First there was Lindbergh, a curious mouse who was inspired to create his own wings. The incredible illustrations in the book show his progress from a sort of glider, to a steam-driven contraption, to his final model. Readers can also see his test flights and how he perseveres after each one to correct the design flaws and make improvements for the next attempt. Then, there was Armstrong, who became the first mouse to reach the moon. Now there is a young mouse named Pete who is trying to locate a treasure that once belonged to an ancestor and has been a family legend for generations. He recruits the Professor from the University of Mice to help research the ocean liner his ancestor traveled on and where it might possibly have sunk with the treasure on board. What follows is a tale of experimentation and inventions (diving bells, submarines, diving suits), and brave explorers.
The illustrations show the University hidden behind the walls of a bookstore, design sketches for the inventions, and scenes of Pete and the Professor testing out their inventions. Particularly striking are the tiny sub juxtaposed next to a whale, and the sub surrounded by a silvery school of fish. Readers will also notice that the Professor has a wall covered with pictures of his heroes - Ben Franklin, Tesla, and Edison, among others.
Anyone who enjoys stories with heroic little animals like Despereaux or the Library Mouse will want to add Edison to their favorites. Although it's a fictional story, it would be a great read-aloud for a class studying inventors or explorers. It could also be used to study life-skills like problem-solving and perseverance. Whatever your reason for reading it, you will probably love it.
I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.
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