Customer Reviews

Thomas Edison: Young Inventor (Childhood of Famous Americans)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is wonderful for ages 8 - 12 who want to read about Thomas Edison's childhood and important things about his adult life. Each chapter has exciting stories that happened to this inquisitive boy. He was a very curious boy who would always ask questions. His parents, mother in particular, are very supportive of his curiosity. There are interesting events that happen like when Thomas gets his first ice skates and when he rides on a steam engine train. If you are interested in the world around you and maybe interested in science, then this is the book for you. It's fascinating to read about Thomas Edison as a young boy and as he grows into an adult because the only info I had before was a listing of his inventions. By the way, it would be very fast reading for an adult, and it might be nice if your child is reading this that you read it, too.

This is not a biography, per se. The "Childhood of Famous Americans" books are a series of fictionalized accounts of the youth of famous Americans. The conversations and (some) scenarios may be made up, to show the character formation of the famous person. The places and names of people are biographical; some of the situations are probably not.

Having said that... we like this series very well.

And wow, we have enjoyed Thomas Edison! The book emphasizes values like responsibility, curiosity, and hard work. Some of the stories made us laugh, and they all made us even more interested to find out what would happen next. Our kids were the most excited about Thomas's laboratory in the basement, and in his job on the train.

Have you ever tried to sit on an egg and hatch it? Thomas Alva Edison did! He was a young who was curious about the world around him. He was born in a city near New York City. His family did not have much money, but they made a great effort to send young Thomas to school. At his first school that he attended, he was expelled for asking too much questions to her teacher. At his other 2 schools that he went too, he was also expelled for asking too many questions. At a young age Thomas would sell newspapers at a railroad. At the young age of 23, Thomas invented the phonograph, which is the grandfather of the Compact Disk. Then a couple of years later Thomas after 7 attempts invented the Light bulb. Years after inventing the light bulb, New York City was entirely lighted by light bulbs thanks to Thomas. He was even called "The wizard of Menlo Park".
This hilarious biography will make you want to keep reading and reading. The only thing that can stop you is the end of the book! The author, Sue Gut ridge, really makes you feel like if you were really Thomas Edison and by the way she describes him, you feel sad when Thomas is sad and you feel happy when Thomas is happy. This book is for someone that likes to laugh and feel really emotional at the same time.
Thomas Edison is a motivating biography that makes you feel better about yourself. When I read this book I felt muck better about my family and myself. I realized that I could be anyone if I wanted to by just closing my eyes and having a good imagination. Read it, buy it; you will have hours of unstoppable fun while you read this marvelous book and it has a marvelous ... price.

Thomas A. Edison is about a boy who likes to ask questions. He came into his gooses nest and sat on her egg. Isn't that weird. He wanted the egg process to go faster. Tom is a good boy. You would like this book if you read it. It is funny and it is exciting. While you are reading it, you won't even know that you are learning. I was supposed to read it as a book report and I am glad I chose to read it. Tom was dedicated to make what he is working on come true. He messed up a couple of times like the time he told his friend to drink these two chemicals mix together so his friend could fly like a bird. Instead, hisd friendf got sick. I laughed. I give this book 5 points!

We are using this book with our Literature Study. The girls have enjoyed all of Thomas's creativity. We have also gotten to experiment with several of his projects. They are lot of fun! Great book to learn to be more creative in life.

Growing up we were given Thomas Edison as model
of what a good American could be and do.
Just lately I saw the biography of Nicola Tesla
who was a younger foreign born inventor who invented the use of alternating current technology for lighting and electric motors.
His treatment by the older Edison was not that of what a role model
should be?
One can't take away Edison's inventions, but it doesn't
mean that we have to say he was a better person than he actually was, does it? Henry Ford was anti-semitic and we still say he was a founder of the auto industry and inventor of the assembly line.
Great men don't have to be "perfect" to be great men.