100 Things You Should Know About Inventions

by Duncan Brewer

Book Overview

Miles Kelly Publishing Ltd 2004-04-27, 2004. Paperback. Book Condition: Very Good. 1842363549 Book is lightly used with little or no noticeable damage This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1842365894
• ISBN13: 9781842365892
• Release Date: January 2005
• Publisher: Miles Kelly Publishing
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 8.5" x 6.5"

Customer Reviews

An illustrated history of inventions

I LOVE the "100 things you should know" series. Each book is set up in similar fashion: by number and by category. Each category is covered in a two-page spread, featuring short paragraphs per number and illustrations or related information for about half of each paragraph. Items are pleasingly spaced, making them eye-easy. Illustrations are attractive and realistic enough. So much for basics. Instead of working chronologically through the book, a team of writers and artists takes each invention chronologically per two-page spread. For example, the first invention is tools. There are five facts and five illustrations. The time span begins at 2.5 million years ago and ends at 12,000 BC. This, of course, is the largest time separation. In "New ways of moving" the team begins with the invention of plank wheels, heavy and cumbersome, and concludes with big-wheel trucks used in local events to run over a row of cars. Big wheels can do that. "Harvesting the earth" concludes with the latest combine harvester with big wheels, air-conditioned cabs and even sound systems. By the way big wheels are used to cushion from big bumps and for traction (big wheel farm tractors). Other inventions include weapons, boats and sailing, navigation tools, measuring time, "Marks on a page," "Making music," communication, "From Earth into space." This is a must-have series, especially for school libraries. Individual volumes per interest level will appeal to various children for personal use. The reading level probably is second or third grade level and will appeal to anyone over that age. I personally love books like these that provide quick, general information. If a child wants more detail, then go from there. A good way to read these books is a topic at a time. Read and discuss, the next day read another topic. And so on. This book is fascinating, as are others in the series, making it and them highly recommended.

Detailed art and fascinating facts

Although listed as a book for ages 9-12 this book is versatile enough to use with younger children or older limited English speaking children. Each page is illustrated with several illustrations that compliment the subject matter. The book is organized chrnologically from the early inventors of the stone age(axes, musical instruments,use of fire, skins as clothes etc) through modern space travel (concorde, space shuttle, Apollo etc.). The book deals with the use of these inventions primarily rather than names of individuals responsible for an invention. The relationships between various inventions is one of the focuses of the book. It is organized sequentially to show how one invention relates to anothers development. Every chapter is thematic. For example, one chapter( they are conveniently two pages for visual ease)is entitled "Marks on a Page" and deals with the evolution of writing, beginning with the Summerians 5,500 years ago, who used pictures but also covers the Chinese use of written numbers around 3100 BC, Gutenberg's printing press, monks and Greeks all leading up to modern computers. Certain chapters include a section that has a light bulb where within it, it states, "I Don't Believe It! where some odd fact is written regarding the subject. Also sometimes there are several tiny quizzes, suggested projects, and cartoons. This is a nice book for a school or community library. This book can also be read to younger children who will enjoy the brief illustrated historical stories.