Design It!: The Ordinary Things We Use Every Day and the Not-So-Ordinary Ways They Came to Be

by Rona Arato

Behind the toaster, the toilet, the tub, the microwave, the camera, and countless other features of our everyday lives are smart ideas from smart people who executed them.

A bright idea of a book, Design It! is a great introduction to lots of satisfying careers from architecture to model making, to the pioneers - thank you, Mr. Cummings for the modern-day toilet! - and to the principles of good design that make life more pleasant. Rona Arato introduces young readers to the world of industrial design by focusing on our homes and by presenting the basics. She asks readers to be the Does it do what it's supposed to (function)? Is it big enough, small enough, or light enough for the person who'll be using it (usability)? Is it safe and comfortable to use (ergonomics)? Does it look great (aesthetics)? And, is it eco-friendly? Equal parts fascinating history and eye-opening facts, Design It! makes for great reading and is a useful resource for those who are beginning to think about careers.

Genres: Design

72 pages, Paperback

First published September 14, 2010

About the author

RONA ARATO was born in New York and grew up in Los Angeles. Her work has appeared in magazines and newspapers in Canada and the United States. She taught elementary school in Los Angeles and Toronto, adult creative writing for the Toronto District School Board, and has conducted business writing workshops for profit and nonprofit organizations. From 1994-1998, she was an interviewer for Survivors of the Shoa, a Steven Spielberg project that recorded the histories of Holocaust survivors. Rona Arato lives in Toronto with her husband, Paul.

Reviews

[Raina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like thinking about the amazingness which surrounds us every day. Thinking about a time when a toaster was revolutionary.
I liked reading about the history of a wide variety of every day objects, but do wish that the layout had more photographs and diagrams, though - I feel like the kids who would enjoy this content would want more details.

I blurbed this at all the elementary schools in my school district in May/June 2016, and it wasn't one of the often-chosen books to talk about.

[Sherry]

A nuts and bolts approach to teaching kids to think conceptually, integrating inquiry and human factors, as an industrial designer would. Uses an entertainment design checklist to illustrate each design concept, and is interspersed with facts about the people who designed all the everyday things we take for granted today. Best appeals to 4th-7th graders.

Booklegger review book, grades 4-6

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent design primer for elementary students (and adults who never thought about this subject). I've been studying up on Design as I get deeper into it at work. Obvious didn't know that this was for kids, but glad I got it. I am going to study this with my 4th grader. Looking very much forward to her take. To be continued...