The Lost History of African-American Inventors - What Color Is My World?

This book is absolutely amazing. The story within the story adds texture and makes the story that much more interesting. Especially how it takes typical teenagers who are not necessarily interested in house repair or being educated outside the classroom and peaks their curiosity. Then to enhance the story by introducing black inventors who are scientist and engineers to life adds additional depth. Thanks to the authors for bringing this book to life. A job well done.

I was truly impressed with the unique open- out pages format of this book. The raised lettering and irredesence on the cover screams "great gift". The narration of the family introducing each inventor was just delightful. This book is a special addition to anyones library. Great job Kareem !!!!!! Needless to say many will be amazed at the inventions attributed to African-Americans. Some are well-known, others are not.

This book provides great information about African-American inventors that probably very few know. I certainly didn't. Got it for my 6 year old mixed race grandson. Will save it until he's a little older. The story that was created to weave in the inventor info could have been better.

Hard-working inventors have faced numerous difficulties in the past, including insufficient financial resources and poor access to information and communication channels as they designed new products, medicines, equipment, and gadgets. Black Americans faced additional obstacles in the form of discrimination and legal restrictions by race as they tried to bring their innovative plans to fruition. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar carefully documents the challenges and accomplishments experienced by a number of relatively unknown black American inventors as they made influential contributions in the past two centuries.

Abdul-Jabbar has done an excellent job writing about the personal backgrounds of these pioneers in science, medicine, and industry. With its clear presentation, fun facts on the side, and a parallel story, young readers will gain a new understanding of the impact that these innovations have had on scientific progress and on our everyday lives. The book offers a good opportunity to introduce readers to the concept of innovation and the idea that new inventions play an important role in improving societal well-being.

This is an excellent educational book for youngsters I particularly appreciated the easy to understand wording in this book I found the information on pages 44-45 about who was responsible for food preservation very interesting if you want to know who this person is you will have to buy this book and sit down and read it with your children.

This book should be the first of many subsequent books on the subject. I tutor at a mostly Black Boys and Girls Club and was delighted to raise their knowledge of these important people. The format was appropriate for all ages and the club is buying its own copy. This book demonstrates that anyone can achieve anything if s/he is willing to work hard enough. BTW: I am not black.

This book (What Color is my World, by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar)will be used as a teaching tool.
I am a teacher for 5th graders and this book will be well read by my students.
It is beautifully illustrated, nicely designed with fold out pages and many fun facts about inventors.
I would recommend this book to everyone- young and old.

This beautifully written and illustrated book is a wonderful collection of role models for all kids, but especially for anyone thinking they don't have a chance to make something of themselves in the future. These are stories of men who made amazing contributions against odds that would have discouraged lesser individuals. These stories prove that anyone can make astounding contributions if willing to put forth the efforts.

Not only is this book beautifully written and illustrated, it shines a light on many deserving inventors whose important contributors may have been overlooked by the history books. I hope it will inspire young and old readers to continue to dream, and lead them to many other ideas and innovations!
 What Color Is My World?: The Lost History of African-American Inventors

The title tells it all... " What Color Is My World? " All one has to do is read a few of these pages to realize that our world is colored by many different colors, one of those being black. I almost feel disheartened that our children do not receive this kind of information in school. But thanks to Kareem and Ray Obstfeld, we now know about the African-Americans who contributed greatly to our society. This is a must read, and my boys absolutely loved it!
Thanks guys!!

What a charming book. Thoughtful, beautifully researched, lovingly illustrated, and most of all smart. Written to help children understand that maybe brains count for something -- while giving them the sense that they're going on an exciting treasure hunt. Inventors and others who never really got their moment in the sun are spotlighted here. They are role models we can all admire. Well done to everyone involved!

The book is a real treasure. Full of interesting facts that make you stop and say, "I ddn't know that." It's a good book for any age, but I think that older children will read it with enjoyment and learn many things about inventors in general and specifically African-American inventors, a fairly unknown group.

My students hold an invention convention every February and I try to highlight African-American inventors during the research phase of the project. It's been very tough finding source material and this book is a hit with me and my students. Informative and fun to read!

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Raymond Obstfeld have put together a wonderful book that is great for children (and adults). The design is really inventive, with fold-out flaps and beautiful illustrations. It's the kind of book you have to page through to really experience; viewing it on a screen just wouldn't be the same. The inventors' stories are all told through the main story of a pair of siblings who have to clean up their house. The writing is humorous, and I found myself just turning page after page.

This book is nicely illustrated, has fewer than 40 pages of text, which is appropriate for children. The book explains that there is usually more than one inventor for the things in our households, an excellent point that children need to understand. Unfortunately he gets some of his facts wrong in mentioning particular inventions. Some of these are noted here:

Page 6 Dr. Henry T. Sampson invented the gamma electric cell. The book claims that power from nuclear generators is from this device. This was a proposed use for this invention but it is not actually used for this purpose. The book tells children that their electric power from their nuclear plant if from this invention, this is simply not true.

Page 7 He claims that Granville T Woods invented "the induction telegraph" in 1887. Actually Samuel Morse demonstrated the induction telegraph in 1838 and by 1844 had built a 40 mile telegraph line. By the time Woods applied for his patent there were already telegraphs and telephones in operation.

Page 11 Dr. Mark Dean made significant contributions to the development of the personal computer at IBM, especially the development of the ISA bus standard, but it is a gross exaggeration to say that he "took computers out of the laboratories and into business offices and homes." This simply ignores huge contributions by other companies and people.

Page 12 James E West "invented the microphone in your cell phone". West is listed on the patent application as co-inventor with G.M. Sessler of the electroacoustic microphone in 1962.

Page 17 Lloyd A. Hall did make contributions to food preservation but the book falsely states that "his (Hall's) patent method is still used today." This was German Karl Max Seifert's patent which he sold to Hall's employer.

Page 20 Fredric McKinley Jones Correctly notes his prolific work on refrigeration trucks for hauling food, but to say that his was the "first reliable refrigerated truck" is unsupported opinion.

Page 23 Daniel Hale Williams did indeed perform one of the first pericardial heart surgeries anywhere in the world, but this is incorrectly referred to as open heart surgery.

Page 24 The book states that Dr. Charles Drew "developed the concept of larger scale blood banks." It omits the fact that he was in charge of the first nationwide blood banking system in the US.

Page 30 John Lee Love patented a pencil sharpener, but it was not a pocket sized type implied in the book.

The approach is incredible. My three-year-old was fully engaged when I read it to her. Also, my mom is a second-grade teacher, and she used it in her class to achieve a similar effect -- complete engagement.

The book is beautifully illustrated with little flaps and pockets that make reading a real adventure. But I especially like the narrative story that weaves itself though out the book connecting the inventors in a relevant and entertaining way.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Raymond Obstfeld have put together a wonderful book that is great for children (and adults). The design is really inventive, with fold-out flaps and beautiful illustrations. It's the kind of book you have to page through to really experience; viewing it on a screen just wouldn't be the same. The inventors' stories are all told through the main story of a pair of siblings who have to clean up their house. The writing is humorous, and I found myself just turning page after page.

This book is nicely illustrated, has fewer than 40 pages of text, which is appropriate for children. The book explains that there is usually more than one inventor for the things in our households, an excellent point that children need to understand. Unfortunately he gets some of his facts wrong in mentioning particular inventions. Some of these are noted here:

Page 6 Dr. Henry T. Sampson invented the gamma electric cell. The book claims that power from nuclear generators is from this device. This was a proposed use for this invention but it is not actually used for this purpose. The book tells children that their electric power from their nuclear plant if from this invention, this is simply not true.

Page 7 He claims that Granville T Woods invented "the induction telegraph" in 1887. Actually Samuel Morse demonstrated the induction telegraph in 1838 and by 1844 had built a 40 mile telegraph line. By the time Woods applied for his patent there were already telegraphs and telephones in operation.

Page 11 Dr. Mark Dean made significant contributions to the development of the personal computer at IBM, especially the development of the ISA bus standard, but it is a gross exaggeration to say that he "took computers out of the laboratories and into business offices and homes." This simply ignores huge contributions by other companies and people.

Page 12 James E West "invented the microphone in your cell phone". West is listed on the patent application as co-inventor with G.M. Sessler of the electroacoustic microphone in 1962.

Page 17 Lloyd A. Hall did make contributions to food preservation but the book falsely states that "his (Hall's) patent method is still used today." This was German Karl Max Seifert's patent which he sold to Hall's employer.

Page 20 Fredric McKinley Jones Correctly notes his prolific work on refrigeration trucks for hauling food, but to say that his was the "first reliable refrigerated truck" is unsupported opinion.

Page 23 Daniel Hale Williams did indeed perform one of the first pericardial heart surgeries anywhere in the world, but this is incorrectly referred to as open heart surgery.

Page 24 The book states that Dr. Charles Drew "developed the concept of larger scale blood banks." It omits the fact that he was in charge of the first nationwide blood banking system in the US.

Page 30 John Lee Love patented a pencil sharpener, but it was not a pocket sized type implied in the book.

The approach is incredible. My three-year-old was fully engaged when I read it to her. Also, my mom is a second-grade teacher, and she used it in her class to achieve a similar effect -- complete engagement.

The book is beautifully illustrated with little flaps and pockets that make reading a real adventure. But I especially like the narrative story that weaves itself though out the book connecting the inventors in a relevant and entertaining way.

Excellent book for the children. Awesome illustration about a history of inventions that may have gone unrecognized and unappreciated. Kareems research is outstanding and informative for most children and Adults. Brilliant!!

WHO OWNS CANDLEWICK PRESS, ANYWAY??

Every patent is/was already on the books. This boon is a liar. What is the deal here? Free press and all. Who helped this twit scribble down some unfounded non-ideas, only to be reconstituted as some new-formed truth out-of-the-blue. A new gospel.

This idiot, who seeks his own mythical manufactured truth, should have been shot down by the false publisher.

EVERY INVENTION BOOK-LISTED HERE, PREVIOUSLY EXISTED LONG BEFORE THIS BOON RE-INVENTED THE WHEEL OF LIES HE VOMITED UP!!!!!

What a joke!