The Man Who Invented the Ferris Wheel: The Genius of George Ferris

Gr 2–4—Each volume highlights a little-known inventor and explains how his invention came about. Struggles and successes are mentioned equally, showing the realistic trial and error of inventing. The texts are accompanied by numerous photos and diagrams; they are accessible to primary-grade children while at the same time being interesting and informative enough for older and reluctant readers. A bonus section called "You Be The Inventor" relates a story of a girl who recently invented an item, encouraging readers that they too can create and invent and even be taken seriously. This section outlines the basic steps to finding out if an idea is unique and patent-worthy. The drawback is that this section is identical in each volume, making it redundant for youngsters who read multiple books in the series. Overall, these colorful titles are engaging, informative, and well packaged.—Carol Hirsche, Provo City Library, UT