Book Review of Timeless Thomas: How Thomas Edison Changed Our Lives by Gene Barretta

Timeless Thomas: How Thomas Edison Changed Our Lives is Gene Barretta's latest release about Thomas Alva Edison, the inventor of the light bulb, phonograph, electric pen, storage battery, and so much more. It has a similar style to Barretta's other two biographical non-fiction picture books: Neo Leo and Now and Ben. It's not so much a biography as it is a record of Edison's technological achievements. On the surface you might not think that a book about an older man's achievements would be very appealing to young children. You'd be wrong. My girls found it immensely appealing.

Barretta showcases technology that we in the modern world take for granted, things we use everyday without a second thought. He juxtaposes a page showcasing present-day technology with pages showcasing the technology coming out of Edison's lab, showing how those early technological accomplishments made today's technology possible. Fun to read and very informative, with clear and simple text that is easily understood by kids of the target age group. The illustrations provide a perfect visual accompaniment that is immensely appealing.

My nine year old non-fiction-loving Olivia saw it in the Amazon shipment that arrived a few months ago, snatched it up and ran off to her bedroom. (I had pre-ordered it so it would arrive on its release date.) She came back shortly with a huge smile on her face and spent the next twenty minutes telling me everything she learned from the book. She had never before thought about the origins of the technology that she uses daily. The book has gotten a lot of mileage since then. I love great non-fiction picture books.


I nominated this book for the CYBILS 2012 in the Non-Fiction Picture Books category.

Published in July 2012 by Henry Holt and Company, LLC.

Book Review: Two Picture Books by Gene Barretta About Renaissance Men

Neo Leo: The Ageless Ideas of Leonardo da Vinci

Written and illustrated by Gene Barretta
Ages 5 and up
(Published in 2009 by Henry Holt and Company, LLC)

This very fun and eminently readable book highlights the inventions of probably the most well-known Renaissance Man. Leonardo da Vinci's fascination with the natural world inspired him to create all kinds of drawings and inventions based on the patterns he saw in nature. Gene Barretta has shown that so many "modern" inventions were products of da Vinci's mind hundreds of years earlier (e.g. flying machines, contact lenses, movie projectors, single-span bridges, tanks, gears and chains, etc.)
The author juxtaposes the "Neo" pages with "Leo" pages. The "Neo" pages feature other inventors who created a more modern working version of inventions then shown on the "Leo" page.

 Now and Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin

Written and illustrated by Gene Barretta
Ages 5 and up
(Published in 2006 by Henry Holt and Company, LLC)

Benjamin Franklin was another Renaissance Man: author, statesman, inventor, scientist, publisher, and political activist.

We read this book second, but really it was written first. Both books have the same style of presentation, with the "Now" page showing the things we use in our modern day, while next to it the "Ben" page shows how Benjamin Franklin's invention was the forerunner. Again, super fun pictures, very readable, interesting text.

My girls and I love these books and are fascinated by both the pictures and the stories. Even 3-year-old Susanna gets a kick out of looking at the pictures. And I love these books because not only do they make my kids laugh, but they teach important knowledge about two of the world's greatest men at the same time. How can you beat that?


Both books borrowed from the library.