Twisted True Tales From Science: Insane Inventors

by Stephanie Bearce

Overview

Nikola Tesla was crazy smart. He invented the idea for cell phones in 1893, discovered alternating current, and invented a death ray gun. Of course, he also talked to pigeons, ate only boiled food, and was scared of women who wore jewelry. He was an insane inventor. So was Henry Cavendish, who discovered hydrogen, calculated the density of the Earth, and was so scared of people that he had to write notes to communicate. Sir Isaac Newton discovered the laws of gravity, believed in magic, and thought he could make a potion to create gold. These stories may sound twisted, but they're all true tales from science!

Ages 9-12

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781618215703
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	03/01/2017
Series:	Twisted True Tales From Science Series
Pages:	158
Product dimensions:	4.80(w) x 7.50(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

Stephanie Bearce is a writer, teacher, and science nerd. She likes teaching kids how to blow up toothpaste and dissect worms. She also loves collecting rocks and keeps a huge collection of fossilized bones in her basement. When she is not exploding experiments in her kitchen or researching strange science facts in the library, Stephanie likes to explore catacombs and museums with her husband, Darrell.

Table of Contents

Don’t Try This at Home Insane Inventors No-Nose Tycho Needle-Eye Newton Sir Laughing Gas Puking for Science Shy Scientist Step Right Up to the Science Circus Inventor’s Lab: Make an Electromagnet Inventor’s Lab: Build Your Own Flashlight Anything for Science Dr. Disgusting He Ate What??? Take the Plunge Hero Inventor X-ray Queen Nikola Tesla’s Death Ray Madame Curie Fights a War Inventor’s Lab: Get Glowing Inventor’s Lab: Trick Your Eyes Strange Days of Science The AC/DC War A Heart for Science Dr. Doggenstein Human Crash Test Dummy Rocket Man Death by Invention Insanely Fun Inventor’s Lab: Make a Bottle Squirt Gun Inventor’s Lab: Build a Moving Force Machine Bibliography About the Author

Editorial Reviews

While the series is geared for 9-12-year-old readers, I believe it would be interesting to middle schoolers as well. This was truly a fun book to read. I highly recommend it and believe all who pick it up will read it clear through to the end.,Jacqueline Pfeiffer,NSTA Recommends, 5/19/17
With color illustrations and a smattering of black-and-white photographs, this addition to the series offers a taste of the wacky drive that inventors often need in order to innovate . . . Given the brevity of the chapters and the cartoonish artwork, even reluctant readers will garner insights from this title . . . VERDICT Elementary and middle school libraries, as well as public libraries, should consider this title for purchase.,Sarah Knutson,School Library Journal, 5/25/17
This is a great book for middle schoolers, particularly those interested in the weird and the gross.,Pages Unbound, 6/16/17

From the Publisher

06/01/2017
Gr 4 Up—With color illustrations and a smattering of black-and-white photographs, this addition to the series offers a taste of the wacky drive that inventors often need in order to innovate. Each short chapter details an inventor's truly wild decision, such as the duel that resulted in the loss of astronomer's Tycho Brahe, or uninformed choice, such as various scientists' pursuit of radiation and radioactive elements, resulting, almost universally, in their deaths. While the book does touch on some familiar inventors, such as Marie Curie, Nikola Tesla, and Thomas Edison, other chapters explore lesser-known scientists such as Stubbins Ffirth, who consumed all manner of bodily fluids to prove that humans could not transmit yellow fever to one another. Given the brevity of the chapters and the cartoonish artwork, even reluctant readers will garner insights from this title. While this is not a solid research resource on its own, the detailed bibliography provides a wealth of further sources. VERDICT Elementary and middle school libraries, as well as public libraries, should consider this title for purchase.—Sarah Knutson, American Canyon Middle School, CA

School Library Journal