The Day-Glo Brothers (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Tony Persiani (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Before 1935, fluorescent colors did not exist. Barton discusses how two brothers worked together to create the eye-popping hues. Joe Switzer figured out that using a black light to create a fluorescent glow could spruce up his magic act, so the brothers built an ultraviolet lamp. They began to experiment with various chemicals to make glow-in-the-dark paints. Soon Joe used fluorescent-colored paper costumes in his act and word got around. Through trial and error, the brothers perfected their creation. The story is written in clear language and includes whimsical cartoons. While endpapers are Day-Glo bright, most of the story is illustrated in black, white, gray, and touches of color, culminating in vivid spreads. Discussions on regular fluorescence and daylight fluorescence are appended. This unique book does an excellent job of describing an innovative process. --School Library Journal, starred review

In this debut for both collaborators, Barton takes on the dual persona of popular historian and cool science teacher as he chronicles the Switzer brothers' invention of the first fluorescent paint visible in daylight. The aptly named Day-Glo, he explains, started out as a technological novelty act (Joe, an amateur magician, was looking for ways to make his illusions more exciting), but soon became much more: during WWII, one of its many uses was guiding Allied planes to safe landings on aircraft carriers. The story is one of quintessentially American ingenuity, with its beguiling combination of imaginative heroes ( Bob focused on specific goals, while Joe let his freewheeling mind roam every which way when he tried to solve a problem ), formidable obstacles (including, in Bob's case, a traumatic accident), a dash of serendipity and entrepreneurial zeal. Persiani's exuberantly retro 1960s drawings splashed with Day-Glo, of course bring to mind the goofy enthusiasm of vintage educational animation and should have readers eagerly following along as the Switzers turn fluorescence into fame and fortune. --Publishers Weekly, starred review

The Switzer brothers were complete opposites. Older brother Bob was hardworking and practical, while younger brother Joe was carefree and full of creative, wacky ideas. However, when an unexpected injury forced Bob to spend months recovering in a darkened basement, the two brothers happened upon an illuminating adventure the discovery of Day-Glo colors. These glowing paints were used to send signals in World War II, help airplanes land safely at night and are now found worldwide in art and advertisements (not to mention the entire decade of 1980s fashion). Through extensive research, including Switzer family interviews and Bob's own handwritten account of events, debut author Barton brings two unknown inventors into the brilliant light they deserve. Persiani, in his picture-book debut as well, first limits the palette to grayscale, then gradually increases the use of color as the brothers' experiments progress. The final pages explode in Day-Glo radiance. Rendered in 1950s-cartoon style, with bold lines and stretched perspectives, these two putty-limbed brothers shine even more brightly than the paints and dyes they created. --Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Product Description

Joe and Bob Switzer were very different brothers. Bob was a studious planner who wanted to grow up to be a doctor. Joe dreamed of making his fortune in show business and loved magic tricks and problem-solving. When an accident left Bob recovering in a darkened basement, the brothers began experimenting with ultraviolet light and fluorescent paints. Together they invented a whole new kind of color, one that glows with an extra-special intensityDay-Glo. This cover reproduction is not printed withDay-Glo colors. The actual book, however, is printed using three Day-Glo colors: Saturn Yellow, Fire Orange, and Signal Green.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 44 pages
• Publisher: Charlesbridge Publishing; New edition (July 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 157091673X
• ISBN-13: 978-1570916731
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #31,439 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #3 in	Books > Science > Physics > Light
  #3 in	Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Physics > Light
  #13 in	Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Biographies > Science & Technology

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A man, a plan, a fluorescent light bulb, Day-Glo, July 1, 2009

By	E. R. Bird "Ramseelbird" (Manhattan, NY) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I think a lot of kids grow up thinking that great discoveries are intentional. People intended to walk on the moon. Edison intended to create a light bulb. Some bloke intended to find a way to can Spam. That's why there's a whole genre of non-fiction picture books out there dedicated to accidental discoveries. People like to tell kids that sometimes greatness is a mistake, not planned or earned. But I think there's a third way of looking at this. What about the people who worked har...more I think a lot of kids grow up thinking that great discoveries are intentional. People intended to walk on the moon. Edison intended to create a light bulb. Some bloke intended to find a way to can Spam. That's why there's a whole genre of non-fiction picture books out there dedicated to accidental discoveries. People like to tell kids that sometimes greatness is a mistake, not planned or earned. But I think there's a third way of looking at this. What about the people who worked hard their whole lives, experimented and tested and mucked about, and then discovered something new and unexpected? These aren't necessarily people who tripped over a genius idea and somehow ended up with a pocket full of cash. People like Bob and Joe Switzer discovered Day-Glo colors because they were curious, thoughtful, and willing to experiment. Now author Chris Barton brings us what is pretty much the world's first biography of the inventors of Day-Glo colors. And what better format to use than the picture book? Works for me.

Bob and Joe had dreams, you know. Big brother Bob wanted to someday become a doctor, while younger sib Joe had a fascination with magic. But Bob's dream came to an abrupt halt when an accident in a railroad car gave him seizures and double vision. Stuck in a darkened basement, Bob was soon joined by Joe who thought this new thing called fluorescence could help his magic act. They set to experimenting, and over the years these experiments included testing chemicals. They excelled in creating glow-in-the-dark colors, but it wasn't until a combination of dye and hot alcohol that they discovered the secret of Day-Glo. The result? Their colors helped America win WWII, then went on to bedeck everything from hula-hoops to Andy Warhol paintings. They dreamed big, they found something new, and they helped people out as a result. Not too shabby for two guys from Montana.

When the book you hold in your hands is all about the discovery of a certain kind of color, it's very important to get the right design feel right from the start. Open this book. First off, the endpapers and the bookflaps play off of one another. At the front you have the orange on top of yellow, across from green. At the back you have yellow on top of green, across from orange. When the story really begins, though, you begin to understand why illustrator Tony Persiani was called in. An artist that exploits a kind of pseudo-retro style under normal circumstances anyway, Persiani's look at the 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s works because he can make a character both historically accurate in terms of the style, and appeasing to our contemporary eyes. Paging through his art, the colored sequences sometimes resemble nothing so much as stills from the Yogi Bear show. All curves and swoops.

Now the book is a series of grays at the beginning. This works nicely, particularly since the grays are shaded in different ways. It would have been awfully easy to just turn these pictures into black lines on white paper. But different shades and tones of gray mean that the story has a depth to it. It also means that Persiani can play around with the images. When we see Bob in his basement healing up, he is surrounded by ghosts of various ketchup bottles. They are the bottles present in the railroad car when the barricade Bob was on collapsed. Color, when it is introduced, is always a light fluorescent in some way. As a result, the book very gradually works in more and more color. In spite of your slow visual acceptance of this, when you actually see your first appearance of Day-Glo it's shocking. And the second time when Bob and Joe rediscover it? Persiani has the wherewithal to turn that moment into its own undulating, high-octane, visually blinding two-page spread. The world's first use of Day-Glo in a children's picture book? Maybe not the first first, but certainly the most memorable.

Because Barton is relying on so many primary sources (old colleagues, family members, spouses, etc.) to get his story, he doesn't have a long Bibliography to tie up the book at the end. That's okay though, since in his Author's Note he credits the people he spoke with as well as four other written sources. Of course, what this really means is that Barton has told a story in a picture book format that has never really ever been told before. I'm always fascinated by non-fiction authors of children's books that do the research on a story that has been passed over by writers of adult informational texts. It seems strange to think that the story of Day-Glo colors has never been written, aside from the occasional obituary and self-published title. Credit to Barton where credit is due, then.

Between handling materials "detailing their earliest experiments" and reading the patents for daylight fluorescent signaling and display devices, we know that Mr. Barton did his homework. Did illustrator Tony Persiani? Hard to say. There is nothing to indicate whether or not Mr. Persiani modeled the characters of Bob and Joe on existing photographs and the like. I doubt that I would have wondered, except that there were moments of history, illustrated by his hand, that would have been interesting to know more about. For example, we are told that "A printer in Cleveland, Ohio, began using the Switzer boys' fluorescent ink to make posters for movie theaters." Accompanying this fact is a poster for something called The Lamps of China. As a fan of old time theater poster art, I would have liked to have known more about this poster, but as it stands it's hard to say whether or not such a movie ever actually existed. What's the solution, though? Would I really want an artist go footnoting his pictures in a picture book? Or take up valuable text space with his additional information? I have to be content in the belief that something as broad as a theater title would not have been conjured up for the sake of a book.

I harbor no such questions with Mr. Barton's text. With its eye-popping colors, it's sure to be a visual draw for young `uns. But will the writing be a draw as well? For some. I mean, when you get right down to it, this is a book about discovering all new COLORS. Who even does that? How do you even begin to try to convey the insanity of such an accomplishment? Creating shades never before seen by the human eye? Mind-blowing. But will a kid find such a story interesting? Some will. But I mean, let's face it. Not every kid is a fan of non-fiction. For them, the passages outlining Bob and Joe's New Year's Day drive in 1936 or experiments with ultraviolet light will not enthrall. But there are some science-minded kids out there, and for them Day-Glo Brothers will make them think, and wonder, and dream.

Maybe part of what I like so much about this book is Barton's conclusion. Because writing about a discovery is one thing. Writing about people is another. But when Barton notes that originally Bob wanted to be a doctor and originally Joe wanted to be a magician, he ends with a capper to end all cappers. "One brother wanted to save lives. The other brother wanted to dazzle crowds. With Day-Glo, they did both." This is Chris Barton's first work of non-fiction. With his extensive research skills and way with words, I hope that it is safe to say that it won't be his last.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Who knew? A fun story about inventors of Day-Glo colors, September 18, 2009

By	Marika Stone "Tiger Lily" (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews

I'd honestly never thought about how Day-Glo colors came to be. They were like packaged, sliced bread and chicken legs wrapped in cellophane at the grocery store...always there in the store all my life, so I never thought much about their genesis. Chris is an uncommonly good writer--I've seen his writing for many years--and has great judgment about what's gonna be interesting to others. He illuminates the childhood dreams and hard work of the Day-Glo brothers in an inspiring way for adults and children. It's fascinating to see how trial and error and a few bits of serendipity helped the brothers along. I love the colors in the book. It shows what happens when you take a careful researcher, an engaging writer, an imaginative use of day-glo color and fun illustrations. You have a book (not just for children) well worth reading.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rutgers University Project on Economics and Children, August 20, 2009

By	Yana V. Rodgers "http://econkids.rutgers.edu" (New Brunswick, NJ) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Brothers Robert and Joseph Switzer, inventors of fluorescent paints commonly known as Day-Glo, did not plan to become inventors as they grew up. Bob wanted to become a doctor while Joe had an avid interest in magic. When a serious accident left Bob recuperating from a head injury in their darkened basement while Joe was thinking about how fluorescence could add excitement to his magic acts, the young men started experimenting in the dark with ultraviolet light and chemicals that emitted a glow.

Once they realized that they could use certain chemicals to make glow-in-the-dark paints and sell them for posters and store-window displays, Bob and Joe's idea took off. They worked hard for years to refine their paints and contribute to a host of extremely useful applications, including fabric panels, buoys, and fluorescent suits used to save lives during World War II; as well as numerous products commonly used today, including traffic cones, life vests, magic markers, hula hoops, street signs, and golf balls.

Based on primary sources that include interviews with Bob and Joe Switzer's family members, this carefully-researched book provides a fascinating profile of a material we take for granted and the men who created it. The illustrations, which start in grey-tone and progressively incorporate a range of fluorescent yellow, green, and orange colors, make a striking contribution to the story. This unique book certainly adds a dazzling dimension to our understanding of innovation and entrepreneurship.