SLJ Review of Brilliant People, Big Ideas

Brief introductions to various inventions and their inventors. It took Nicholas Appert 14 years to perfect his idea of canning. Alexander Fleming accidentally discovered penicillin when he left mold in a dish. Johannes Gutenberg ­invented the printing press. Mary ­Anderson produced the windshield wiper. Colorful illustrations of the subjects and their inventions accompany the texts.

Some inventors often left out of other age-­appropriate tomes are featured, including Alice H. Parker (­inventor of central gas heating) and Garrett Morgan (created yellow light used in traffic signals). The information provided is scant, including only names, dates, and inventions, but enough to be intriguing—young readers will find themselves wanting to seek out more information.

VERDICT: Colorful illustrations combined with interesting facts make these volumes attractive to browsers, and selectors should consider.