Synopsis
Chances are, some of the inventors in this book copied Archimedes and shouted "Eureka!" when they knew they had what they'd been looking for. Others may have just sat, quietly proud, before moving on to the next puzzle that interested them. In this book poet Joyce Sidman goes back in history to present a range of inventors -- some whose inventions saved lives, others whose inventions made life easier or more fun. As Sidman's poetry makes so eloquently clear, however, all of them chased a dream to a place no one had been before.
School Library Journal
Gr 5 Up-Sixteen poems turn into a trip through time with the people who invented some of the things that make our lives easier, better, and more enjoyable. Sidman manages to turn the voices of these people into narrative poems, just at the moment of creativity that is about to change the world. She begins with prehistory as a woman accidentally discovers clay as she wishes for a vessel to carry an abundant crop of sweet berries, and takes readers to Tim Berners-Lee's invention of the World Wide Web in "Enquire Within." There are important discoveries here-like movable type and genetics-and fun ones, too, such as chocolate bars and Frisbees. Chavez's full-color, surrealistic illustrations add depth, character, and feeling to the selections. After each group of poems, brief paragraphs give just a bit more information about the inventors' place in history. This is a great starting or finishing point for students researching any of these people, but the entire book reads beautifully as one amazing journey from before recorded time to the present.-Susan Oliver, Tampa-Hillsborough Public Library System, FL Copyright 2003 Cahners Business Information.