Have You Thanked an Inventor Today?

by Patrice McLaurin, Dian Wang (Illustrator), Darren McLaurin (Editor)

Overview

Have You Thanked an Inventor Today is an Amazon Best Seller and is recognized by Microsoft as a book that informs and inspires STEM. It takes its reader on a unique journey into the often overlooked contributions of African-American inventors, and highlights their lasting impact on our daily lives. This book follows the day of a little boy, demonstrating with each page, how African-American minds have greatly enriched our nation's landscape.

Have You Thanked an Inventor Today comes complete with brief biographies about each inventor, as well as fun activities that help encourage reading comprehension and retention. It's also aligned with Common Core and STEM standards. This book is an essential addition to any home or classroom library.

Have You Thanked an Inventor Today is perfect for readers of all ages who are looking to learn and be inspired.

LEXILE MEASUREMENT 810L

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780997315233
Publisher:	Khemrah Publishing, LLC
Publication date:	07/20/2016
Pages:	36
Sales rank:	221,042
Product dimensions:	8.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.25(d)
Age Range:	5 - 12 Years

About the Author

Patrice McLaurin is a Best Selling Author, Image Activist and Owner of Khemrah Publishing, LLC. She has worked to empower and enhance the lives of young people, in varying capacities, for the past two decades. Patrice served as Subject Matter Expert in the development of Everfi's online Black History Curriculum, 306- Continuing the Story and was asked to sit on the character education advisory council for the nonprofit, because I said I would. Her books have been used to supplement STEM and Social Emotional Learning Curriculum across the nation. The goal of each of her books is to encourage children to become creators, producers and emotionally intelligent human beings. Patrice McLaurin is a native of Bessemer, AL and a proud graduate of Alabama A&M University. She currently resides in Dacula, GA with her husband and two children.

Editorial Reviews

10/02/2017
McLaurin encourages children to appreciate everyday inventions that make their lives easier while acknowledging the contributions of African-American inventors. It’s a worthy goal, but the project is let down by oversimplifications or mischaracterizations of what these men and women accomplished. Addressing readers directly, McLaurin uses the frame of a child’s day to highlight recognizable inventions: “And when you’re on your way to school... you have to thank Garrett Morgan for the traffic light, otherwise none of our streets would be safe to cross!” Wang’s chipper digital illustrations show a brown-skinned boy making his way through the community, and small portraits of the inventors appear throughout. But some of the credited inventions are based in legend rather than fact (peanut butter for George Washington Carver, potato chips for George Crum), and while Robert Fleming and Sarah Boone may hold patents for versions of the guitar and ironing board, these were not first of their kind; other claims are similarly iffy. Activities and additional biographical details appear at the end, but McLaurin doesn’t include source notes, forcing readers to take the book’s questionable assertions at face value. Ages 5–12. (BookLife)

Publishers Weekly

Reviewed by Vernita Naylor for Readers' Favorite

Have You Thanked an Inventor Today? by Patrice McLaurin is an exciting, informative and must-have book for children, especially of African-American descent. Have You Thanked an Inventor Today? is a beautifully illustrated children’s book about inventions that we use every day. Children will learn that some things that we may take for granted - from the components in a cell phone, street lights, peanut butter, hair brush, lunch box, guitar, potato chips, and the ironing board to the Super Soaker water gun - were created by African-American men and women. Also African-American inventors may not have invented the following things initially, but they were responsible for improving on the operations of it: refrigerator, mop and lock. Children will not only be engaged in learning about these inventors in Have You Thanked an Inventor Today? but Patrice McLaurin has also provided a few games and exercises to help your child not only to dream, but create a platform for discovering their own invention.



Unfortunately, there is not a lot in our history books about the hundreds, if not thousands, of contributions that minorities and particularly African-Americans have given to this world. I was honored to read such a well designed, concise and power-packed book. I enjoyed how Patrice McLaurin cleverly told the story of the African-American contribution in Have You Thanked an Inventor Today? through a little boy just starting his day. Patrice McLaurin was able to not only provide children with knowledge, but also nuggets of history through the biographies of the inventors. These inventors not only had a dream; they dared to make their dream become a reality. There are so many wonders to be seen throughout the day that were made possible because of an inventor. Ask yourself, without these inventions how would the world be for you?

From the Publisher