Calling All Minds: How to Think and Create Like an Inventor
by Temple Grandin (Author)
From world-renowned autism spokesperson, scientist, and inventor Temple Grandin a book of personal stories, inventions, and facts that will blow young inventors' minds and make them soar.
Have you ever wondered what makes a kite fly or a boat float? Have you ever thought about why snowflakes are symmetrical, or why golf balls have dimples? Have you ever tried to make a kaleidoscope or build a pair of stilts? In Calling All Minds, Temple Grandin explores the ideas behind all of those questions and more. She delves into the science behind inventions, the steps various people took to create and improve upon ideas as they evolved, and the ways in which young inventors can continue to think about and understand what it means to tinker, to fiddle, and to innovate. And laced throughout it all, Temple gives us glimpses into her own childhood tinkering, building, and inventing. More than a blueprint for how to build things, in Calling All Minds Temple Grandin creates a blueprint for different ways to look at the world. And more than a call to action, she gives a call to imagination, and shows readers that there is truly no single way to approach any given problem--but that an open and inquisitive mind is always key.
Praise for Calling All Minds "An impassioned call to look at the world in unique ways with plenty of practical advice on how to cultivate a curious, inquiring, imaginative mind." --Kirkus Reviews "Both practical and inspirational, this useful book describes an overall approach to viewing the world creatively, as exemplified by the numerous projects and supporting material provided here." --VOYA "Grandin offers a nuanced perspective on the qualities of a successful inventor--notably, a sense of wonder and curiosity, careful observation, and the willingness to learn from mistakes." --Publishers Weekly
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Publishers Weekly
Grandin, an animal scientist and spokeswoman for the autism community, offers a guide to two dozen projects grouped into five sections--paper, wood, levers and pulleys, objects that fly, and optical illusions--to make at home with commonly found materials. Detailed step-by-step instructions and drawings accompany each project, which include a puppet theater, a kite, a wooden sailboat, and a stereoscope. Included within each section is historical background on inventors from the past and inventions of note. A self-styled inventor, Grandin employs a clear, direct style--though her vocabulary may be somewhat advanced for the target audience. She provides humorous childhood recollections, reflections on the creative process, and thoughts on how experimentation is essential to discovery. Referencing how she was often teased as a child for being different, she advocates for intellectual diversity: "Though our brains may work in different ways, there is no limit to the kinds of contributions we can make." Grandin offers a nuanced perspective on the qualities of a successful inventor--notably, a sense of wonder and curiosity, careful observation, and the willingness to learn from mistakes. Ages 8-12. (May)
Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.School Library Journal
Gr 7-10--Part personal memoir, part historic study of inventions and biography, and part DIY instructions, this book packs in a lot. The result is an account of inventions and inventors and the thinking that motivates innovation. In Grandin's introduction, she states, "My road to becoming an inventor and animal scientist began in boarding school." She goes on to offer a detailed account of her isolated childhood and eventual diagnosis of autism, which serves as a backdrop for her later achievements. The chapters are organized by invention materials and types, such as "Levers and Pulleys" and "Optical Illusions," but each chapter contains such a vast amount of information and text that it is daunting. The author first states a personal account of her interests in the topic and then explains the historical context, including inventor biographies and a concluding project. There are not a tremendous amount of organizational tools, so accessing the information piece by piece is difficult. In addition, the very specific details of each story and history, and some of the diagrams, make the intended audience hard to determine. However, scientifically minded readers will find each section informative. VERDICT Consider for libraries where maker spaces are popular.--Patricia Feriano, Montgomery County Public Schools, MD
Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
JNF051120 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Technology | How Things Work/Are Made
JNF051140 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Science & Nature | Physics
Science
Inventions
Handicraft
