Timeless Thomas

May 21, 2012
Following his picture-book biographies of Benjamin Franklin and Leonardo da Vinci, Barretta introduces Thomas Edison to young readers. Edison (1847–1931), portrayed as a twinkly-eyed gentleman, busily develops his inventions in his New Jersey laboratories. In side-by-side scenes, present-day children and adults enjoy modern technologies (a tattoo gun, an MP3 player, a movie), while opposite, their antecedents (the electric pen, the phonograph, the Kinetoscope) are discussed. Barretta’s warm and funny watercolors create an inviting portrait of an influential man: “So every time you turn on a light, think of Thomas Edison and remember everything he gave us.” Endnotes profile Edison’s employees and offer trivia and additional resources. Ages 8–12. Agent: Lori Nowicki, Painted Words.

Starred review from June 1, 2012
A fine introduction to Thomas Edison's exceptional inventions, innovations and career--and how his work continues to affect our lives today. Young readers who know Edison only as the inventor of the incandescent light bulb will be fascinated by the breadth and scope of his genius as well as the sheer number of electrical devices he brought forth. They will be astonished that it is Edison whom they can thank for the phonograph, movie camera and projector, and improvements on the telegraph and telephone. There seems to have been little the man didn't think of: an early vending machine, a vote recorder for the government (for which he received his first patent), and the first device to make use of X-ray technology. The modern photocopier and even the tattoo needle were based on an Edison creation, the electric pen. Barretta's admiring, clear prose; detailed, child-appealing paintings; and easy-to-understand diagrams cast a focused spotlight on the "Wizard of Menlo Park" and his extraordinary work. In a nice touch, he pays homage to the gifted, dedicated team of scientists, chemists, engineers and inventors with whom Edison worked for years at both of his New Jersey laboratories; short biographical sketches of these important men are included, as is a list of "Thomas Trivia." A glowing tribute to the inventor who continues to influence modern life. (bibliography) (Picture book/biography. 7-11)

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August 1, 2012

Gr 4-7-Distinctive cartoon illustrations infused with contemporary warmth and 21st-century humor compare electronic products used by today's youth on one side of the page to inventions developed in Thomas Edison's research labs and patented by him on the other. Boys recording music made with an electric guitar and keyboard are juxtaposed with Edison's tinfoil phonograph. A boy listening to his sound mixer, a girl with a multi CD player, and a girl listening to her iPod are compared to dictation machines and the first talking doll. A boy making photocopies of his face is compared to Edison's electric pen. Modern moviemaking is linked to Edison's Kinetograph, the first movie camera, the Kinetoscope for viewing images, and the Kinetephone for projecting sounds with images. Edison's discovery of radio waves, development of telegraph technology, and a useful light bulb with a community-wide power system are showcased. This will be a useful tool to introduce history and inventions to reluctant readers or students as the book stays tightly focused on Edison's work rather than on his personal life. Those looking for more biographical information about the scientist can try David Adler's A Picture Book of Thomas Alva Edison (Holiday House, 1996) or Melvin and Gilda Berger's What Makes the Light Bright, Thomas Edison? (Scholastic, 2007).-Laura Scott, Farmington Community Library, MI

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2012
Grades 2-4 Following his purviews of Ben Franklin (Now & Ben, 2006) and Leonardo da Vinci (Neo Leo, 2009), Barretta applies the same picture-book format to the inventions of Thomas Edison. Left-hand pages show people using modern technology ( Today . . . we can record any sound we like and save it ), while, across the spreads, Barretta reveals the roots found in Edison's work: Edison's tinfoil phonograph was the first device to record sound and play it back. Barretta covers the expected Edisonian highlightsthe telephone, the light bulb, and the batteryalongside other fascinating projects, such as a huge vending machine designed to dole out urban necessities, including coal and produce, or the first movie studio, built on a circular track to allow sunlight to shine through an exposed roof. Chipper cartoon illustrations show a perma-grinning Edison cranking out invention after invention, but Barretta also slyly draws in some of Edison's employees, who are identified in short concluding biographies, emphasizing that Edison didn't go it alone. An entertaining, enlightening intro.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)