From Here to There

December 1, 2020
Grades 3-5 Each step in the history of technology was once a new idea developed with curiosity, ingenuity, and determination. In this colorful, large-format book, Kirkfield tells 10 stories about inventions that are related in some way to transportation. Arranged chronologically, the chapters begin in 1783, with the Montgolfier brothers ascending in their hot-air balloon, and conclude with the story of Raye Montague, a Black woman who joined the U.S. Navy as a clerk-typist in 1956, took an interest in computers, and rose through the ranks to head a team of engineers that would revolutionize ship design in 1970. In other intriguing chapters, Karl Drais invents the bicycle, Bertha Benz ventures forth in an early automobile, and Robert Goddard experiments with liquid-fuel-propelled rockets. Kirkfield has a knack for finding elements of human interest as well as historical significance in each account. The colorful, dynamic illustrations help readers visualize the times as well as the challenges faced by the inventors. While this may not be the most comprehensive introduction to transportation history, it's surely one of the most enjoyable.

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Starred review from October 15, 2020
These innovations in transportation should inspire readers to go far. Sure, readers may know about Henry Ford or Katherine Johnson, but have they heard about Raye Montague and her computer-designed guided-missile frigate? What about Bertha Benz and her fateful test-drive of her husband's invention? Or what inspired Herbert Everest and Harry Jennings to redesign wheelchairs? They will, in this nonfiction tribute to 12 inventors and innovators who changed the ways human travel, influencing nine different forms of travel, from hot air balloons to rocket ships. The text is supported by full-color cartoon illustrations that enhance the text. Additional facts appear on the bottoms of various pages, supplementing the narrative without distracting from the main text. While the stars of the book (all White except for Montague, a Black woman) are clearly the inventors and innovators, educators will also delight in the hefty amount of supplemental backmatter. Source notes guide readers through quotes included, and a selected bibliography offers both print and web-accessible fodder for curious readers hoping to learn more about each inventor. Historical illustrations in the bibliography welcome readers to explore. A timeline that runs across the endpapers helps anchor the subjects and their inventions in history. Will inspire as it educates. (index) (Nonfiction. 10-14)

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January 1, 2021
This curated collection of transportation advancements begins in eighteenth-century France with the invention of the hot-air balloon. Kirkfield steers readers through a chronological tour of eight more innovations such as the steam locomotive, an interstate bus company, and a liquid-fuel-propelled rocket. A chapter about Raye Montague, a Black female engineer who pioneered computer-generated ship design, is notable among the mostly white men featured. The narrative emphasizes inventors' perseverance and ability to learn from mistakes. Copious cartoon illustrations help set the time period, add humor, and break up the narrative. A timeline from 8000 BCE to 2012 CE runs from the front endpapers to the back. A list of related websites, a bibliography, and an index are appended.

(Copyright 2021 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)