This entertaining book explores the life of inventor Philo Farnsworth, who discovered how to transmit images electronically, leading to the first television. Philo Taylor Farnsworth was an American inventor and television pioneer. He made many crucial contributions to the early development of all-electronic television. He is best known for his invention of the first fully functional all-electronic image pickup device video camera tube , the image dissector, as well as the first fully functional and complete all-electronic television system.
Krull's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. Krull's substantial, captivating text tells the story of this relatively unknown inventor in forthright and simple text.
She weaves together scientific explanations with boyish details of a young lad growing up. Backmatter includes a detailed author's note, which explains how the Radio Corporation of America challenged and subsequently disregarded Philo's patent, thrusting him into obscurity.
Couch's warm, mixed-media illustrations balances the text. His muted tones suggest the grainy light of early television screens and bring home the message about curiosity and perseverance. The premise of the book is rather straightforward. Farnsworth's early days are spent studying science magazines and dreaming about the applications of electricity. Later, Farnsworth persuades investors to fund his efforts, which, with the assistance of his wife, Pem, result in the first, primitive electronic television in Oct 30, Kathryn rated it it was amazing Shelves: biographies , american-history , childrens-picture-books.
Loved this, but then I'm partial to books that show young people can do remarkable things. Fascinating story! I don't think I'd ever heard of Farnsworth RCA is widely known for debuting the TV in at the World's Fair I'm glad he is now getting recognition he deserves for inventing the television when he was a teenager.
The story here is well-told and primarily positive and celebratory so it's great to share with young people and especially those interested in inventing. I would aim it for Loved this, but then I'm partial to books that show young people can do remarkable things. I would aim it for the upper-elementary set as it's definitely on the lengthier side and has some complicated concepts, but my budding engineer 7 years old was very attentive. The Author's Note goes into some of the less cheery aspects, such as how Farnsworth didn't want to relinquish control to RCA so he passed over their offer of payment for his idea Also, Farnsworth became quite bitter about the very thing he had helped create He had dreamed that television would be a way to unite people, communities and nations and be a medium of educationa and, perhaps, even of world peace.
He felt it had been misused. Fortunately, he lived long enough to see the Moon Landing broadcast and felt that TV was finally becoming the worthwhile tool he had dreamed it would be. Despite his issues with the television, he never stopped getting brainstorms or trying to help people, he received patents and worked on ways to control deadly viruses, safely dispose of waste, and find cheap sources of power. The back matter also contains a list of Sources books, websites and television and denotes which books are most suitable for young readers.
The illustrations are wonderful and I love the inclusion of pages from antique Sears, Roebuck catalogs and Popular Science magazines into the illustrations. Highly recommended! View all 3 comments. May 02, Michael Fitzgerald rated it really liked it Shelves: picture-books , picture-biography. The book itself is mostly good, but the author's note seems to be lacking some pertinent details.
It states that "RCA simply disregarded the [] ruling and debuted TV in " without noting that RCA paid Farnsworth one million dollars over ten years, plus license payments for the use of his patents. That's quite a different story, one that doesn't simply cast the underdog kid against the big bad corporation that "simply disregarded" a U.
Patent Office ruling. The note states, "By one The book itself is mostly good, but the author's note seems to be lacking some pertinent details. The note states, "By one million sets had been sold, mostly by RCA" and it could have added, "and Farnsworth made money on every one of RCA's sales.
Oct 05, Caroline rated it really liked it Shelves: picture-books. So I might have a slight affinity for trail-blazing thinkers and inventors My latest selection is about Philo Farnsworth, the teenager who came up with the idea for television.
He was a brilliant scientific mind, sadly erased from history by RCA until recently. The pictures in the book are a bit dark and fuzzy for my tastes, but the text is fascinating enough to move the story forward from Philo's beginnings on a Utah farm to his amazing first television broadcast.
Apr 15, Shaeley Santiago rated it really liked it Shelves: children-s , biography , read-naturally-topic. Fascinating story of how the curiosity of Philo Farnsworth led him to solve the problem of transmitting pictures through the air and inventing the TV. Interestingly enough, the solution occurred to him while plowing a potato field and looking back at the parallel furrows.
He realized images could be broken down into rows of light, transmitted as electrons, and then reassembled for viewers as the picture on the television. All this while when he was only 14 years old! Aug 20, Cosette added it. I thought this was captivating - my listener fell asleep. Apr 26, Julia rated it it was amazing Shelves: wow-books. Philo, a 14 year old boy from Idaho, discovers a love of science, technology and engineering. Amazed by the radio, Philo hears scientists are working on creating moving pictures, known as television.
When he suddenly springs an idea on how one could be built, he works day and night on his idea eventually creating one of the most important inventions of the time. I think this would be a great book for students doing a research project on the history of technology.
I also think this could be used for students to help in creating a timeline of technology. Reading about how intelligent he was and how much impact he has had on technology is exciting and such a good read. May 21, Cathy rated it liked it Shelves: biography , informational , childrens-picture-book , historical , educational. This fascinating picture-book biography of Philo Farnsworth covers his early interest in machines and electricity, An inspiring true story of a boy genius. Interesting - Read the Author's note at the end for further details.
Benchmark compatible, technology Dec 04, Abby Gallier rated it really liked it Shelves: biography , k What an interesting story! We never really think about all the science and mathematics behind things that we use everyday, but this book describes a boy who loved science, and set out to invent something revolutionary. A little boy named Philo had always been interested in science, and loved reading about it, and learning how things work.
About Kathleen Krull Kathleen Krull is well known for her innovative approach to biographies for young readers. Product Details.
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Philo, a boy who loved to take apart things to see how they worked, considered inventors like Edison and Bell his heroes. He learned to play the violin, fended off bullies at school, and read voraciously his beloved popular-science magazines. Putting theory into practice, he attached a motor to the family's hand-cranked washing machine, and won a magazine contest for his invention of an ignition lock that would make the new Model T Ford hard to steal.
At age 14, plowing the potato fields on his family's farm, he looked at the furrows and saw in them a way to transmit parallel lines of light as electrons, which he called "capturing light in a bottle. In the No-Good-Deed-Goes-Unpunished Department, an Author's Note explains how he had to fight RCA for the patent, and got little recognition for his invention during his lifetime, though he received more patents for his other inventions, and died in at age 64, all but forgotten.
Full-page light-infused acrylic and mixed-media illustrations capture the intensity and drive of a young man whose contribution changed the world. Here's a sentence for readers to think about and maybe try before retiring: "Philo hit upon a way to work twenty-four hours a day: he set himself problems to solve while sleeping. Find photos and other information about him at www. Sign Up. Reviewed by : JF. Picture Book. Henry Holt, Barton, Chris.
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