My collection of children’s books about famous inventions has become one of my favorites. Not to be outdone by my love for everything Mo Willems, this collection is a close second for sure. The funny thing is, I wasn’t even looking for it. Frankly, I never even thought about it. Instead, it found me.
It started when I was writing lessons for National Bubble Gum Day. (Yes, that’s a thing.) For inspiration, I bought Meghan McCarthy’s children’s book POP! The Invention of Bubble Gum. I dropped it in my cart, checked out, and had it 24 hours later. Easy. But, if you’re familiar with the world of Amazon, you know what happened next.
I was bombarded.
Amazon flooded my feed with all the other invention books they were sure I’d love … and should probably buy … like right away, while they were still in stock. FOMO, right?
FOMO for sure. I took the bait.👇
Children’s Books about Famous Inventions
Most of these books are perfect for teachers in grades 1-3. The level of text difficulty would make them challenging for many 1st and 2nd graders to read independently, but they’re great for reading aloud and discussing. This list is also a great one for teachers who lead STEM labs or MakerSpaces. And, if your school’s media specialist takes requests … well, hint hint.
Books about Famous Food Inventions
- Donuts: The Hole Story of the Doughnut by Pat Miller
- Cotton Candy: Fairy Floss: The Sweet Story of Cotton Candy by Ann Ingalls
- Bubble Gum: POP! The Invention of Bubble Gum by Meghan McCarthy
- Popsicles: The Boy Who Invented the Popsicle by Anne Renaud
- Chocolate Chip Cookies: How the Cookie Crumbled by Gilbert Ford
True Stories about Thrilling Rides
- The Ferris Wheel: Mr. Ferris and His Wheel by Kathryn Gibbs Davis
- Hot Air Balloons: Up and Away! How Two Brothers Invented the Hot-Air Balloon by Jason Henry
- Roller Coasters: A Royal Ride: Catherine the Great’s Great Invention by Kristen Fulton
Things That Entertain Us
- The Slinky: The Marvelous Thing That Came from a Spring by Gilbert Ford
- Super Soakers: WHOOSH! Lonnie Johnson’s Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions by Chris Barton
- Parade Balloons: Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade by Melissa Sweet
- Crayola Crayons: The Crayon Man: The True Story of the Invention of Crayola Crayons by Natascha Biebow
And Something Slightly Random
- Band-Aids: The Boo-Boos That Changed the World by Barry Wittenstein
The Who Was Biography Series
For children who are ready for the text difficulty and length of chapter books, there are several titles in the Who Was biography series that I recommend. If your kids like chocolate bars, theme parks, Apple products, or The Game of Life, they’ll loved reading:
- Who Was Milton Hershey? by James Buckley Jr.
- Who Was Walt Disney? by Whitney Stewart
- Who Was Steve Jobs? by Pam Pollack and Meg Belviso
- Who Was Milton Bradley? by Kristen Anderson
One Last Surprising Find
Unlike the other titles I’ve already shared, I found an interesting book called Imaginative Inventions by Charise Mericle Harper. It’s actually a book of poems about inventions kids can get excited about like potato chips, roller skates, marbles, animal cookies, and the Frisbee. What I like about it is that it includes kid-friendly inventions I couldn’t find in narrative nonfiction lists and they’re short and sweet. They can be shared when you have just a few minutes or when you want to spark interest and set the stage for further inquiry. Each poem is a tiny-teaser, so it would be a natural outcome for kids to have more questions … and that sounds like the perfect opportunity for a research-writing-presentation project.
Teaching Resources
I’ve been working on creating instructional materials related to this collection of books so kids could have a working copy of the content. It’s a growing bundle, but so far it includes several informational articles inspired by the books above. There is also a written assessment for each article (reading passage), open-ended comprehension templates, and matching cards that have multiple uses. It’s best suited for readers in second grade, but it will also work for 1st graders with extra support and guidance.
You can see more samples of the resource by clicking on the image below. You’ll also be able to review standards connected to the resource.
If you can think of something you’d like to see added to the resource, email me at andrealynknight@gmail.com and let me know. I’d love to hear your ideas! Please put Inventions Resource in the subject line so I don’t accidentally overlook it.
So. Many. Emails.
In the meantime, happy teaching! And if you missed the FREE Boredom Journal from the FIRST POST IN THIS SERIES, you can pick it up HERE.👈
Happy teaching!
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