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Inventors and Inventions

From the April 4, 2008 Pigeon Post essay of the same name.
The booklist created below is dominated of necessity by biographies and by reference type books. I put out the request to TTMD community members, let's identify those stories that revolve around inventors and inventions that hook children early on the idea of creating their own future which will be as exciting and different as the progress of the past one hundred and fifty years has been.
This book list is divided into three sections:
(1) Picture Books
(2) Books for Independent Readers
(3) Books for Young Adults

The list begins below with Picture Books, but you can use one of the following links to skip directly to either of the other two sections.
Go to books for Independent Readers
Go to books for Young Adults


Picture Books

Young Thomas Edison by Michael Dooling and illustrated by Michael Dooling Recommended
The Wright Brothers by Russell Freedman Recommended
Accidents May Happen by Charlotte Foltz Jones and illustrated by John O'Brien Suggested
My Brothers' Flying Machine by Jane Yolen and illustrated by Jim Burke Recommended


Independent Readers

Thomas A. Edison by Sue Guthridge Recommended
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl and illustrated by Quentin Blake Highly Recommended
They All Laughed by Ira Flatow Suggested
To Fly by Wendie C. Old and illustrated by Robert Andrew Parker Suggested
Eureka! Great Inventions and How They Happened by Richard Platt Suggested
Girls Think of Everything by Catherine Thimmesh and illustrated by Melissa Sweet Suggested
Great Inventions: Geniuses and Gizmos: Innovation in Our Time by Time Magazine Recommended
Rube Goldberg by Maynard Frank Wolfe and Rube Goldberg Suggested


Young Adults

Inventing Modern America by David E. Brown Recommended
A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson Recommended
The Scientists by John R. Gribbin Recommended
Rocket Boys - by Homer H. Hickam Highly Recommended
Invention by Design by Henry Petroski Suggested
The Evolution of Useful Things by Henry Petroski Recommended
To Engineer Is Human by Henry Petroski Recommended
Great Inventions: Geniuses and Gizmos: Innovation in Our Time by Time Magazine Suggested

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