Inventions & Inventors, African American - Biography - General, Scientists, Naturalists & Engineers - Biography
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Overview
Handsome oil paintings enliven this picture book biography about the little-known inventor who inspired the phrase "the real McCoy." Young readers meet Elijah McCoy and discover how he invented the lawn sprinkler, the rubber heel on a shoe, and more. "A striking introduction to one of the first and most successful African-American inventors."--Booklist, starred review.A biography of the Canadian-born black American who studied engineering in Scotland and patented over fifty inventions despite the obstacles he faced because of his race.
Editorials
Publishers Weekly -
Elijah McCoy (1844-1929), the child of escaped slaves, was born in Canada and educated in Scotland as an engineer during the Civil War. Settling in Michigan, he was able to find work only as a fireman, stoking the engines of a locomotive and oiling its parts. But his training was not wasted: he invented an automatic lubricator--possibly the original ``real McCoy''--and went on to patent other devices, including the portable ironing board and the lawn sprinkler. He eventually founded the Elijah McCoy Manufacturing Company but never received his due for his work and died alone in a nursing home. First-time author Towle honors her subject's achievements while acknowledging his meager public recognition, while Clay tones down the dynamism he exhibited in Little Eight John to paint sturdy, luminous images of McCoy in action. McCoy himself provides a compelling example of 19th-century African American achievement in the face of discrimination; this respectful biography is a useful addition to library collections. Ages 5-9. (Jan.)Children's Literature -
In the days when trains had to stop every few miles so that its moving parts could be oiled, many inventors contrived automatic oil cups, including Elijah McCoy. His worked so much better that anyone else's, however, that engineers demanded and expected nothing less than The Real McCoy. Ms. Towle recounts the life and many accomplishments of the African-American inventor whose name became synonymous with perfection.School Library Journal
Gr 2-5-- Canadian born Elijah McCoy patented over 50 inventions in his lifetime. Despite the fact that he was trained as a master mechanic and engineer, he could only find work as a fireman/oilman on a railroad, because no one had ever heard of a black engineer in the United States. His automatic oil cup became standard equipment on most trains and heavy machinery, and was so superior to others that people demanded ``the real McCoy.'' The text is compact but contains enough detail and warmth to make the man come to life. The acrylic illustrations are vibrant and full of details that reflect McCoy's years of hard work. A fine addition to any library's biography and/or black history collections. --Christine A. Moesch, Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, NYBook Details
Published
October 1, 1999
Publisher
Turtleback Books: A Division of Sanval
Pages
32
Format
Hardcover
ISBN
9780785755166