Growing up in the 1890s, when Beulah Louise Henry spotted a problem, she had to find a solution, turning it around and around in her mind until… aha! She had a hunch — what she called the inventions she came up with to solve the puzzles she saw all around her.
Beulah’s brain worked differently. She had hyperphantasia, which meant she saw things in extreme detail in her mind, as well as synesthesia, which caused words and numbers and even music notes to show up as different colors in her brain. Beulah’s unique way of seeing the world helped her think up vivid solutions to problems — her hunches came to her fully formed with gears whirring and wheels spinning. She invented everything from a new and improved parasol to cuddly stuffed animals and from ice cream makers to factory machinery.
Beulah’s inventions improved daily life in lots of ways, earning her the nickname "Lady Edison," and she became one of the most prolific inventors in American history. This captivating picture book biography for fans of Just Like Rube Goldberg and The Girl Who Thought in Pictures is a celebration of innovation, problem solving, and a clever woman determined to make her mark on the world.
"Beginning in 1913 with improvements to ladies’ parasols, Henry went on to file dozens of patents for significant refinements to sewing machines, kitchenware, doll designs, and more. She also shrugged off male resistance to the notion of a woman inventor and went into business for herself as a consultant and the founder of two manufacturing companies. Accompanied by several small but illustrative patent drawings, the afterword highlights Henry’s neurodiversity while promoting her lasting impact on women in STEM." — Kirkus Reviews
Recommended Age | 5 - 9 |
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Author | Katie Mazeika |
Illustrator | Katie Mazeika |
ISBN | 1665903635 |
Publication Date | Oct 17, 2023 |
Publisher | Beach Lane Books |
Language | English |