About Children’s Book Reviews @ BeTwinned
Now & Ben by Gene Barretta
Photo from Amazon.com
Review by Sandra Horning
Now & Ben, The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin is an ideal book for the little inventor or scientist in your house. And, in my mind, all children are inventors at heart. My two sons are always “inventing” new drinks by mixing juices together or “inventing” a device to send items up and down to each other’s bunk bed.
The book begins with Ben Franklin standing in the past and then moves to a picture of Ben Franklin standing in a busy street in the present. Readers can try to pick out Ben Franklin’s inventions on this page.
The spreads that follow each have a “now” page depicting a modern device or concept and a “Ben” page depicting Ben Franklin with his invention that led to the “now”. This easily helps younger children see the connection between the now and then. Bifocals, electricity, lightning rods and odometers are just a few of the many inventions covered in the book.
Barretta’s enjoyable watercolor cartoons bring the inventions to life on each page. The playful ending spread leaves the reader to imagine how today’s inventions will look in the future. Your children are sure to get busy “inventing” after this read.
Ages 5-9