BOOK MARKED
12 Books to Read During
National Inventors Month
Learn the true stories behind inventions that changed the
world for better (and for worse!). Read about kid inventors
and even try some fun STEM projects at home.

BY JENNIFER ROTHSCHILD
COLLECTION ENGAGEMENT LIBRARIAN, ARLINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
PICTURE BOOKS
“Mr. Ferris and His Wheel”
By Kathryn Gibbs Davis,
illustrated by Gilbert Ford
When Paris hosted the World’s Fair, they built
a large tower as the centerpiece. In 1893, it was
Chicago’s turn, but with only 10 months to go,
they still didn’t have anything that could outshine
the Eiffel Tower. Then George Washington Gale
Ferris Jr. had an idea: what if he built something
large like a tower, but it moved? Facing challenges
at every turn, Ferris managed to build his wheel,
a design that has since been reproduced all
over the world.

“Izzy Gizmo”
By Pip Jones,
illustrated by Sara Ogilvie
Meet Izzy Gizmo, who loves to invent things and
carries her toolbelt everywhere she goes, just
in case. One day, she finds a bird with a broken
wing and is determined to invent something to
help. Unfortunately, her first idea doesn’t work.

Neither does her second nor her third. Will
she ever be able to make an invention to help
the bird fly?
“Sweet Dreams Sarah:
From Slavery to Inventor”
By Vivian Kirkfield,
illustrated by Chris Ewald
After slavery was abolished, Sarah E. Goode
moved to Chicago and opened a furniture store.

Many of her customers needed furniture to fit
their small living spaces and budgets, so Sarah
invented a bed that folds up during the day,
earning one of the first patents awarded to an
African American woman.

32 Washington FAMILY MAY 2021
EARLY READERS
“The Invention Hunters
Discover How Machines Work”
By Korwin Briggs
The Invention Hunters fly around the world
seeking out the world’s greatest inventions. When
they land in a construction site, they discover —
and misidentify, to great comedic effect — a series
of wonderful inventions. This fun story explores
simple machines and how they’re used. In later
volumes, the Invention Hunters learn several
other STEM concepts, such as electricity.

“Truth or Lie: Inventors!”
By Erica S. Perl,
illustrated by Michael H. Slack
From Velcro to the airplane, this book uses the
fun children's game three truths and a lie to teach
the backstory behind inventions that are now part
of our everyday lives.

“Hedy Lamarr’s Double Life”
By Laurie Wallmark,
illustrated by Katy Wu
Hedy Lamarr was a popular movie star, but
despite her international fame, most people didn’t
know that she was also an inventor who developed
technologies to help the United States during
World War II. Even though some of her biggest
breakthroughs were ignored at the time, they’re
now used in our personal electronics.

MIDDLE GRADE
“What Color is My World?
The Lost History of
African-American Inventors”
By Kareem Abdul-Jabbar