With magnificent dioramic illustrations, Gilbert Ford captures the joy, creativity, and determination behind the invention of an iconic, one-of-a-kind toy: the Slinky! One day, a spring fell from the desk of Richard James, an engineer and a dreamer. Its coils took a walk…and so did Richard’s imagination. He knew right away that he had stumbled onto something marvelous. With the help of his wife, Betty, Richard took this ordinary spring and turned it into a plaything. But it wasn’t just any old trinket—it was a Slinky, and it would become one of the most popular toys in American history.

With magnificent dioramic illustrations, Gilbert Ford captures the joy, creativity, and determination behind the invention of an iconic, one-of-a-kind toy: the Slinky! One day, a spring fell from the desk of Richard James, an engineer and a dreamer. Its coils took a walk…and so did Richard’s imagination. He knew right away that he had stumbled onto something marvelous. With the help of his wife, Betty, Richard took this ordinary spring and turned it into a plaything. But it wasn’t just any old trinket—it was a Slinky, and it would become one of the most popular toys in American history.

Provides facts about the chocolate chip cookie inventor, and imagines what could have led her to develop the Toll House cookie recipe, which include a possible cooking disaster, an ingredient substitution, and an original idea.

What explains the Slinky's enduring popularity? Its sheer simplicity? Or the fact that a Slinky has hundreds of practical uses? High school teachers use them to demonstrate the properties of waves. U.S. troops in Vietnam used them as mobile radio antennas by tossing them over three branches. Pecan harvesters have used them in machinery to help collect pecans. Scientists use them to understand the supercoiling of DNA molecules. NASA used them in zero-gravity physics experiments in the Space Shuttle. Or could the Slinky's longevity be attributed to the fact that this versatile spring toy doesn't come with instructions to hamper your creativity?This delightful guide, which includes fascinating Slinky facts, a tour of Slinky Hollywood, historical perspectives on Slinky and more, will stretch the limits of your imagination...and present hundreds of wild and wacky uses for the only toy ever to walk down a flight of stairs.

Bridges are some of the most fascinating structures in our landscape, and they come in all forms. From towering suspension bridges to humble stone crossings, this book visits them all in sweet, bouncing text with expository sidebars. But while bridges can be quite grand, this reminds us that their main purpose is bringing people together. This is perfect for budding architects, as well as readers who can relate to having loved ones who live far away.

Did you know Band-Aids were invented by accident?! And that they weren't mass-produced until the Boy Scouts gave their seal of approval? 1920s cotton buyer Earle Dickson worked for Johnson & Johnson and had a klutzy wife who often cut herself. The son of a doctor, Earle set out to create an easier way for her to bandage her injuries. Band-Aids were born, but Earle's bosses at the pharmaceutical giant weren't convinced, and it wasn't until the Boy Scouts of America tested Earle's prototype that this ubiquitous household staple was made available to the public. Soon Band-Aids were selling like hotcakes, and the rest is boo-boo history. "Appealingly designed and illustrated, an engaging, fun story" — Kirkus Reviews STARRED REVIEW

Celebrate the splendors of springtime in this delightful, updated classic from the author of Apples and Pumpkins. When spring arrives, a young girl looks everywhere for the robin who sang for her last year. She sees all the sights and sounds of the new season: a blooming crocus, a buzzing bee, a colorful magnolia tree, a brief rain shower…but where is the robin? This updated edition of a springtime favorite includes new jacket art from Lizzy Rockwell and refreshed interior art and design.