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I chose this book to compare it with the other Thomas Edison book I read. I think both books had great information. This book was in my opinion, more kid-friendly and kid appealing than the other book. However, both books gave me great information and I enjoyed reading both of them. I know Thomas Edison is significant in history so I definitely wanted to get to know more information about him. ( )

This book gave great insight to Thomas Edison's life personally and professionally. It gives background about his family life and childhood. I learned that Edison was losing his hearing at a very young age. He also stopped going to school and learned to read from his mother, who said he was smarter than his teacher. Edison was often in trouble as a child, most situations made me laugh. For example, he sat on goose eggs in hopes they would hatch (he crushed them instead) & he also had a friend eat worms because he figured that was what made birds fly (it did not make his friend fly). Edison worked on the railroad for a good part of his young life. He tried lab experiments, but set one of the train cars on fire. He then began selling newspapers on the train, which was great business. If he created a new invention, he did not stop till he created everything necessary to make it work. He was dedicated and did not stop working even when he was ill! He died at age 84. Three days after his death electric lights all over the United States were dimmed for one minute. "It was a way of honoring the man who lit up the world."

This book was very interesting and inspiring. I think it would be a great book for children to read who need a little extra push because this book makes you realize that you can accomplish anything with hard work and dedication. ( )

Thomas Edison and his inventions are extremely significant parts of history and our everyday lives. He was able to create inventions, such as the lightbulb, that have become essential to life as we know it. After reading this biography I have learned a lot more about Thomas Edison's personal history then I knew before. He was a strong willed individual that wouldn't let setbacks discourage him. Five important facts I learned from this book about Thomas Edison were that as a young child he was nicknamed “Al” and he also lost most of his hearing at a very young age. Before his invention of the phonograph, music could only be heard live. By the end of his life he patented a total of 1,093 inventions and still holds that world record. The book itself appears to be extremely accurate in their facts. As well as the format and organization of this specific biography travel through Thomas Edisons’ life and would be perfect for young students to read. ( )

I liked this book for two reasons. First, the language was descriptive. When people heard about Edison’s “electric village,” they were curious and “about three thousand people headed for Menlo Park. . . The visitors were amazed to see the little New Jersey town glowing with warm, yellow light. It was like magic”. This descriptive language allowed me to envision this magical sight in my mind. It allowed me to see how amazed and excited people were to find out someone invented a working light bulb. I was able to feel what it was like to experience light bulbs for the very first time. Second, the point of view is written in third person. Having this point of view made the book engaging and easy to read. It allowed me to hear about Edison’s life and his journey of creating the light bulb. It made this biography into a story that was enjoyable and informative. The main idea of this book is to teach readers about Thomas Edison’s life and his accomplishments. The book discussed his life growing up and how he never gave up on his inventions. He continuously worked hard to achieve his dreams. ( )