The Inventor’s Secret: What Thomas Edison Told Henry Ford
by Suzanne Slade (Author) and Jennifer Black Reinhardt (Illustrator)
Booktalk: The BIG Picture
Thomas Edison and Henry Ford started off as insatiably curious tinkerers. That curiosity led them to become inventors–with very different results. As Edison invented hit after commercial hit, gaining fame and fortune, Henry struggled to make a single invention (an affordable car) work. Witnessing Thomas’s glorious career from afar, a frustrated Henry wondered about the secret to his success.
NSTA 2016 Outstanding Science Trade Book for Students K-12
#kidlit Writing Lesson: the small details
In this dual picture book biography, the two inventors finally meet near the end of the book. After Henry tells Thomas about his car:
Thomas fired off question after question.
Henry happily answered each one.
And that’s when it happened.
Blue eyes sparkling, Thomas leaned in close to Henry.
He banged his fist on the table. “Keep at it!” he shouted.
TURN THE PAGE
Henry smiled.
Keep at it?
Henry laughed.
He’d known Thomas’s secret all along!
The action/reaction pattern in this scene is quite clear:
Thomas fired off question after question.
Henry happily answered each one.
Then the BIG moment happens:
And that’s when it happened.
Notice the specific details:
Blue eyes sparkling, Thomas leaned in close to Henry.
He banged his fist on the table.
And what did Thomas say?
Keep at it!” he shouted.
This NEW action is followed by a NEW reaction:
Henry smiled.
Keep at it?
Henry laughed.
He’d known Thomas’s secret all along!
The moment of enlightenment has just occurred. Act 2 of the story has just ended. It’s time for Act 3 to begin!
It’s STEM Friday! (STEM is Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)
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Copyright © 2016 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
I love this book! Fantastic writing and detailed, engaging illustrations.