Twisted True Tales From Science: Insane Inventors

This installment in the Twisted True Tales from Science series takes on “insane inventors,” men and women who took large risks, often with their health and safety, to test their theories and advance scientific knowledge. The book is divided into three parts—”Don’t Try This at Home,” “Anything for Science,” and “Strange Days of Science”—though it is not clear what the divisions are based on or what order the stories are presented in since they all have the same general theme of “extreme things people did in the name of research.” The stories are interesting, however, and young readers will enjoy discovering how interesting and how daring science can be; it’s not always about crunching numbers or sitting patiently and observing. Bearce also includes a number of activities and experiments kids can do on their own (safe ones), such as building a flashlight or looking up optical illusions, to help them participate in science themselves. The book could have been more diverse; for example, it includes only two women, and for some reason Tesla is featured twice. The other books in the Twisted Tales series may make up for this, however. Overall, the book presents some wild tales that are sure to get children interested in science.