Thomas Edison for Kids: His Life and Ideas, 21 Activities (For Kids series) [Paperback]

Laurie Carlson (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up | Series: For Kids series

Thomas Edison, one of the world's greatest inventors, is introduced in this fascinating activity book. Children will learn how Edison ushered in an astounding age of invention with his unique way of looking at things and refusal to be satisfied with only one solution to a problem. This book helps inspire kids to be inventors and scientists, as well as persevere with their own ideas. Activities allow children to try Edison's experiments themselves, with activities such as making a puppet dance using static electricity, manufacturing a switch for electric current, constructing a telegraph machine, manipulating sound waves, building an electrical circuit to test for conductors and insulators, making a zoetrope, and testing a dandelion for latex. In addition to his inventions and experiments, the book explores Edison's life outside of science, including his relationship with inventor Nikola Tesla, his rivalry with George Westinghouse, and his friendship with Henry Ford. A time line, glossary, and lists of supply sources, places to visit, and websites for further exploration complement this activity book.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-9–Presented chronologically and always in a positive light, the inventor's life is described in considerable detail. Being the workaholic that he was, it's understandable that there's little mention of his personal life once he moves out of his teens. Enough detail is given about his childhood that one senses the single-mindedness that drove his genius. However, with so much emphasis on Edison's many inventions and projects, one can easily get bogged down. Photographs, frequent diagrams, and sidebars add interesting insights. Short biographies of his peers, both friends and foes, are included. The activities tend to have text-heavy instructions and lack detailed diagrams. The explanation of atoms and their charges in Make an Electrically Charged Puppet Dance is inaccurate. Also, some of the activities become repetitious, particularly those showing the persistence of vision phenomenon used to achieve motion photography. Sources for science experiments, lists of related museums, and Web sites are appended. For Edison enthusiasts and invention fans, this book is a serviceable addition. Most libraries that own Brian Williams's Thomas Alva Edison (Heinemann Library, 2001) or Marfe Ferguson Delano's Inventing the Future (National Geographic, 2002) don't need it.–Carol S. Surges, McKinley Elementary School, Wauwatosa, WI
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 4-7. Carlson combines, with some success, a lively biography of one of the most creative and inventive minds in history with 21 activity pages that students can use to replicate some of the simplest of Edison's experiments. Edison, mostly deaf and thought to be a slow learner as a child, never stopped investigating. He tended to ignore his first wife and their children and didn't do much better with his second set, but he brought the world the phonograph, incandescent electric light, the storage battery, the moving-picture projector--and an electric pen now used in tattooing. He also pretty much created the Skunk Works labratory model that Apple, Microsoft, and many other think tanks use today. A handful of sidebars about Henry Ford, Nikola Tesla, and others whose lives and work intersected with Edison's, and black-and-white illustrations, many of them period, contribute texture. An extensive list of resources adds value. GraceAnne DeCandido
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Chicago Review Press (February 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1556525842
• ISBN-13: 978-1556525841
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 10.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #340,194 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #17 in Books > Children's Books > Science, Nature & How It Works > Inventions & Inventors
  • #22 in Books > Children's Books > Science, Nature & How It Works > Electricity & Electronics

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful resource for science-minded kids (and their parents!), April 6, 2006

By 

Marsha Wood Wirtel (Philly's Western 'Burbs) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Thomas Edison for Kids: His Life and Ideas, 21 Activities (For Kids series) (Paperback)

Laurie Carlson has done it again! Well known for her history, science and activity books for kids, Carlson has now applied her significant energies to creating a resource for parents, teachers and children to learn more about Thomas Edison's life, times and inventions in an engaging, hands-on manner.

Like her entire catalog of kids' educational activity books, Thomas Edison for Kids provides ample context for the experiments and projects so that children may gain a full understanding of what it is that they're doing and why. Along the way, discussions of Edison's methods, perserverance, constant pursuit of knowledge model an enthusiasm for general scientific discovery not often seen by the young (or any of us, really). Additional historical context is provided by abundant archival photos and examinations of Edison's relationships with his peers, friends and rivals of the time - Tesla and Ford among them.

The activities cover a range of interests and abilities, from constructing an eletrical circuit to testing botanicals. Adults will want to read the directions thoroughly before sitting down with impatient little ones - diagrams for experiments are rather basic for those of us somewhat removed from our science class years. That said, they are usually easy to set-up and generally don't require too much in the way of specialized equipment.

One of the best features of the book is a comprehensive resource list of ideas for field trips and outings, websites, and sources for supplies needed for activities. Along with the time line and glossary they will help parents and teachers satisfy the curiosity about Edison that this book raises in their little scientists.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thomsa Edison for Kids: His Life and Ideas, 21 Activities, December 23, 2009

By 

Rochelle E. Winoker - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Thomas Edison for Kids: His Life and Ideas, 21 Activities (For Kids series) (Paperback)

The book may indicate it's for kids but adults can certainly learn something from the material in this wonderful jam-packed informative reader.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thomas Edison rocks, February 10, 2009

By 

Neil Burmenko "Mom13" (CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Thomas Edison for Kids: His Life and Ideas, 21 Activities (For Kids series) (Paperback)

I bought this book for my 4th grader. He loves reading it. It has a lot of fun facts about Edison's life and creations. Easy to read and keeps their attention. Our whole family enjoyed this book. Very child friendly.