"A splendid book that is as informative as it is entertaining. Jones has great fun with facts, dredging up plenty in a lively, anecdotal account that recollects the oddball origins of a variety of foods, clothing, toys, and devices....A gem of a book."--Booklist, starred review
Droll cartoons illustrate the stories behind the invention of such everyday items as Silly Putty, trouser cuffs, popsicles and penicillin. Ages 8-up.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Grade 4-6-- For those readers who feel as though they've yet to accomplish anything in life, these discoveries will come as a great relief. None of the inventions described in these pages were planned; in fact, some of the inventors had no idea they'd stumbled on something useful until years later, when their works became popular. Jones covers both patented inventions (Silly Putty, Popsicles, Coca Cola) and generic ones (bricks, donut holes, cheese). She also throws in some place names whose monikers were coined accidentally. The loony watercolor sketches and all the extras here--fun facts, recipes, and anecdotes--are perfect for browsing. This book covers material similar to that in Wulffson's The Invention of Ordinary Things (Lothrop, 1981) and Steven Caney's Invention Book (Workman, 1985), but both are without the specific slant of "mistaken discovery." The only detriment to this otherwise versatile book is the cartoon stereotypes of the Eskimo, Native American, and Chinese man. --Cathryn A. Camper, Minneapolis Public Library
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From the Inside Flap
Piggy banks, silly putty, potato chips and frisbees are all things that were invented by mistake.
Includes a bibliography. An IRA-CBC Children's Choice.
From the Publisher
Piggy banks, silly putty, potato chips and frisbees are all things that were invented by mistake.
"Jones gathers together in a splendid book that is as informative as it is entertaining. Jones has great fun with facts, dredging up plenty in a lively, anecdotal account that recollects the oddball origins of a variety of foods, clothing, toys, and devices....A gem of a book."--Booklist, starred review.
Includes a bibliography. An IRA-CBC Children's Choice.
From the Back Cover
"Jones gathers together in a splendid book that is as informative as it is entertaining. Jones has great fun with facts, dredging up plenty in a lively, anecdotal account that recollects the oddball origins of a variety of foods, clothing, toys, and devices....A gem of a book."--Booklist, starred review.
About the Author
CHARLOTTE FOLTZ JONES was an author of award-winning nonfiction books for children, as well as numerous magazine articles.
JOHN O'BRIEN is a frequent contributor to the New Yorker magazine and has illustrated many popular children's books.
![Mistakes That Worked: 40 Familiar Inventions & How They Came to Be by [Charlotte Foltz Jones, John O'Brien]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51swdloFZoL._SY346_.jpg)
