The Way Toys Work

June 1, 2008
Adult/High School-The authors examine 50 toys, including their history and scientific principles. In many cases, they discuss and reproduce original patent drawings. They also take the toys apart to reveal the technology that makes them tick and offer suggestions on how one might build some of these items from scratch. The entries include the balsa wood plane, Erector Set, Frisbee, gyroscope, hula hoop, and Nintendo Entertainment System. Written for novices and illustrated with black-and-white photos throughout, this book is sure to provide hours of entertainment and enlightenment."Robert Saunderson, Berkeley Public Library, CA"

Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2008
Heres a great present for all toy aficionados and inveterate tinkerers. The Sobeysfather Ed, founder of the National Toy Hall of Fame, and son Woody, state coordinator for a grade-school inventing competitiondid what all technically minded, ever-curious types love to do: take stuff apart and figure out how it works. The object of their curiosity was toys, not just any toys but 50 classic toys that have become part of pop culture: the Yo-Yo, Etch-a-Sketch, Potato Gun, Slinky, Silly Putty, Frisbee, Rubiks Cube, and more. For each toy, they provide a brief history of the gadget, a description of how it works, and a look under the skin, plastic shell, or outer casing (both in the form of photographs and mechanical drawings). This is really quite a nifty book, perfect for collectors, for anyone daring enough to build homemade versions of these classic toys, and even for casual browsers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)