous American.

Who Was Ben Franklin

By Dennis Brindell Fradin, Illustrated by John O’Brien

Ben Franklin was the scientist who, with the help of a kite, discovered that lightning is electricity. He was also a statesman, an inventor, a printer, and an an author. He was a man of such amazingly varied talents that some people claimed he had magical powers. 

Now and Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin

By Gene Barretta

What would you do if you lived in a community without a library, hospital, post office, or fire department? If you were Ben Franklin, you’d set these up yourself. Franklin also designed the lightning rod. He suggested the idea of daylight savings time. And he invented bifocals. All were inspired by his common sense and intelligence. 

Benjamin Franklin: Inventor of the Nation

By Mark Shulman, Illustrated by Kelly Tindall

Benjamin Franklin has been called one of the most accomplished and influential Americans in history, and his role in shaping the United States has had a lasting impact that is still felt today. From his birth in Boston in 1706 to his days as a printer, inventor, and politician.

Benjamin Franklin: Inventor of the Nation! tells the story of “the First American” in an accessible graphic novel format. Franklin’s research into topics as varied as electricity, meteorology, demography, and oceanography were as wide-ranging and important as his travels, which took him across the globe as a diplomat for the newly founded United States toward the end of the 18th century.

Benjamin Franklin (Giants of Science)

By Kathleen Krull, Illustrated by Boris Kulikov

Benjamin Franklin was a famous inventor and multitasker. He’s best remembered as one of America’s Founding Fathers. But he was also a scientist. His experiments led to important discoveries about the nature of electricity. He famously demonstrated that electricity and lightning are one in the same. 

A Ben of All Trades: The Most Inventive Boyhood of Benjamin Franklin

By Michael J. Rosen, Illustrated by Matt Tavares

Young Benjamin Franklin wants to be a sailor, but his father won’t hear of it. The other trades he tries — candle maker, joiner, boot closer, turner — bore him through and through. Curious and inventive, Ben prefers to read, swim, fly his kite, and fly his kite while swimming. But each time he fails to find a profession, he takes some important bit of knowledge with him.

That tendency is exactly what leads him to become the astonishingly versatile genius we remember today. Inspired by The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, Michael J. Rosen’s tale captures Ben’s spirit in playful language, while illustrations by Matt Tavares follow Ben from the workbench to the water in vivid detail. 

The Remarkable Benjamin Franklin

By Cheryl Harness

No one could have thought up a more amazing character than the living, breathing Benjamin Franklin. He was everything from a “soapmaker, candle dipper, and printer” to a “postmaster, political activist, community reformer, revolutionary, statesman, international diplomat, and first great citizen of a nation which he, as much or more than anyone, helped to create.” 

John, Paul, George & Ben

By Lane Smith

Once there were four lads…John [Hancock], Paul [Revere], George [Washington], and Ben [Franklin]. Oh yes, there was also Tom [Jefferson], but he was annoyingly independent and hardly ever around. These lads were always getting into trouble for one reason or another. In other words, they took a few…liberties. And to be honest, they were not always appreciated. This is the story of five little lads before they became five really big Founding Fathers.

The book descriptions used are primarily from the publishers.

If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author

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Ben Franklin Runs Away

https://barbaralowell.com/ben-franklin-runs-away

 

 

Louis Braille — The Boy Who Invented the Braille Alphabet

Louis Braille lived in the French village of Coupvray. Born in 1809, he was the fourth child of a harness maker and his wife. Louis was a bright and curious child. He especially enjoyed watching his father at work.

One day, three-year-old Louis decided to try out his father’s awl, a very sharp tool. Unfortunately, he injured his eye. It became infected and when Louis touched the uninjured eye, the infection spread, blinding him.

Louis Braille House, Coupvray, France

Louis’s family and a village priest helped him. His father made a cane so that Louis could walk without assistance. His sisters made an alphabet from straw so that he could learn letters. And the priest read to Louis and taught him to listen to the sounds of birds to recognize them.

Louis later went to school with sighted children and listened to and remembered the lessons. But for Louis, that wasn’t enough. He wanted to read books.

When he was ten-years-old, he traveled to Paris to attend the Royal Institution for Blind Youth. The school’s founder had created books with raised letters. But the letters were enormous with only a few sentences or less on a page. The books were not practical.

Then a French army captain named Charles Barbier invented a system of sending messages to soldiers on the field. His system used raised dots so that the soldiers could read the messages without light and not give away their location to the enemy.

The army seemed unimpressed, so Barbier sent his system to the Royal Institution for Blind Youth. Louis and the other students recognized right away that this system was not practical. The dots represented sounds not letters. They were difficult for the students to read.

Louis Braille’s Six-Dot Braille System

Louis Braille decided to adapt Barbier’s system and make it practical. He worked for three years to perfect it. By the age of fifteen, he had developed the six-dot Braille System we know today. Each letter of the alphabet uses a different pattern of raised dots. Louis’s system is used in every country in the world.

Braille

If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author

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Books for Kids:

Six Dots: A Story of Young Louis Braille

By Jen Bryant, Illustrated by Boris Kulikov

Who Was Louis Braille?

By Margaret Frith

Illustrated by Robert Squier and Scott Anderson

Out of Darkness: The Story of Louis Braille

By Russell Freedman, Illustrated by Kate Kiesler

To Learn More Visit: http://nbp.org/ic/nbp/braille/whoislouis.html

Ada Lovelace — First Computer Programmer

Ada Lovelace is considered to be the world’s first computer programmer.

Ada was born in England on December 10, 1815, the daughter of the famous and reckless poet Lord Byron. Soon after she was born, her parent’s marriage ended. Ada never saw her father again.

Her mother, Anne Isabella Milbanke had a great interest  in mathematics. Byron called her the Princess of Parallelograms. Anne Isabella steered her daughter away from poetry and into mathematics and science.

Ada Lovelace

Ada had a wonderful imagination. She decided that she would learn how to fly by studying birds’ anatomy. Ada made a set of wings. She wrote and illustrated her own book called Flyology and designed a flying mechanical horse.

Lord Byron

In 1829, Ada became temporarily paralyzed after having measles. She improved her math and science skills while bedridden. At age sixteen, restored to health, Ada was introduced to English society. She met famous scientists and became friends with the engineer Charles Babbage.

Babbage invented a machine called the Difference Engine. It worked like a giant calculator. He then designed a more complex machine he called the Analytical Engine. Babbage thought it would solve difficult mathematical calculations. The machine would then store these calculations. And it would also print them.

The Analytical Engine

Ada translated an article written about the Analytical Engine into English. She added her own notes. These notes contained an algorithm that would allow the machine to work. Ada’s algorithm is considered to be the first computer program.

The Analytical Engine was too expensive to build. But it is considered to be the first computer. And Charles Babbage is acknowledged as the “father of the computer.”

Charles Babbage designed his Analytical Engine to be capable of working with numbers. But Ada thought the machine had much greater possibilities. She envisioned it producing music, art, and writing, like modern computers.

Sadly, Ada died at age 36. Although she never met her father, she requested to be buried next to his grave in England.

If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell

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To Learn More About Babbage’s Engines, Visit: https://www.computerhistory.org/babbage/engines/

Books For Kids About Ada Lovelace:

Ada’s Ideas: The Story of Ada Lovelace,

the World’s First Computer Programmer

by Fiona Robinson

Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine

by Laurie Wallmark, Illustrated by April Chu

Ada Lovelace Poet of Science

by Diane Stanley, Illustrated by Jessie Hartland

Who Says Women Can’t Be Computer Programmers? 

The Story of Ada Lovelace

By Tanya Lee Stone, Illustrated by Marjorie Priceman

Leonardo da Vinci Invented…

Leonardo da Vinci painted two of the best known paintings in the world: Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. In addition to his magnificent work as an artist, Leonardo designed inventions that are familiar to us today, almost 400 years later.

Leonardo sketched and wrote about his inventions in notebooks. Most of his ideas could not be made into working objects during his lifetime. Engineering was a new science and many of his designs were technically complicated.

These are six of Leonardo da Vinci’s inventions:

In the Air:

Glider — Leonardo’s glider design looks similar to both a bird in flight and a modern hang glider. Leonardo studied birds as he worked on his design.

Helical Screw — This is Leonardo’s design for an early type of helicopter. Four men inside operated the screw. It would compress air to fly just like helicopters do today. 

Parachute — Leonardo imagined floating through the air using a parachute. Designed to be made of linen and wood, his parachute had a triangular shape.

Anemometer — Leonardo designed this instrument to measure wind speed. Anemometers are used at weather stations today.

Under Water:

Scuba Gear — Leonardo designed a leather suit with a head covering attached to two tubes. The tubes connected to an above water diving bell. The diver would breathe air from the water’s surface through the tubes. Today, scuba divers breathe air from the tanks they carry underwater. Early divers used Leonardo’s method.

On Land:

Tank — Leonardo turned again to the natural world for this design. A turtle shell inspired it. The tank’s design provided for a 360 degree rotation.  Four men inside would operate the tank with hand cranks while other men would fire the weapons. Modern tanks first appeared in World War I.

To see these and more of Leonardo da Vinci’s inventions visit: http://www.da-vinci-inventions.com/

If you like this post, the please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author

You may like Books For Kids: Leonardo da Vinci https://barbaralowell.com/books-for-kids-leonardo-da-vinci

 

 

 

To Learn More:

Emma Lilian Todd Invents an Airplane

Kids Books — Inventors

Wood, Wire, Wings: Emma Lilian Todd Invents an Airplane

By Kirsten W. Larson, Illustrated by Tracy Subisak

Emma Lilian Todd’s mind was always soaring–she loved to solve problems. Lilian tinkered and fiddled with all sorts of objects, turning dreams into useful inventions. As a child, she took apart and reassembled clocks to figure out how they worked. As an adult, typing up patents at the U.S. Patent Office, Lilian built the inventions in her mind, including many designs for flying machines. However, they all seemed too impractical.

Lilian knew she could design one that worked. She took inspiration from both nature and her many failures, driving herself to perfect the design that would eventually successfully fly. Illustrator Tracy Subisak’s art brings to life author Kirsten W. Larson’s story of this little-known but important engineer. 7-10 years

 

Neo Leo: The Ageless Ideas of Leonardo daVinci

by Gene Barretta

In 1781, Thomas Paine came up with a model for a single-span bridge. In 1887, Adolf Eugen Fick made the first pair of contact lenses. And in 1907, Paul Comu built the first helicopter. But Leonardo da Vinci thought of all these ideas more than five hundred years ago! At once an artist, inventor, engineer, and scientist, da Vinci wrote and drew detailed descriptions of what would later become hang gliders, automobiles, robots, and much more. In Neo Leo, Gene Barretta shows how Leonardo’s ideas — many inspired by his love of nature — foreshadowed modern inventions, offering a window into the future.

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The Boy Who Invented TV: The Story of Philo Farnsworth

by Kathleen Krull, Illustrated by George Couch

Plowing a potato field in 1920, a 14-year-old boy from Idaho saw in the parallel rows of overturned earth a way to “make pictures fly through the air.” This boy was not a magician. He was a scientific genius. Just eight years later he made his brainstorm in the potato field a reality. He transmitted the world’s first television image. 

Hedy Lamarr’s Double Life: Hollywood Legend and Brilliant Inventor

By Laurie Wallmark, Illustrated by Katy Wu

To her adoring public, Hedy Lamarr was a glamorous movie star, widely considered the most beautiful woman in the world. But in private, she was something more: a brilliant inventor. And for many years only her closest friends knew her secret. Now Laurie Wallmark and Katy Wu tell the story of how, during World War Two, Lamarr developed a groundbreaking communications system that still remains essential to the security of today’s technology.

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Marvelous Mattie: How Margaret E. Knight Became An Inventor

by Emily Arnold McCully

With her sketchbook labeled My Inventions and her father’s toolbox, Mattie could make almost anything — toys, sleds, and a foot warmer. When she was just twelve years old, Mattie designed a metal guard to prevent shuttles from shooting off textile looms and injuring workers. As an adult, Mattie invented the machine that makes the square-bottom paper bags we still use today.

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George Ferris What A Wheel

by Barbara Lowell, Illustrated by Jerry Hoare

Have you ever ridden a Ferris wheel? You can see for miles! But when the inventor of the Ferris wheel, George Ferris, first pitched the idea, everyone thought he was crazy. A 250-foot bicycle wheel that goes around and around and can carry 2,160 people in train size cars at the same time? Can’t be done, they said. But George proved them wrong. Teacher Guide available at: https://barbaralowell.com/teacher-guide-2/

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George Crum and the Saratoga Chip

by Gaylia Taylor, Illustrated by Frank Morrison

Who invented the potato chip? George Crum did as a chef in a Saratoga Springs, New York restaurant in 1853. Who knew the potato chip was that old?

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Papa’s Mechanical Fish

by Candace Fleming, Illustrated by Boris Kulikov

Clink! Clankety-bang! Thump-whirr! That’s the sound of Papa at work. Although he is an inventor, he has never made anything that works perfectly. That’s because he hasn’t yet found a truly fantastic idea. But when he takes his family fishing on Lake Michigan, his daughter Virena asks, “Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a fish? Papa is off to his workshop. With a lot of persistence and a little bit of help, Papa — who is based on the real-life inventor Lodner Phillips — creates a submarine that can take his family for a trip to the bottom of Lake Michigan.

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Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine

by Laurie Wallmark, Illustrated by Amy Chu

Ada Lovelace, the daughter of the famous romantic poet, Lord Byron, develops her creativity through science and math. When she meets Charles Babbage, the inventor of the first mechanical computer, Ada understands the machine better than anyone else and writes the world’s first computer program.

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Eat My Dust! Henry Ford’s First Race

by Monica Kulling, Illustrated by Richard Walz

It’s 1901 and Henry Ford wants to build a car that everyone can own. But first he needs the money to produce it. How will he get it. He enters a car race, of course!

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A Weed is a Flower: The Life of George Washington Carver

by Aliki

Award winning author and illustrator Aliki tells George Washington Carver’s story in this beautifully told and illustrated picture book.

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Thomas Edison and His Bright Idea

by Patricia Brennan DeMuth, Illustrated by Jez Tuya

As a curious child who was always asking questions, it’s no wonder Thomas Edison grew up to become a famous, prolific inventor. This easy-to-read nonfiction story follows Edison from his time in school to his career as a full-time inventor. Edison’s discoveries will fascinate and inspire all curious young minds!

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Who Were The Wright Brothers?

by James Buckley, Jr., Illustrated by Tom Foley

As young boys, Orville and Wilbur Wright loved all things mechanical. As young men, they gained invaluable skills essential for their success by working with printing presses, bicycles, motors, and any sort of machinery they could get their hands on. The brothers worked together to invent, build, and fly the world’s first successful airplane. These aviation pioneers never lost sight of their dream to fly and to soar higher!

The book descriptions used are primarily from the publishers.

If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and/or leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author

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