Picture History of the Great Inventors [Paperback]

Gillian Clements (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 6, 2000

An introduction to the great inventors of the world. Filled with facts both serious and comic, the book describes the lives and work of more than 50 major inventors, with illustrated references to hundreds more. A timeline provides a glimpse into the lives and times of each inventor.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Clements's ( The Illustrated History of the World ) concise yet conversational text and accurate drawings focus on some 60 inventions that have greatly influenced civilization, at the same time spotlighting hundreds of other intriguing discoveries and events. Evidence of the author's fastidious research fills this paper-over-board volume's colorful spreads, each of which is packed with informative sidebars, spot art (much of it accompanied by humorous asides) and an illustrated timeline that helps place the inventions in historical context. After offering an overview of ancient and medieval inventors, Clements zeroes in on key individuals, including Johannes Gutenberg, Leonardo da Vinci, Isaac Newton, Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein and Theodore Maiman. An introductory note acknowledges that--due to incomplete historical records and "limited opportunities in the past for some people"--"many major inventions are associated with European men"; Clements, however, includes notes on the work of selected women and minority members. Her edifying book concludes with an extensive illustrated glossary. Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6-What readers really get here (and never mind the all-inclusive title) is a look at inventors who were male, white, and residing in Europe or America. Once they get over that bump in the road, they'll find an inquisitive trundle through time, from Archimedes (the Archimedes screw) to Theodore Maiman (the laser). While some biographical data is imparted, along with a look at the famous innovation, more fun can be had (and tons of trivia acquired) via the tiny vignettes at the side and bottom of each page. Those at the sides give other technological developments that occurred at about the same time as the featured invention (Charles Goodyear's vulcanized rubber and Chubb's "new" safe share space with Morse's telegraph, for example). The items at the bottom present other "happenings": again, using Morse as an example, readers learn that there was a huge meteor shower in 1833, and that Sir Isaac Pitman devised shorthand in 1837. So, willy-nilly, children discover that sterling inventions did not happen in a vacuum; that everyone and everything was tootling along, watching meteors, overheating rubber, and struggling with shorthand. Double-page spreads on "Earliest Inventions" and "Medieval Inventions" indicate there (at least) was an Egypt and a Far East. Obviously, this is no in-depth examination suitable for serious research. However, as a way of providing a smattering of information, and giving one food for future thought, this is an approachable, enjoyable title.
Patricia Manning, Eastchester Public Library, NY
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 80 pages
• Publisher: Frances Lincoln Childrens Bks (April 6, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0711216053
• ISBN-13: 978-0711216051
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 9.8 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #403,651 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow! It will draw you in., October 10, 2008

By 

M. Heiss (USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Picture History of Great Inventors (Paperback)

This is a fantastic book. I have the softcover edition. We got this because we were talking about Thomas Edison and reading the Edison Childhoods of Famous Americans book. This is an excellent tie-in, and so much more.

The pages are high-quality paper, and each inventor gets a page (some get a two-page spread). You get historical context for the time period the inventor was living -- there is an illustrated timeline at the bottom of the pages. Then you get a large section of text and many, many illustrations of the inventions and ideas of the inventors. The detail is excellent, and the information on each inventor is very rich. There are all the inventors I would expect, and plenty of people whose inventions are great but whom I had never studied. So new information, TONS of information, and fun facts and trivia. This is truly a dynamite book.

The book is chronological and it includes a table of contents, an 8-page illustrated glossary at the back, an index, and three synopsis pages -- one each for the seventies, the eighties, and the nineties. The seventies page shows the floppy disk, microchip, the Sony Walkman, the compact disk, the maglev train, MIT and Apple and personal computing, LCDs, space innovations, fiber optic cables, pocket calculators, VCRs, bar codes, the Sears Tower, and historical context. It's amazing.

Its style reminds me of some of Lynne Cheney's books -- the excellence of the illustrations and all the information packed on the pages. Each page is like an illustrated biography, with so much information packed in and made clear. I really can't praise it highly enough. It took us over an hour to absorb the page on Thomas Edison. We just kept learning more and more.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Picture History of Great Inventors, December 21, 2008

By 

Galileo's Gang "Homeschoolingmom" (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Picture History of Great Inventors (Paperback)

Great resource book for the history of science. My 4th and 6th graders love it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Leoando, April 9, 2009

By 

Janice A. Rust "Books4U" (El Cajon,, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: PICTURE HISTORY OF GREAT INVEN (Hardcover)

This book is more fantastic than I realized. I was browsing at Amazon's website and I liked the cover. We are doing a unit on inventors and inventions. I have harder books in the ms library, but I needed something more capsulized. It arrived during spring break today and I have read it; now my husband is reading it. Wonderful book for upper ELD and Special Ed. Teaqcher-Librarian