Phones Keep Us Connected

February 1, 2017
A basic explanation for younger children who wonder how telephones work and how they were invented.Zoehfeld begins by describing how sound waves work (tucking in instructions for making a string telephone), then goes on to the invention of telegraphs and Morse code, followed by close looks at Alexander Graham Bell's telephone and Thomas Edison's improvements to it. She then traces the development of wireless networks and cellphones and ends by inviting readers to think about what they wish future phones might be able to do. Suggestions for experiments to perform with the string phones readers (of course) made earlier on can be found in the backmatter along with a glossary and a short timeline of phone history. Along with labeled views of early devices and their insides, Nowowiejska adds both cartoon portraits of early inventors and a racially diverse cast of modern children (including one in a wheelchair and several with glasses). Oddly, although a child is pictured on a smartphone in an opening sequence, the author ends her discourse before the development of today's telephony, and the timeline cuts off with the first portable phones in 1973. A bit behind the times but nevertheless a sturdy addition to a venerable series, filling in a ubiquitous device's historical and technological background. (Informational picture book. 6-8)

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April 1, 2017
K-Gr 3-An up-to-date history of communication, from telegraphs and Morse code to radio waves and cell phones. With the assistance of cheery, bright illustrations and diagrams, the author explains concepts such as sound waves, radio waves, and frequency-and how these work to make communication possible. Zoehfeld explores how early discoveries and inventions, such as the telegraph and telephones, led to modern innovations. Encouraging readers to write down ideas and draw sketches, the book is an invitation to think about past breakthroughs in new ways. Small print and the inclusion of scientific concepts make this a challenge for independent readers, but a glossary is appended, defining words highlighted throughout. A short time line illustrates how the covered devices have evolved over the years. VERDICT A good resource for classrooms and independent researchers.-Denise Moore, formerly at O'Gorman Junior High School, Sioux Falls, SD

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from March 15, 2017
Grades 1-3 *Starred Review* Pointing out how easy it is to connect with a friend over a phone, Zoehfeld takes readers back to a time before the technology had been invented and briefly discusses vocal cords, vibrations, and sound waves. After providing detailed instructions for making a string telephone using paper cups (illustrating the possibility of carrying sound over a wire), the discussion turns to the invention of the telegraph, the telephone, and radio, all leading up to the cell phone used today. An excellent hands-on activity page challenges readers to experiment with improving their original string telephones and suggests a few ideas to try. Featuring a diverse crew of characters, the upbeat digital illustrations are attractive and, equally important, very helpful in showing hard-to-visualize concepts such as how early phones worked, the paths of cell-phone signals, and the interior components of a cell phone. Geared to younger children than most books on the topic, this volume from the reliable Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series offers a well-explained, informative presentation on the telephone's historical development as well as how cell phones work.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)