BOOK MARKED
12 Books to Read During National Inventors Month Learn the true stories behind inventions that changed the world for better (and for worse!). Read about kid inventors and even try some fun STEM projects at home.
PICTURE BOOKS
EARLY READERS
“Mr. Ferris and His Wheel” By Kathryn Gibbs Davis, illustrated by Gilbert Ford When Paris hosted the World’s Fair, they built a large tower as the centerpiece. In 1893, it was Chicago’s turn, but with only 10 months to go, they still didn’t have anything that could outshine the Eiffel Tower. Then George Washington Gale Ferris Jr. had an idea: What if he built something large like a tower, but it moved? Facing challenges at every turn, Ferris managed to build his wheel, a design that has since been reproduced all over the world.
“The Invention Hunters Discover How Machines Work” By Korwin Briggs The Invention Hunters fly around the world seeking out the world’s greatest inventions. When they land in a construction site, they discover — and misidentify, to great comedic effect — a series of wonderful inventions. This fun story explores simple machines and how they’re used. In later volumes, the Invention Hunters learn several other STEM concepts, such as electricity.
“Truth or Lie: Inventors!” By Erica S. Perl, “Izzy Gizmo” illustrated by Michael H. Slack By Pip Jones, From Velcro to the airplane, this book uses the illustrated by Sara Ogilvie fun children's game three truths and a lie to teach Meet Izzy Gizmo, who loves to invent things and the backstory behind inventions that are now part carries her toolbelt everywhere she goes, just of our everyday lives. in case. One day, she finds a bird with a broken wing and is determined to invent some“Hedy Lamarr’s thing to help. Unfortunately, her first idea Double Life” By Laurie Wallmark, doesn’t work. Neither does her second nor her third. Will she ever be able to make an illustrated by Katy Wu invention to help the bird fly? Hedy Lamarr was a pop“Sweet Dreams Sarah: ular movie star, but From Slavery to Inventor” despite her international By Vivian Kirkfield, fame, most people didn’t illustrated by Chris Ewald know that she was also After slavery was abolished, Sarah E. an inventor who develGoode moved to Chicago and opened a oped technologies to furniture store. Many of her customers help the United States needed furniture to fit their small living during World War II. spaces and budgets, so Sarah invented a bed that Even though some of her biggest breakthroughs folds up during the day, earning one of the first were ignored at the time, they’re now used in our patents awarded to an African American woman. personal electronics. 36 MetroKids MAY 2021
