The Kid Who Invented the Popsicle: And Other Surprising Stories about Inventions

The historical record regarding the invention of new products is generally an interesting one because so many were a quick burst of inspiration or a happy accident. For example, the Popsicle was "invented" when eleven-year-old Frank Epperson accidentally left a mixture of water and soda pop mix on his back porch. He also left the stirring stick in the mixture so when he recovered it the next day he discovered that he had something that was convenient and tasted good. Many of the other inventions described in this book have a similar story, one that will interest the child of curious bent. Like many of the friends of my youth, I fancied myself becoming an inventor that would create new and useful things. As the descriptions in this book make clear, that is not an altogether unreasonable hope.

we discovered this & other invention history bks by the same author when my 8 1/2 yr old 3rd grade daughter was assigned a book report on an "informational" bk; it was just right; the blurbs are short but informative; kids recognize just about every product & learn about those they don't know; we had fun arranging & photographing a collage display of as many items from the bk that we had around the house - over 1/2 the 100+; she picked just a few to include in her oral report

I purchased this book to read portions of it to my class. The reality of new ideas is that it takes hard work and lots of practice. Many of the ideas came from the result of what was viewed as a "mistake" by the inventor. The process of invention is as important as the product. This is an important concept to share with young students who will only try to get the "right" answer, they have to be taught to undetake challenges and see mistakes as the opportunity to learn. These types of stories inspire them to take chances.