The 12 Most Amazing American Inventions

Includes facts on the top 12 inventions of America, from the lightbulb to basketball and blue jeans to the personal computer.--

Audisee® eBooks with Audio combine professional narration and text highlighting for an engaging read aloud experience! Can you believe that the paint used on cars inspired the invention of nail polish in the 1920s? Or that people have been making hair dyes for thousands of years, using everything from boiled walnuts to gold powder? Get ready to learn the strange stories behind inventions you use every day. From the woman who invented "kissproof" lipstick to the role toothpicks played in the creation of Q-tips, you'll find out how we got the beauty inventions that help us look great.

Do you know what happened when a kid forgot his glass of soda with a stir stick in it outside on a freezing cold night? Popsicles were invented! And did you know ancient people loved to chew on gum, just like we do? Get ready to learn the strange stories behind inventions you use every day. From the guy who thought white-flour snacks were evil so he invented graham crackers to the evolution of ketchup, you'll be amazed how we got the food inventions we enjoy today.

"Middle-grade readers will gain an understanding about the importance of 12 American inventions and what makes them iconic. Stat boxes, sidebars, and "Think About It" features support critical thinking skills and reading comprehension"--

Diverse Cultures; Social Studies.

Did you know that a scientist discovered X-rays by accident? Or that people have been taking pain medicine for more than 5,000 years? Get ready to learn the strange stories behind inventions you use every day. From the Roman warrior with a famous false hand to the Boy Scouts who made Band-Aids a big deal, you'll find out how we got the medical wonders that help us heal faster and feel better.

Dive into the US Patent Office's zaniest back-catalogue entries in this laugh-out-loud collection of wacky, weird, and unwieldy inventions! Why haven't we ever heard of the jumping balloon, the ejector bed, or the Portable Baby Cage? Some inventions were too off-putting. Others simply didn’t work, though they laid the foundation for greater successes down the line (here's looking at you, Mr. Henry Ford). And still others may be the next big thing . . . some day. Learn about the inventors, what they thought they would build, and what—if anything—they actually accomplished. Zany illustrations of the contraptions in use throughout.

From the telegraph to text messages, this imaginative title is sure to have students talking! The ways in which people communicate has changed dramatically. The telephone to a cell phone, and mail to email are just some of the inventions examined in a progressive timeline of ways we communicate.