Kid-ventors: 35 Real Kids and their Amazing Inventions

by Kailei Pew, Shannon Wright (Illustrator)

What do swim fins, Popsicles®, Infection-Detecting Stitches, the Braille alphabet, and Taco vs. Burrito all have in common? They were all invented by kids!

When Remya Jose had to spend many hours washing her family’s laundry by hand, she invented a pedal powered washing machine that could finish the chore in only 20 minutes! When Tripp Phillips’ Lego creations kept falling apart, he developed a glue strong enough to hold his creations together that would wash off when he was ready to build something new! And when Fatima Al Kaabi didn’t have anyone willing to teach her about robotics, she turned to the internet to teach herself all the skills she needed―and created multiple crowd-pleasing robots in the process!

From Popsicles and swim fins to robots and glitter shooting prosthetics, Kailei Pew's middle grade nonfiction debut is full of fun and inspiring stories, illustrated by Shannon Wright, about real kid inventors who proved that even the youngest people can change the world.

Genres: Nonfiction, Childrens

288 pages, Hardcover

First published April 23, 2024

About the author

Kailei Pew is a wife, mother, and children's book author represented by the amazing Emily Forney of Bookends Literary.

Her upcoming books include: THE MONSTER ABOVE THE BED (illustrated by Steph Lew, out from Clarion/Harper November 7, 2023- PREORDER NOW), KID-VENTORS (illustrated by Shannon Wright from Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan Spring 2024), and I SEE COLOR (co-authored with Valerie Bolling, illustrated by Laylie Frazier from Harper Children's, Summer 2024).
Kailei also does work for hire projects and has completed work for KiwiCo and Scholastic Book Club.

Kailei loves writing picture books and middle grade books that help kids see they can do anything they set their minds to. She is the co-founder of the PB Rising Stars mentorship and the creator of the Kids’ Choice KidLit Writing Contest.

When not writing or reading, Kailei can be found jogging through the Arizona desert, baking anything with extra chocolate, enjoying date night with her hubby, or playing a mean game of Sorry with her kiddos.

Reviews

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Does your school participate in the Invention Convention? You might want to have this book on hand to motivate students by having them read about children who had good ideas. The chapters are divided into different categories of innovations, including Solving Daily Problems, Helping Others, Technology, The Environment, and Fun Inventions. There are some inventors that are well known, like Benjamin Franklin and Steve Wozniak, but most are ordinary kids who just had good ideas, like KK Gregory and her 1990s Wristies. The brief bios are listed in chronological order and discuss the product as well as the inventor, and I enjoyed hearing what happened the people went on to do later in life. At the end of the chapters, there are more topics discussed, like prototypes, production and marketing, and STEM communities. The book ends with information on how to be an inventor, a glossary, and source list. The book is illustrated with pictures in the style seen on the cover, and might be black and white; I've recently switched from a tablet e reader to a digital paper one, so will have to look at a finished copy. There's a wide range of products, from ones we all know, like Braille, to ones I have never heard of, like Le Glue and a prosthetic arm that shoots glitter!
Strengths: Invention Convention was always rather stressful for my children, and seeing examples of needs that young people felt need to be met would have been inspiring. There's a nice assortment of time periods, and places in the world where people lived, as well as a variety of different inventions.
Weaknesses: I'm always a fan of seeing photographs when they exist, although there are no doubt copyright issues that are hard to work out. The illustrations were charming, however.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Temporelli, Gozzi, and Innocente's When Everything Went Wrong: 10 Real Stories of Inventors Who Didn't Give Up! , or Nelson, MacIssac, and Ritchie's See It, Dream It, Do It: How 25 People Just Like You Found Their Dream Jobs.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very unique, unusual publication that is suitable for middle and high schoolers and all adults in their orbit. Each chapter focuses on a specific child or teen who has invented something of interest. The chapters are brief, concise, and thorough, providing sufficient information to justify the person's inclusion in the book. A few are famous, like Ben Franklin and Louis Braille, but most are unknowns with giant ideas. The inventions are loosely grouped together by subjects, like environment, technology, fun, solving daily problems, etc. Related information about patents, prototypes, marketing, STEM, and other useful topics are also included. A glossary and reference list provide additional valuable help. The book is well-organized, informative, entertaining, and extremely readable. Thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, and Feiwel & Friends for providing an ARC.

[Angie B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

WAIT! Louis Braille was a KID when he invented Braille! I had no idea. There are a few familiar names in this book, but most will be a revelation of kid ingenuity featuring Kid-Ventors from many different eras and countries around the world. I was surprised how in depth the features are and the amazing mini chapters throughout that show kids how to become inventors themselves. The format of the book is great for more advanced middle grade readers that really want to dig in and turn the pages, but also for more reluctant readers that can take on just one Kid-Ventor at a time. Highly Recommend!

[Alexa Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-written, well-organized and well-researched, this book invitingly shares the stories of 35 kid inventors and what they invented--and how they came to do it! Some things are very important, like bath water heaters and lead detectors, and some are fun, like the trampoline. Future accomplishments are noted, even if the kids did not go on to sell their invention or become entrepreneurs. There is a great glossary and extensive notes. You'll also learn a little bit about a lot of different disciplines as you go, just enough to understand what these kids were doing!

[Glenna Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book highlights inventions by 35 kids, some historical, but most recent. Kids have invented and patented games, prosthetics, appliances, and much more. This book does a quick cover story for each and each section also contains information about science fairs, TED talks, obtaining patents, and the design process. This is a great book to pick up, read a few pages, and put down when you have other things to do. I enjoyed reading about the process of invention for each kid and their determination to perfect their product.

[Alison Minor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Make way for the new and latest kid-ventors in town who put in their hands the power of -if you invent or build it, they'll come and buy it. I am impressed with their willpower and the tenacity to make things happen. It is such an inspiring example for children to follow and succeed. Their contributions to making this world a better place to live are commendable. May your tribe increase and I wish you all many more inventions to come.

[Katie Logonauts · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a super-engaging, super-informative book for current and future kid inventors and the parents, teachers, and librarians who love them. These amazing biographies will inspire kids with stories of how many beloved inventions came to be, as well as give them a window into the current world of inventing and how kids just like them are making the world a better place!

[Mother Moon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kid-Ventors is a delightful and insightful read, showcasing the creativity and ingenuity of young minds. It celebrates the innovative spirit of kids who dare to dream big and pursue their ideas with passion. This book inspires both children and adults alike to embrace curiosity, experimentation, and the joy of invention. Highly recommend!

[Nicole Frees · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kid-Ventors is filled with inspiring stories of young inventors. Some of whom you know (Benjamin Franklin, Steve Wozniak), but mostly people and inventions you've probably never heard about. The writing includes enough explanation and science to be interesting but not overwhelming for an elementary school reader. I’m planning on gifting this to my great-nephews over the holidays!

[Margaret McGuire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of interesting kids in this book. I like that they are all different ages and backgrounds. The organization definitely adds to the book, grouping inventors in logical ways. I think readers will selectively read this one - and that's fine! Sometimes kids need books that give info in small doses. In my classroom experience kids enjoy reading about kids who are making a difference.

[Bibliohiker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. This was a fun read about various kid inventors. They kept pushing and believing in their dreams even when people didn’t believe in them. There were some good tips as well.

[Brenna Jeanneret · Rating 5 out of 5]

An inspiring, empowering book that encourages kids to dream big and do bigger! I was amazed from start from to finish with the endurance and tenacity of these kids to keep going for it even when they weren't always supported. A winning combination of big ideas and hard work!

[Lauren Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved how this book featured historical kid inventors, as well as contemporary ones. This book is such a fun way to learn about solving problems and how others have solved them. If you have a child who loves science or is always coming up with new ideas, GET THIS BOOK! They will love it!

[Cristina Raymer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book that needs to be in all classrooms and libraries! The book has short snippets of kid inventors from historical to contemporary, and all of them are ingenious! It's a great read for kids who love STEM!

[Danna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an empowering book for young readers!

[Ryann Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun idea for a book! Super interesting, informative, and inspiring!! This book empowers readers of all ages to put their imagination and creativity to good use. Anyone can be an inventor.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading all the short stories about the inventions kids have made. My kids are grown but I know they would have loved hearing me read these at bedtime as they got older. So inspiring!

[Katrisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is fun and informative. I loved how there was practical advice about things like obtaining patents and building prototypes woven in through the stories of kid inventors. There was also an impressive level of diversity represented! There was a wide variety of ages, genders and nationalities in the kids' stories. One of my focuses in my classroom is to show my students that history is made by ordinary people who do extraordinary things and that even kids can change the world. This book will fit nicely with that and I can't wait to share some of the stories with them!

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing for this ARC to review.