Eyewitness: Invention [Hardcover]

Lionel Bender (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Series: DK Eyewitness Books

Discover the fascinating story of inventions -- their development, how they work and why they changed the world.

A unique and fascinating introduction to the amazing variety of inventions, both ancient and modern. From simple machines such as wheels, gears, pulleys, and levers, Eyewitness Invention charts the developments of weights and measures, writing implements, early timepieces, and navigation aids. The microscope and telescope are featured, as well as a model windmill and an internal combustion engine sliced through to show the mechanism inside. Finally, there are the inventions that have revolutionized the modern era -- from telephones and radios to television and plastics. See the first food mixer, what Galileo's telescope looked like, and the earliest photographs. Learn how the first records were made and how operations were performed in the 19th century. Discover what makes a clock tick, how early airplanes flew, why a battery produces electricity, and much, much more!

Editorial Reviews

From Kirkus Reviews

An ``Eyewitness'' book based on beautiful photographs of items in the British Science Museum, accompanied by a superficial text with smarmy, labored paragraph headings. The credits involve at least 40 people in addition to the author; the final conglomeration can be inconsistent--e.g., the same firebow is shown on two pages with different, conflicting captions--with lots of mislabeled pictures here, and little basic science or discussion of why the inventions were important. Handsome but slight. Index. (Nonfiction. 8-12) -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

...a mini museum between the covers of a book. [Eyewitness series] -- The New York Times

These books' striking visual impact will draw in even the most casual readers. [Eyewitness series] -- School Library Journal

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: DK CHILDREN; 1st edition (June 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789457695
• ISBN-13: 978-0789457684
• ASIN: 0789457687
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,344,471 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Eyewitness Books Explore Invention, October 2, 2008

By 

Steven A. Peterson (Hershey, PA (Born in Kewanee, IL)) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Invention (Eyewitness books) (Hardcover)

This delightful Eyewitness Books work on "Invention" is another terrific work in the series. The author begins by defining invention as (Page 6) ". . .something that is devised by human effort and that did not exist before." Sometimes individuals create inventions; at other times, invention is the result of teamwork. Page 6 displays a variety of inventions to illustrate, including a plow, a heating can, an iron key, and zippers.

A nice simple example of how inventions can evolve is on pages 809, in which the book displays how we move from primitive to more effective drills. Pages 10-11 provide deeper historical context, by going back to the early years of human evolution, to speak of the development of tools over time. This includes primitive handaxes.

Some other examples to indicate the range of coverage--wheels, pen and ink, timekeeping, calculating, steam engine, telephone, cinema, flight, to the silicon chip (the last invention considered).

Each one has the kind of information that would be useful for the audience of this series, young readers. Take pen and ink. We find discussion of the earliest writing instruments to current fountain pens. There is also a brief introduction to paper, upon which writing instruments do their work.

In short, another well done product in the Eyewitness Books series.

5.0 out of 5 stars Inventions, November 10, 2010

By 

Mrs. Martha Findley - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Invention (Eyewitness Books) (Hardcover)

I was pleased with the condition of the book. I am sure that my grandson will learn a lot from this by looking at the pictures and reading about the objects.

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Pictures, May 1, 2002

By 

K. Kainula "kevinkainula" (Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Eyewitness: Invention (Hardcover)

Eyewitneess is the best kind of book for children who want to deeper their knowledge in something. This book has great pictures of things that we use everyday in our own home.