| Books For Kids About Kid Inventors: Features twenty young inventors (from the 1700s to the 1990s) who created such innovations as earmuffs, the Popsicle, water skis, television, and the resealable cereal box.
Features the inspiring history of women and girls and their ingenious innovations (windshield wiper, disposable diaper, school desk, ice-cream maker).  Here's What You Do When You Can't Find Your Shoe: Ingenious Inventions for Pesky Problems by Andrea Perry Atheneum, 2003, Poetry, ages 6-9 “ . . . introduces imaginary inventions to make life easier . . . for kids. The high-energy poems
Features a step-by-step guide and case studies of young inventors.
Features 13 vignettes about modern-day kid inventors. Also offers steps to creating an invention, info on how to apply for a patent, tips for starting an inventors’ club, and resources for young inventors.  The Kid Who Invented the Popsicle: And Other Surprising Stories about Inventions by Don L. Wulffson Puffin, 1999 Non-fiction, ages 9-12 “Beginning with animal crackers and ending with the zipper, this book alphabetically lists [114] inventions and briefly describes how they came into being. Among the items noted are blue jeans, doughnuts, matches, miniature golf, and Scrabble.” –Booklist  The Kid Who Invented the Trampoline: More Extraordinary Stories of Inventions by Don L. Wulffson Dutton, 2001 Non-fiction, grades 3rd-6th “Wulffson continues to inform and entertain readers. Fascinating fare guaranteed to grab reluctant readers or wanna-be inventors.” – School Library Journal
When 12-year-old Steve Wyatt’s plans for attending the Invention Convention (with his contraption The Nice Alarm) are dashed due to a family money shortage, he concocts a clever money-making plan. Features themes dealing with “teacher respect, true friendship, gifted children and even intellectual freedom.” – Booklist
“Steve Wyatt, inventor extraordinaire, [is]back in another fast-paced and humorous adventure. Everyone is counting on Steve to come up with a project idea for the History Faire [and Invention Convention]. What they don't realize, and he is unwilling to share, is that he has inventor's block. When his parents reveal that they are arranging for him to skip eighth grade and move on to high school next year in order to encourage his inventing skills, he can't even admit the truth to them. How can he stop this plan from going forward and keep his secret?” [Features such issues as the creative process and intellectual property rights] – School Library Journal
For Kids About Inventors & Inventing: African American Inventors Chronicles the achievements of 25 innovators, from George Washington Carver to John P. Moon, inventor of floppy disks. African American Women Scientists and Inventors “Profiles 26 women, beginning with Ellen F. Eglin, who was born in 1849 and invented a clothes-wringer, and concluding with Chavonda J. Jacobs Young, who was born in 1967 and has been a research scientist and professor. The introduction discusses the lack of information on the contributions of African-American women and the historical reasons for it . . . This much-needed book is a fine supplement to units on inventors and inventions, and would be useful in multicultural studies.” – School Library Journal Eureka! Great Inventions and How They Happenedby Richard Platt Kingfisher, 2003 Non-fiction, ages 9-12 “Eureka! looks at the instances in which some of the world's greatest inventions were conceived and explains how creative genius has enabled some individuals to look right through a problem and come up with a solution that has eluded rivals.” (from jacket flap) Evil Inventions (Horrible Science Series) “A romp through the history of invention and machines covering everything from the bicycle to the atomic bomb. Crammed full of fun features, quizzes and cartoons.” (jacket flap) I Is for Idea: An Inventions Alphabet “For every budding scientist who would like to think beyond the smoking volcano, diorama, and colored graphs of the typical school science fair. I is for Idea explores the development of bicycles, zippers, toilets, computers, and many other inventions that we now take for granted in our daily lives.” (jacket flap) Imaginative Inventions: The Who, What, Where, When, and Why of Roller Skates, Potato Chips, Marbles, and Pie (and More!) “Children who are interested in the origins of things will enjoy this whimsical look at how piggy banks, doughnuts, eyeglasses, high-heeled shoes, chewing gum, and more were created.” – School Library Journal 1,000 Inventions & Discoveries “From stone tools to the cotton gin to cloned sheep, [this book] surveys life-changing breakthroughs. Starting in 3,000,000 B.C., each chapter covers a distinct historical period, offering tightly constructed chunks of information alongside more in-depth explanations. A timeline along the bottom of each spread fills in details. Produced in association with the Smithsonian Institution.” – Publisher’s Weekly Mistakes That Workedby Charlotte Foltz Jones; illustrated by John Obrien Doubleday, 1994 Non-fiction, ages 8 and up Features cartoons that “illustrate the stories behind the invention of such everyday items as Silly Putty, trouser cuffs, popsicles and penicillin.” – Publisher’s Weekly Now & Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin “A clever, concise introduction to the contributions of this colorful colonial figure.” –School Library Journal Totally Absurd Inventions: America's Goofiest Patents A compendium of “the best of the goofy from the millions of patents granted during the past 70 years. Each of the nearly 100 off-the-wall inventions unearthed for this collection features the detailed patent application illustration and a lively description of the bizarre proposed creation.” Includes the Diaper alarm, the Cranium cooler, and the Pet Toilet. (jacket flap) Toys!: Amazing Stories Behind Some Great Inventionsby Don Wulffson; illustrated by Laurie Keller Henry Holt, 2000 Non-fiction, ages 9-12 “Wulffson shares the stories behind classic and commercial toy inventions such as Legos, Mr. Potato Head, Raggedy Ann, toy soldiers, Twister, checkers, and remote control cars. Readers will discover that some of the most popular creations were the products of experiments gone awry, thus providing a lesson in persistence, surprise outcomes, and creative thinking.” – SLJ What a Great Idea!: Ivnentions that Changed the Worldby Stephen M. Tomecek; illustrated by Dan Stuckenschneider Scholastic, 2003 Non-fiction, ages 9 and up “Rather than presenting a ‘how it works’ compendium or a series of mini-biographies, Tomecek puts significant inventions and discoveries in a historical context. Dividing the text into five broad time periods, he offers a series of essays on important advances that occurred in each ‘age.’ – School Library Journal So You Want to Be an Inventor?By Judith St. George; illustrated by David Small Philomel, 2002 Non-fiction, ages 4-8 “The creators of the Caldecott Medalist So You Want to Be President? mirror that successful format in this enthusiastic, fact-filled picture-book tribute to predominately American and European inventors.” – Amazon.com For Educators: I Love America’s InventionsBy John Artman and Gary Grimm Gary Grimm & Associates, 2001 Social Studies Unit for middle grades and up Buy these books at:
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