Thomas A. Edison: Young Inventor

by Dick Francis

A biography focusing on the childhood of the inventor who patented more than 1,100 inventions in sixty years, among them the electric light and the phonograph.

Genres: Biography, History, Nonfiction, Science, Childrens, American History, Juvenile

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1947

About the author

Dick Francis, CBE, FRSL (born Richard Stanley Francis) was a popular British horse racing crime writer and retired jockey.

Dick Francis worked on his books with his wife, Mary, before her death. Dick considered his wife to be his co-writer - as he is quoted in the book, "The Dick Francis Companion", released in 2003:
"Mary and I worked as a team. ... I have often said that I would have been happy to have both our names on the cover. Mary's family always called me Richard due to having another Dick in the family. I am Richard, Mary was Mary, and Dick Francis was the two of us together."

Praise for Dick Francis: 'As a jockey, Dick Francis was unbeatable when he got into his stride. The same is true of his crime writing' Daily Mirror '

Dick Francis's fiction has a secret ingredient - his inimitable knack of grabbing the reader's attention on page one and holding it tight until the very end' Sunday Telegraph '

Dick Francis was one of the most successful post-war National Hunt jockeys. The winner of over 350 races, he was champion jockey in 1953/1954 and rode for HM Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, most famously on Devon Loch in the 1956 Grand National.

On his retirement from the saddle, he published his autobiography, The Sport of Queens, before going on to write forty-three bestselling novels, a volume of short stories (Field of 13), and the biography of Lester Piggott.

During his lifetime Dick Francis received many awards, amongst them the prestigious Crime Writers' Association's Cartier Diamond Dagger for his outstanding contribution to the genre, and three 'best novel' Edgar Allan Poe awards from The Mystery Writers of America. In 1996 he was named by them as Grand Master for a lifetime's achievement. In 1998 he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, and was awarded a CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List of 2000. Dick Francis died in February 2010, at the age of eighty-nine, but he remains one of the greatest thriller writers of all time.

Series:
* Sid Halley Mystery
* Kit Fielding Mystery

Reviews

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another engaging read for my seven-year-old who loves inventing and engineering. We get a good sense of young Thomas' world and interests, without getting too bogged down in facts or extensive detail, and Guthridge makes a good effort at trying to include details about Edison, such as his small stature (as a boy) or his little quirk of pulling at his eyebrow when he was getting an idea. (At least, I hope that is historically accurate. One big knock against this series is that the books do not include Bibliographies. I think most of them pull from one advanced biography on the subject and I realize many of these CoFA books were written forty or fifty years ago but I do think reprinted editions should include more back matter for students today.) Unlike some of the other CoFA books we've read, this one really does focus almost exclusively on Tom's boyhood, from about age six to about age fifteen. Much of the focus, then, is on his interest in chemistry and Morse code and the newspaper that he started. There's only one chapter that involves his later life and inventions. Really appreciate the focus on how Tom was largely self-taught as a boy, and kudos to his mother for her stellar job of homeschooling as well as allowing her son to follow his passion from a young age. I appreciate, also, that we see some of the failures, such as when he thought he could make his friend fly if the friend drank a mix of chemicals that would gas up and "inflate" his stomach. Oh my gosh! (Thank goodness the friend was only mildly sick!) Young Tom almost lost his laboratory over that, but he promised his mother he would never give his concoctions to anyone again and she knew he was learning so much in his self-made laboratory that she relented, so long as it was kept locked and Father had the key! Tom kept his word and the rest, as they say, is history ;-)

[Luisa Knight · Rating 4 out of 5]

About COFA Books

"The Childhood of Famous Americans Series opened a new field of juvenile reading when—over twenty-one years ago—it began to offer thrilling stories that brought young readers a vivid understanding of American life and ideas—and ideals. Written to the exacting standards of a unique tradition and plan, these stories have won the highest praise from parents, librarians, teachers, booksellers. But it is the children themselves who have made the series so enormously popular. They read the books, love them, reread them. They clamor for more.

Millions of copies have been sold and every year the sale is increasing. Every volume has been a success. The standard of excellence is carefully maintained."
- From the dust jacket

The COFA Books are a great way to learn about popular historical figures! And they're geared for the beginning readers and listeners, so it's no wonder that they are highly sought after in the homeschool community. It’s simply narrated with short chapters to keep your young kiddos interested - an obvious score for parents!

Ages: 5 - 10
Pages: approx. 200
Illustrations: some
Reading Level: Beginner
Series: there are 220 titles in the series

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[Jacob · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like how the author sets up the history like a story. Definitely written more for kids but still provides nice stories about the persons life. I enjoy how the Author portrays Edison's curiosity and interest in learning. The events included help to show how much Thomas has. I like the collection of stories like when Thomas accepts being taught telegraphy as repayment for saving a mans son. The portrayal of Thomas's journey to invent the lightbulb is portrayed brilliantly. If you want a good biography to read, this is it. You do have to deal with some fictionalization with some of the conversations but it still was great.

[Jalen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book because it was about an inventor that created the light bulb. I liked how he was such a brave person. He was a brave person because he saved his friend's 2 year old son. I like books about creative people, like inventors.

[W · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this was the book I read. I can't remember anything but that it was about Edison and that I really liked it. And a telegraph. And wires. STOP.

[Marco P]

I think it was as great book because i never knew he created light and a telegraph, the first phone also.

[Rodger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thomas Edison is famous for inventing the light bulb. This book does mention that detail of his life, but it doesn't really cover the story is its invention. Rather, this book is about his childhood. About half the book is when Tom was seven. Then, it covers him at the age of 13-15.

Thomas Edison was a very curious boy and so eager to learn all he could. He was also surrounded by people who showed him how things work and gave him opportunity for hands on learning.

Here's a quote from pages 135-136: "'I decided to read all the books in the library', Tom told him. 'Then I would know everything in the world. I went to the library and measured one of the shelves. I thought I would read a foot of books a week.'"

[Noelle Andersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

He moved close to the Hudson River, and he goes to school and he ends up not liking it.
So, his mother starts teaching him.
He also has a birthday before they move.
He grows up to be a famous scientist, also asking a lot of questions in his childhood, and starts creating his own lab around being the age of 12.
He even gets a job on a train, asks the conductor if he can move some of his lab to the train, and the conductor said yes.
But, as one of the things was an explosive, {I'm not 100% sure what it was} it makes a fire in the car his lab is in.
He loses his job, gains it again, but he can't have his lab on board again.
He makes a newspaper, a friend, and much more.
It's a fun book!

[Liyah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have just read that book and I think that it is a really good book. Who ever wrote that book it is really good book. I learned a lot that I didn't know about him.

[GheenGirls · Rating 5 out of 5]

Turtle: great! Return to library.

[Cara Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the mouth of babes: I loved this book because I like books that are given to me and I like Tom Edison.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elliot and I really enjoyed this book. Young Tom asked a lot of questions, just like a certain little boy I know.

[Annabelle Kocher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found it very interesting!

[Angela]

Biography/Science

[Jacob · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Edison was young, he told his goose to get off of her nest, but it had eggs in it. So she didn't want to get off. But finally she got off, and he got on, because he thought that if he sat on them, he was much bigger and warmer, so he thought that if he sat on them it would keep the eggs warmer and they could hatch faster. But it didn't work, the eggs never hatched. Then when he was 12 he got his first job on a train. He sold newspapers and magazines and candy and popcorn and sandwiches. And he also collected chemicals, so he decided to put the chemicals on the train. But one time it was very bumpy and the bottles the chemicals were in broke, and some exploded. Edison was an inventor and invented lightbulbs.

[Noah · Rating 4 out of 5]

With those words Thomas Edison explains how he developed ideas and turned them into useful inventions. Although he is most famous for inventing the lightbulb. Edison has created hundreds of inventions. The young boy who did poorly in schoolbecame one of the most famous men in america.

My opinion of this book is that I think it is a great book about the invetions of thomas Edison and and about Thomas Edison's Life.

I would recomend this book to people who like Thomas Edison and his inventions and and if you like biographies.

[Sierra Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. One of my favorite things about this book was that it showed how independent kids used to be. Edison bought a horse and wagon when he was seven to sell vegetables. This book taught me a lot. I recommend it to kids between grades 3rd-6th. It is an easy read but is still very educational.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

It may start off unnecessarily shabby for a few chapters, but Thomas Edison: Young Inventor is a true biography, capturing and captivating salutary events of the famous inventor’s lifetime, while also spicing the story up with well-rounded dosages of humor, drama, and down-to-earth reflection.

[Sandra Fahrlender · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good educational book about the childhood of Thomas A Edison and how he became one of the greatest inventors of American History. My 4th grade enjoyed it and had to do an oral presentation on this book, he did a great job presenting Tom's childhood.

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Thomas Edison had an amazing growing up experience! I read it and kind of wanted to give me kids that and then didn't know if I really wanted to. I'll have to think about that!

[Amanda Erdman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent living book about Thomas Edison from the time he was little. It was funny and engaging. It’s two or three years later and my kids still remember some of the trouble Edison got into! It’s a must read!

[Acton]

We learned about Thomas Edison during our unit on creativity. Scientists use creativity to solves problems and create new things.

[Nevada Libert · Rating 4 out of 5]

a nice history story. it ieches me a lot about tom and his inventions and how he be came famous.

[Nathaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked it. My favorite part was when he was pulled onto his train by his ears cause he was selling newspapers.

[Caleb · Rating 4 out of 5]

i liked it.

[Little Timmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good bio of this interesting historical person. Recommended for young preteen readers

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I laughed a lot reading this book.

[Aimee Fuhrman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun look at Thomas Edison's younger years. My son and I learned many facts about Edison that we didn't already know. My son's adjective to describe young Edison--lively.

[Rosie Gearhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edison's childhood. His mother must have had a lot of patience! He basically unschooled himself. 6+

[Domenica Cipriani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Encouraging, enlightening and empowering.