A Wizard from the Start

"I never did a day's work in my life. It was all fun."
-Thomas Alva Edison-

Brown, Don.
A Wizard from the Start: The Incredible Boyhood and Amazing Inventions of Thomas Edison.
May 2010.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Following the life of Thomas Edison from age eight until his adult years and his invention of the lightbulb in, A Wizard from the Start: The Incredible Boyhood and Amazing Inventions of Thomas Edison, readers will delight in learning about the how Thomas Edison set about inventing and his inspirations throughout his life. The book is absolutely full of wonderful, intriguing information and the illustrations will surely capture each reader's eye!

I would definitely include this book in a thematic unit on inventions and inventors, as it details the life of Edison and his inspiration for becoming an inventor. The book also shares with children that hard work and dedication pays off. It also doesn't hurt to hear that if you're doing what you love, it hardly seems like work, and can I ever agree with that one!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Use this book in collaboration with Thomas Edison for Kids: His Life and Ideas: 21 Activities. The book is full of wonderful information and also packed with different activities to try with kids, including making an electrically charged puppet dance and making an electric telegraph machine.
  

If you're interested in finding out more information about any of the books reviewed or if you'd like to purchase the books, click the cover image for a link to Amazon.com. I am an Amazon Affiliate, so any purchases you make after clicking these images will result in my receiving a small percentage of the sale price!

Wendell's Workshop

A perfect story for your clever, inventive child!

Riddell, Chris.
Wendel's Workshop.
February 2010.
HarperCollins Publishers.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Little Wendel could be considered the inventor of all inventors... at least to those young children out there who will absolutely love this story! However, along with Wendel's inventing ways comes Wendel's untidy workshop - he's so busy inventing, he doesn't have time to deal with the clutter and mess that quickly overtakes his workshop - when an invention doesn't work, Wendel opens the door to the rubbish chute and quickly disposes of them (to the backyard, anyway). As Wendel becomes more and more unhappy with the untidy conditions in which he is attempting his inventions, he decides something must be done. He goes about creating Clunk, a robot intended to keep his workshop Tidy. However, Clunk struggles at the job and Wendel quickly disposes of him, too! However, after Wendel recreates a newer, improved robot... who also proves less than worthy, ultimately leading Wendel to jump into the rubbish chute himself, just to escape. That's when the robot wars begin, as Wendel attempts to gain back the control of his workshop.

In a well-written, well thought-out story, Riddell takes children on an adventure, teaching them that ultimately not all inventions are a success, but that an unsuccessful invention shouldn't keep you from reaching out and trying again. Try, try again is the message easily took away from this delightful action-packed story that children are sure to love!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Challenge your child to create a "robot" of his/her own. More likely than not, the robot won't perform, but this will inspire your child(ren)'s creative juices to flow and will likely also encourage him/her to create a story about his/her own robot. Chances are you've got scraps of unused items scattered throughout your home. Ask your child to use his/her imagination and creativity to put together a robot of their own. Perhaps it's head might be an old, broken bicycle helmet... Or it's eyes might be some mismatched buttons that have no home of their own... This would be an interesting summertime project for your child(ren)!
  

If you're interested in finding out more information about any of the books reviewed or if you'd like to purchase the books, click the cover image for a link to Amazon.com. I am an Amazon Affiliate, so any purchases you make after clicking these images will result in my receiving a small percentage of the sale price!H

Anniversary of the Invention of the Telephone

On March 10, 1876 (133 years ago!), Alexander Graham Bell transmitted the first telephone message to his assistant in the next room: "Mr. Watson, come here, I want you," at Cambridge, MA. In honor of this first message transmittal, I've got 2 telephone related reviews for today!

Williams, Brian.
The Explosion Zone: Bell and the Science of the Telephone.
2004.
Barron's Educational Series, Inc.

Vivid, colorful, comic-like illustrations and interesting text combine in Bell and the Science of the Telephone to teach students about Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone. From his childhood life through his death, this book allows readers to understand the science involved in the creation and use of the telephone.

This non-fiction text would perfectly complement a thematic unit in science on inventors/inventions! It would also make a wonderful gift for the science-thrilled child who loves to learn about how things work!

Finn, Carrie.
Manners on the Telephone.
2007.
Picture Window Books.

How many of you have children who jump every time the phone rings and are more than anxious to pick it up? For young children especially, this book would be a great share. It very simply shares with readers the importance of manners and some of the many ways in which to be polite when answering or talking on the telephone. The text is written simply, in child-friendly language that will even the youngest of children to understand the message being portrayed. This would be a great resource for anyone parent/guardian who is considering allowing the children to begin answering the telephone!

Lesson Plans/Reading Activities:

• Alexander Graham Bell Unit Study
• Can You Hear Me?
• Every Day Edits: Alexander Graham Bell
• Hearing: How the Ear Works
• Alexander Graham Bell: Lesson Plan and Worksheet
  

If you're interested in finding out more information about any of the books reviewed or if you'd like to purchase the books, click the cover image for a link to Amazon.com.