Recommended Ages: Gr. 4-7

Plot Summary: Each chapter tells the story of how one inventor dreamed up an idea, worked hard to accomplish it, and how it changed the world. While the end papers have a visual timeline of many different types of transportation, the chapters focus on:
1. Manned balloon flight - Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier
2. Bicycle - Karl Drais
3. Steam Locomotive - George Stephenson
4. Gasoline-Powered Automobile - Bertha and Karl Benz
5. Interstate Bus Company - Eric Wickman
6. Liquid-Fuel-Propelled Rocket - Robert Goddard
7. Folding Wheelchair - Herbert Everest and Harry Jennings
8. Industrial Robot - George Devol
9. Computer-Generated Ship Design - Raye Montague

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Recurring Themes: perseverance, engineering, invention, design, transportation

Controversial Issues: The only thing I didn't like about this book was the focus on European and white inventors. I did like that it had two chapters about women.

Personal Thoughts: These short chapters were engaging in their storytelling. I learned a lot about the inventors and was impressed with their ability to continue the work they believed in, even when some thought they were silly for it or it took a very, very, very long time.

Genre: non-fiction, informational text, each chapter is narrative non-fiction -- do not need to read from cover to cover

Pacing: surprisingly fast!
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Activity: could be a really great book to use for social studies and science because of the history and engineering involved ( )