Accidents May Happen (50 Inventions Discovered By Mistake) [Hardcover]

Charlotte Jones (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Series: 50 Inventions Discovered By Mistake

From Wheaties to telephones, microwave ovens to yo-yos, here are the inspiring and often funny stories of 50 mistakes and misunderstandings that helped bring about life as we know it. With hilarious cartoons and wacky facts, this fascinating compendium illustrates the adage "If you don't learn from your mistakes, there's no sense making them."


From the Trade Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In 2600 B.C., a dozing Egyptian slave created the first loaf of bread when the dough rose during his nap. According to Accidents May Happen: Fifty Inventions Discovered by Mistake, by Charlotte Foltz Jones, with black-and-white illustrations by John O'Brien, the world can thank some of history's lesser-known bunglers for peanut brittle, nitrous oxide and a raft of other indispensable inventions that continue to stand the test of time.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6?In this interesting and informative presentation, readers learn that scientific discoveries and inventions are not always the fruits of formal investigation. They are often the result of quirky and silly mishaps or misunderstandings. As in their book Mistakes That Worked (Doubleday, 1994), this author and illustrator team looks at "accidents" that had such fortuitous outcomes as ice-cream sodas, Worcestershire sauce, the yo-yo, cellophane, liquid paper, and dynamite. Jam-packed with stories, facts, and black-and-white cartoons, this is a well-conceived introduction to science that will pique the interest of young readers.?Pamela K. Bomboy, Chesterfield County Public Schools, VA
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 96 pages
• Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (May 2, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385321627
• ISBN-13: 978-0385321624
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 7.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,022,727 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Just the Facts, Ma'am, April 4, 2008

By 

M.A.C. (Oklahoma) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Accidents May Happen (50 Inventions Discovered By Mistake) (Hardcover)

This book lists some interesting bits of information, but MANY of the items listed are not inventions at all: They are discoveries. (For example, the discovery that quinine could be used to cure malaria; The story of how our national anthem came about, etc.) The book jacket gushes about the "wonderful assortment of quirky, colorful cartoons..." There are a number of quirky cartoons, but they are ALL black & white drawings. Overall, it's an interesting book, but a book of interesting facts should try to keep its facts straight.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Accidents May Happen, November 18, 2004

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Accidents May Happen (Paperback)

Accidents May Happen is a wonderful book, full of facts about the origins of some of our most commonly used items. Everything in this book has one thing in common - thay were invented by mistake! This book by Carlotte Jones is truly amazing, jam-packed with interesting facts. Who would have thought Ring-around-the-rosie was about the plague? Or that cheese was invented by an Arabian traver, on the back of a camel? Anyone who likes fun facts would enjoy this book. Accidents May Happen is definitaly a good read.
Laura

18 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fifty amazing inventions with interesting explaination., December 31, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Accidents May Happen (50 Inventions Discovered By Mistake) (Hardcover)

I read this book and I found some amazing things behind the inventions which are now fads. As the yo-yo is a really cool thing around it used to be a weapon and then it accidently turned into a toy for children. You may think that Nursery Rhymes are not very cool, but the cool part in Nursery Rhymes are stories of old history. For example, Ring Aroud The Rosey used to be a poem about a disease that killed people in the old times. The first line, "Ring Around The Rosey," used to be one of the symptoms of the disease which was a rosey rash on the person's body. "A pocket full of posies," was flowers that would supposedly keeep evil away for the human. The next line, "Ashes, Ashes," was "A-tishoo, a-tishoo," which they would need because they sneezed a ton. "We all fall down," was the last thing that happened to the people that got this, they would fall on to their bed and die. There is the thing behind,"Ring Around The Rosey." There are many other cool inventions in that story and all of them are great. I really liked the book.