I think picture books are a great way to learn about historical figures and famous inventors should be particularly interesting to inquisitive children, especially when they are old enough to understand some of the details. I recently read four picture books about Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla, of electricity fame. Here’s my take on them.

A Picture Book of Thomas Alva Edison by David A. Adler, illustrated by John and Alexandra Wallner (Holiday House, 1996)

This picture book is a straightforward biography of Edison’s whole life, including his childhood and his marriages. It focuses on his curiosity, his experiments, and his inventions. There’s a lot of info here, but the fun, detailed illustrations make it child-friendly. N.B. There’s no mention of Tesla. This book made me want to check out more of Adler’s series of approximately 30 picture book biographies. Recommended for ages 6 to 9.

A Wizard from the Start: The Incredible Boyhood and Amazing Inventions of Thomas Edison by Don Brown (HMH Books for Young Readers, 2010)

The writing style of this book is more lively than Adler’s biography and the text focuses on Edison’s childhood and inventions, as the subtitle states (no mention of his wives and children, for example). One thing I appreciated is the explanation of how a telegraph works. I recommend this one for the writing, but far preferred the illustrations of Adler’s book. An author’s note mentions Edison’s battle with Tesla and the public electrocutions he staged; there’s also a bibliography of four sources. Recommended for ages 6 to 9.

Electrical Wizard: How Nikola Tesla Lit Up the World  by Elizabeth Rusch, illustrated by Oliver Dominguez (Candlewick Press, 2013)

This picture book is well written and focuses on Tesla’s obsession with the idea of alternating current, his breakthrough, and his rivalry with Edison. The illustrations are quite lovely. I must admit the text left me confused by direct current vs alternating current. However, at the back of the book are an explanation of Tesla’s inventions and his relationship with Edison, four pages of scientific notes with diagrams, and a bibliography. Recommended for ages 8 to 12.

Zap! Nikola Tesla Takes Charge by Monica Kulling, illustrated by Bill Slavin (Tundra Books, 2016)

I enjoyed the narrative of this book, but it was confusing that it starts with a poem and ends abruptly. On the pro side, it does a good job explaining why alternating current is better than direct current. Unfortunately there is no author’s note or additional info and I did not love the illustrations. Recommended for ages 6 to 9.

Do you have any favourite picture book biographies? I’m thinking of creating an index to all the ones I’ve featured on my blog so far.

[Update: Bonus book! Timeless Thomas by Gene Barretta is a fun and colourful look at Thomas Edison’s inventions and the impact they have on the technology of today. 23/08/2018]