Description
Don't be afraid to try! Make connections! Be persistent! Ask questions and never take no for an answer! Learn the secrets and amazing stories of successful inventors!
How to Become an Accidental Genius is full of inspiring tales of famous and lesser-known inventors who have changed the world, from George Washington Carver, Mary Anderson (inventor of the windshield wiper) and inventor and actress Hedy Lamarr to Frank Epperson (of Popsicle fame) and Mary Sherman Morgan (The Woman Who Saved the U.S. Space Race). Readers will be amazed at the inventiveness of these geniuses. The book focuses on inventors from North America but includes stories from around the world. Organized into eleven chapters that highlight the qualities inventors have in common, the book also features profiles of inventive kids and teenagers.
The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.
Author Bio
Elizabeth MacLeod has written more than 80 books, including biographies, picture books, cookbooks and other nonfiction titles. Dinosaurs, royal murder, forensic science, horses that changed history—she’s written about them all. Liz is a Member of the Order of Canada and has won the Sharon Fitzhenry Award for Canadian Children's Non-Fiction, the Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-Fiction and the Arthur Ellis Award for Best Juvenile or Young Adult Crime Book. She has also won children’s choice awards across the country, including the Hackmatack, Red Cedar, Red Maple and Silver Birch. Liz's most recent books include How to Become an Accidental Activist and Get Out and Vote!. She lives in Toronto.
Frieda Wishinsky is the internationally award-winning author of over 80 picture books, novels and nonfiction. Frieda loves exploring new ideas and sharing the writing process with writers and readers of all ages. Her books have been translated into many languages, including Spanish, Hungarian, Polish, Russian, French, Chinese and Korean. Frieda lives in Toronto and enjoys visiting parks, gardens and green spaces everywhere.
Jenn Playford has over 20 years experience illustrating creative solutions in the field of editorial, publishing, advertising and product design and her work has been showcased in Communication Arts and How magazine. Some of her clients include Zoomer magazine, Food Illustrated (UK), LA Times, Delta Airlines, United Way, Running Press, Klutz Publishing and Galison/Mudpuppy. Recently her illustrations have been animated into videos for the Royal Bank of Canada and Locallove.ca. Jenn grew up in Europe and Toronto and her international experiences have greatly influenced her, along with a passion for design, fashion and books. She now lives in Victoria, British Columbia with her two children.
Prizes
- Ontario Library Association (OLA) Best BetsCommended 2019
- Bank Street College of Education Children's Book Committee Best Children's Books of the YearCommended 2019
- Young Readers' Choice Book Awards of British Columbia (YRCABC) Red Cedar Book AwardsNominated 2021
- Children’s Book Council Best STEM Books ListCommended 2020
- Rocky Mountain Book Award (RMBA)Short-listed 2021
- CCBC Best Books for Kids & TeensCommended 2019
- Hackmatack Children’s Choice Book AwardShort-listed 2021
Table of contents
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER ONE: DON’T BE AFRAID TO TRY
- From Shellac to Sensational: Plastic, 1909 (Dr. Leo Hendrik Baekeland)
- Unbreakable: Kevlar, 1971 (Stephanie Kwolek)
- Blow Up: Smart Dust, 2003 (Jamie Link)
CHAPTER TWO: GET KNOWLEDGE AND USE IT
- The Maid Did It: Classifying Stars, 1890 (Williamina Paton Stevens Fleming)
- Amazing Radiation: X-Rays, 1895 (Dr. Wilhelm Röntgen)
- Keep That Beat Going: Pacemakers, 1949 (Dr. Wilfred G. Bigelow and
- Dr. John C. Callaghan)
CHAPTER THREE: PAY ATTENTION
- Clean Sweep: Windshield Wipers, 1903 (Mary Anderson)
- Nuts to You: Plenty of Peanut Products, 1910s (George Washington Carver)
- The Accident That Still Saves Millions: Penicillin, 1928 (Sir Alexander Fleming)
CHAPTER FOUR: MAKE CONNECTIONS
- It Makes Sense: Folding Beds, 1885 (Sarah E. Goode)
- A Walk in the Woods: Velcro, 1941 (George de Mestral)
- Hot Pockets: Microwaves, 1945 (Percy Spencer)
CHAPTER FIVE: RECOGNIZE THAT IT TAKES TIME
- Remember the Ice: Popsicles, 1905 (Frank Epperson)
- Night After Night: High-Dose Radiation, 1949 (Dr. Vera Peters)
- Stick to It: Post-it Notes, 1980 (Dr. Spencer Silver and Art Fry)
CHAPTER SIX: BE PERSISTENT
- Bounce! Bounce! Bounce!: Trampolines, 1936 (George Nissen)
- Light Bender: Fiber Optics, 1954 (Dr. Narinder Singh Kapany)
- It Is Rocket Science: Rocket Fuel, 1957 (Mary Sherman Morgan)
CHAPTER SEVEN: RECOGNIZE THAT FAILURE IS PART OF THE PROCESS
- It’s in the Bag: Flat-Bottom Paper Bags, 1871 (Margaret Knight)
- Flaky Inventors: Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, 1894 (Dr. John Harvey Kellogg and
- Will Keith “W.K.” Kellogg)
- Zoom!: The Razor Scooter, 1998 (Gino Tsai)
CHAPTER EIGHT: DON’T MAKE ASSUMPTIONS
- No Stick: Teflon, 1938 (Dr. Roy J. Plunkett)
- Code Words: COBOL, 1952 (Dr. Grace Hopper)
- See Ya!: Laser Cataract Treatment, 1986 (Dr. Patricia Bath)
CHAPTER NINE: BE OPEN TO POSSIBILITIES
- A Glob of Goo: Friction Matches, 1826 (John Walker)
- Original Babysitter Updated: Jolly Jumper, 1910 (Susan Olivia Poole)
- It Started with Potatoes: Television, 1927 (Philo Farnsworth)
CHAPTER TEN: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
- Look What I Found: Discovering Fossils, 1811 (Mary Anning)
- Star Inventor: Decoding in the War, 1942 (Hedy Lamarr)
- Try This: Electronic Feeding Device, 1951 (Bessie Blount Griffin)
CHAPTER ELEVEN: ACCIDENTAL GENIUSES—A NEW GENERATION
- Magnet Magic: Self-Separating Recycling Bin, 2014 (Asuka Kamiya)
- Algae Mobile: EcoTube, 2008 (Param Jaggi)
- Clean Up That Oily Goop: Tailings Filter, 2014 (Hayley Todesco)
GLOSSARY
RESOURCES
INDEX
PHOTO CREDITS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Review Quotes
“An inspiring book…Vivid color photographs, a glossary, resources and an index make this a useful reference for deciding on a subject for further research.”
— Youth Services Book Review★ “Engaging and thought provoking, this book is treasure trove of inspirational people and ideas. There is a plethora of terrific black-and-white photographs, lively illustrations, motivating quotes and sidebars packed with additional information.”
— Canadian Children's Book News, Red Leaf Literature titleBiographical note
Biographies, picture books, cookbooks—Elizabeth MacLeod has written them all and more. She has won many awards for her writing, including the Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-Fiction, as well as Children’s Choice awards across Canada. Liz is very curious and loves discovering incredible facts and sharing them with readers. With a university degree in biology, Liz has a special interest in science and inventors. For this book, Liz especially enjoyed writing about incredible female inventors such as Mary Anderson and Mary Sherman Morgan.
Frieda Wishinsky is the international award–winning author of over 70 books. She writes picture books, chapter books, novels and nonfiction. Her books have been translated into many languages, and her picture book Please, Louise! won the 2008 Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award. She is also the author of the popular Canadian Flyer Adventures and Survival series. Frieda loves humor, travel, gardens, chocolate and sharing the writing process.
