Books About Inventors and Their Inventions

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Have your kids ever wondered about the stories behind some of the items they use every day? Who invented it? When was it invented? What was the inspiration for this new idea?

Not every inventor dedicates his/her entire life to the process of inventing. Many of the ideas for products we use every day came from people who identified a need and then sought a creative solution to meet that need. And, as some of these books will show, many inventions were actually mistakes!

Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women by Catherine Thimmesh – Through the years women and girls have used their ingenious ideas to create products we know and use every day. Learn more about the women who brought us the flat-bottom paper-bag-folding machine, windshield wipers, the drip coffee machine, chocolate chip cookies, and more!

Mistakes that Worked by Charlotte Jones – Sometimes mistakes can result in amazing discoveries! This book will introduce you to 40 inventions – including Silly Putty, Velcro, Frisbees, and more, and the very interesting stories of how they came to be a part of our lives.

Hooray For Inventors! by Marcia Williams – Using colorful drawings and a comic book style, this book will introduce you to more than 100 inventors and their inventions. In this fun book you will find information about everything from the printing press and the radio, to toothpaste tubes, teddy bears, and the personal computer.

Black Pioneers of Science and Invention by Louis Haber – Read about the lives of 14 remarkable innovators in the fields of science and industry, including Garrett A. Morgan, Granville Woods, George Washington Carver and more!

The Kid Who Invented the Popsicle: And Other Surprising Stories about Inventions by Don L. Wulffson – This book include inventions from “animal crackers” to “zippers” and the interesting stories behind them. Brainstorm!: The Stories of Twenty American Kid Inventors by Tom Tucker – A great book to inspire young Inventors!  Find stories of creative youth – some of whom actually held patents while still very young, while others took many years to gain support for their products.  The Epilogue even includes advice for young inventors.

10 Inventors Who Changed the World by Clive Gifford – Take a chronological look at inventors and their inventions, beginning with Archimedes and ending with Korolev, a rocket designer. Graphic novel style art will capture your children’s attention and interest. Thomas Edison: Young Inventor (Childhood of Famous Americans) by Sue Guthridge – With this chapter book your children can read about the childhood of Thomas Edison, one of the most prolific inventors of all time.

Great Inventors and Inventions (Dover History Coloring Book) by Bruce LaFontaine – This book includes 45 detailed drawing and captions of inventors and their inventions.

Amazing Leonardo da Vinci Inventions: You Can Build Yourself (Build It Yourself) by Maxine Anderson – Hands-on learning activities will bring da Vinci’s inventions to life for your child!