Pioneering American Computer Geniuses.

Northrup, Mary.  Pioneering American Computer Geniuses.     Enslow  2014  112p      $31.93  ISBN 978-0-7660-4167-7  ms/jr  series: Inspiring Collective Biographies  Biography  VG-BN 

This volume is an update to Northrup’s 1998 text entitled American Computer Pioneers, and it contains a great deal of new information given the remarkable growth of computer technology in the past fifteen years.  In this accessible and informative text, readers are presented with biographical sketches of thirteen American innovators in the realm of computer science, moving through history from Herman Hollerith and John von Neumann to Marc Hannah and Marc Andreessen.  Naturally the best-known innovators like Grace Hopper, the Steves (Jobs and Wozniak), and Bill Gates are not overlooked, but they are not given undue attention either. Each biography is approximately ten pages in length, with some entries combining subjects that were known for their collaborations, like Jobs and Wozniak.  They include black-and-white photographs of the subjects, which do not enliven the text.  As with most Enslow publications, the book contains further reading suggestions and an index, but the expected higher reading level is indicated by the presence of scholarly chapter notes at the end of the text.  This book is great as a starting point for reports and contains the right kind of information to spark curiosity, as well as explaining the subjects’ contributions without using technical jargon.

The six Inspiring Collective Biographies cover a variety of topics, from American jazz to World War II generals, at a 5th to 9th-grade reading level.     

Summary: Brief biographies of thirteen American innovators in the realm of computer science bring the past history and present story of computers to life in this accessible and informative text geared toward readers in grades 5-9.

Computer scientists, Inventors                        --Bethany Geleskie

The Man Who Invented the Ferris Wheel.

Sneed, Dani.  The Man Who Invented the Ferris Wheel.  Enslow      2014  48p  $23.93  ISBN 978-0-7660-4136-3 elem   series: Genius Inventors and Their Great Ideas  Biography  VG-BNe        

This is a history of the Ferris wheel’s invention and construction for the World’s Fair in Chicago in 1893, along with biographical details of the life of its inventor, George Ferris, written for elementary school students.  The writing is fairly easy for an average third or fourth grader to read, and there are many wonderful photos and diagrams to bring the story to life.  This book has a number of features to recommend it: short, well-organized chapters, good photographs, a timeline, a section on becoming an inventor, a glossary, lists of resources for more information, and an index.

 On the other hand, there are a few flaws that should be corrected in future editions.  For one thing, this paragraph may lead to confusion: “By 1890 Chicago buzzed with excitement as it planned the World’s Fair.  Three years before at the Paris World’s Fair, all were astonished by the Eiffel Tower.”  By all accounts, the tower was not finished construction until 1889, so three years before 1890 (i.e., 1887), nobody would have seen it or been astonished by it.  On page 40, in the entry for 1893, the first letter of “June” is not capitalized.  And on page 42, a “to” is missing in line 4 from the top.  The websites all check out and are very informative.

The series Genius Inventors and Their Great Ideas includes books on Les Paul, Philo T. Farnsworth, and Stephanie Kwolek (the inventor of bullet-proof fabric).  There are seven titles so far.

Summary: This is a history of the Ferris wheel’s invention and construction for the World’s Fair in Chicago in 1893, along with biographical details of the life of its inventor, George Ferris, written for elementary school students.    

George Ferris, Inventors                                    --Carol Kennedy

Schroeder, Alan Ben Franklin His Wit and Wisdom from A-Z

Schroeder, Alan
Ben Franklin His Wit and Wisdom from A-Z
Holiday House 2011 unp 16.95
978-0-8234-1950-0 E-BNe
“ An illustrated overview of Benjamin Franklin's inventions, wisdom, and accomplishments.” Written for upper elementary students, this entertaining title arranged alphabetically will be a welcome addition to an elementary school library’s collection. Each double-page spread provides many details about our Founding Father, beginning with the letter A for almanac and ending with the letter Z for zeal. Unlike some other A to Z books out on the market, the author includes several key words for each letter of the alphabet. Topics include information on his personal history and family, public service, inventions, places, accomplishments, people, characteristics, beliefs, writings, and upbringing.

Illustrator, John O’Brien, creates each page in a beautiful and colorful way using watercolor and ink. Through the illustrations and drawings, students will gain a better understanding of what times appeared like during Franklin’s time and to show how Franklin lived in our world. At a time when some publishers are trimming their costs of producing a quality book, this title will not disappoint librarians who seek a high quality book that will survive for many years of circulation.
Would make an excellent addition to an elementary collection for both casual reading and for biography projects. Forba-Mayer, Charleen

Inspiring African-American Inventors

Young, Jeff C. Inspiring African-American Inventors
Enslow 2009 128p 33.27 978-1-59845-080-4 ms/hs
Great Scientists and Famous Inventors-myreportlinks.com (Enslow)
Offers brief biographical profiles of influential African-American inventors, describing the challenges they faced, their efforts to make the world a better place, and their influence on history. Nine African Americans inventors are profiled in this detailed, factual collective biography. Five of the inventors are well known, and additional information on Latimer, Matzeliger, Woods, Carver, Walker and Morgan is always needed, particularly for research assignments. Three lesser known inventors are included: Percy Lavon Julian, Patricia Era Bath and Lonnie G. Johnson and this is beneficial in that it provides students with new topics and inventions for research. This title is not only useful for research but for pleasure reading as well. The text is detailed but written in an entertaining fashion. Primary source quotes are interwoven with the secondary text to provide an insight into the lives of the inventors. The need met by the invention and the technology of how the invention works is integral to the study of inventors and each invention is placed within the context of the times. In addition, the reader learns a bit about science as well. Diagrams and prototypes of the inventions illustrate the process of invention. The layout is visually appealing. Each chapter is introduced using a brightly colored two page spread and remaining pages in the chapter are pale yellow pages bordered by red, green and orange. Screen shots of web pages for further information encourage readers to seek additional facts. Black and white photos, either full one page or two page spreads, add to the visual appeal of this title. Includes a Table of Contents, MyReportLinks, a glossary, information for further reading and an index. This title is one sure to be used as a starting point for History Day 2010 research. Zajko, Rosanne