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The Inventor's Secret What Thomas Edison Told Henry FordBy: Suzanne Slade / Illustrated by: Jennifer Black Reinhardt Thomas Edison was a successful inventor. How could he help his friend Henry Ford?From the time they were young, both Thomas Edison and Henr
The Inventor’s Secret
What Thomas Edison Told Henry Ford
By: Suzanne Slade / Illustrated by: Jennifer Black Reinhardt
From the time they were young, both Thomas Edison and Henry Ford were filled with curiosity. Early on, Thomass experiments often ended in explosions and fire. Henrys childhood experiments went similarly awry, leaving him with broken toys and flooded fields.
As the boys grew older, Edison began to see success with his inventions while Ford continued to struggle. Henry was fixated on creating an affordable vehicle, but was discouraged by his lack of success. And all the while, those around him marveled at Thomass electric pen, phonograph, and incandescent lightbulb. Henry couldnt help but wonder what Thomass secret washow did he create so many successful inventions?
Henry finally gets the chance of a lifetime to show his gas-powered vehicle plans to Thomas Edison himself. Will Henry learn the secret to Thomas’s success?
Along with Jennifer Black Reinhardts lively, detailed illustrations, Suzanne Slade tells this little-known story of friendship, curiosity, and perseverance.
If you like this book, youll enjoy these:
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Into the Deep: The Life of Naturalist and Explorer William Beebe
Friends for Freedom: The Story of Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass
Dream Big, Little Scientists
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Suzanne Slade, author
Suzanne Slade loves finding out how things work. A former mechanical engineer, she once worked on Delta IV rockets and automotive brake systems. Now a full-time author, she has written more than one hundred children’s books, including Friends for Freedom: The Story of Susan B. Anthony & Frederick Douglass and The House That George Built. Suzanne lives near Chicago, where she writes from home on her favorite inventiona laptop computer.
Watch a video of author Suzanne Slade discussing The Inventor’s Secret
Read more about Suzanne.
Jennifer Black Reinhardt, illustrator
Jennifer Black Reinhardt is fascinated by the stories behind old objects. While researching this book, she studied the Victorian clothing and furnishings in her collection of antique photographs–and fell in love with fancy borders. Jennifer is the illustrator of Rabbi Benjamin’s Buttons and The Adventures of a South Pole Pig (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt). She could not have illustrated this book without the invention of the lightbulb.
Read more about Jennifer.
Illinois Reads
Kirkus Reviews
What would a renowned, established inventor have to say to a hopeful young tinkerer?
Slade precedes her description of a historical meeting with interwoven accounts: one of Thomas, a disaster-prone experimenter who parlays an early interest in gadgets and electricity into a pen that produces multiple copies, a phonograph, and hundreds of other popular innovations; the other of Henry, born 16 years later, whose yen to produce a practical, inexpensive motor car encounters obstacle after frustrating obstacle. At last, hoping for insight into Edison’s success, Henry buttonholes the great inventor at an 1896 dinner. The two instantly fall into a technical discussion, climaxed by the excited Edison’s “Keep at it!” . . . the author and illustrator close with fuller notes on major Edison-ian inventions, the development of the Model T, and particularly the lifelong friendship that the encounter kindled between these two giants of industrial technology. . . .
Publishers Weekly
“What’s his secret?” That’s the question dogging Henry Ford as he watches Thomas Edison’s phonograph and incandescent bulb take off, while his own attempts to create steam and gas engines sputter. Slade shifts between the developing careers of both men until, while discussing engines with Edison at a dinner in 1896, Ford gets his answer: “Keep at it!” Edison shouts encouragingly. Reinhardt’s mixed-media artwork includes several lighthearted moments (parallel scenes featuring Edison and Ford as children highlight the explosive results of early failed experiments). Extensive endnotes discuss Slade’s and Reinhardt’s processes and several of the inventions mentioned, along with a time line and source notes. It’s a rewarding look at the importance of persistence, as well as the friendship that developed between these prominent inventors.
School Library Journal
Emphasizing the power of perseverance, this cheery picture book alternates between the lives of two inventors, beginning with Thomas Edison, who was 16 years Henry Fords senior. Many of Edisons major inventions are touched on, and young Ford is portrayed as curious as to the secret of Edisons success. Ford continues to work on developing engines and designing cars and finally seizes the opportunity to meet Edison in person. The two go over Fords designs, and Edison urges the younger man to keep at it! With that, Ford discovers that hed known Thomass secret all along!a realization illustrated with a light bulb over Fords head. The rest of the story focuses on Fords work on creating a car for all Americans, which resulted in the Model-T. Fanciful watercolor sketches depict Edison and Ford dreaming, inventing, and working, with a variety of expressions on their faces. The drawings are framed on the page, providing an old-fashioned feel. Inset images provide details and information on their inventions. The front and endpapers are filled with sketches of various light bulbs and gears in muted brown tones. The early lives and activities of these men are covered briefly. The factual text emphasizes how both started as dreamers who took action. Back matter includes a section on Edison and Fords friendship, more material about the inventions, author and illustrator notes, and extensive source notes with citations for dialogue and other facts. VERDICT A suitable addition for those seeking biographies of inventors.
Booklist
This dual picture-book biography of how Thomas Edison inspired Henry Ford succeeds in showing the emotional side of the life of an inventor: success requires more than just one or twoor even two dozenattempts. Reinhardts soft, amiable watercolor, ink, and colored-pencil artwork provides a lot of visual detail about both Edisons and Fords passions, while Slades text explains each mans inspiration and the way his inventions fundamentally changed the world. Ample source notes and a comprehensive dual time line help explain some of Slade and Reinhardts depictions of Ford and Edison, and photo-illustrated notes about each inventors most memorable creations provide substantial information to get kids started on research projects. While there are abundant compilations for kids about inventions and inventors, Slade and Reinhardt keep the focus solidly on the human element of frustration, persistence, and the power of a mentor. Its an unusual angle and well executed, which makes it a good fit for STEM-oriented programs as well as storytimes about the benefit of good friendships.
School Library Connection
In 1896 Henry Ford was struggling to design and produce an inexpensive gasoline driven automobile everyone could afford to drive. He dreamed that his car would fundamentally change the world, but things were not going well. That same year, Ford had the great good fortune of meeting the great Thomas Edison and found the encouragement to finish what he had started. Slade keeps the story moving along at a brisk pace that will delight young readers, whether as a read-alone or a read-aloud. Illustrations in watercolor, ink, and black pencil bring out all the humor and warmth in the story while evoking a wonderful sense of the time period. Back pages include more details about the friendship, an illustrators note on the research behind her work, details about each mans inventions, and an impressive set of source notes. In total, a terrific true story about how a little encouragement can engender a strong belief in ones self and the courage to persevere.
Download the CoverDownload the Activity & Project Guide
Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-58089-667-2
E-book
ISBN: 978-1-60734-763-7 EPUB
ISBN: 978-1-60734-712-5 PDF
Ages: 6-9
Page count: 48
8 x 10
Correlated to Common Core State Standards:
English Language Arts-Literacy. Reading Informational. Grade 2. Standards 1
Eng, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 10lish Language Arts-Literacy. Reading Informational. Grade 3. Standards 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 10
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