inventive

WHAT COLOR IS MY WORLD? THE LOST HISTORY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN INVENTORS by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Raymond Obstfeld with illustrations by Ben Boos and A. G. Ford (Candlewick Press 2012) is a large format informational book with a narrative to go along with the informational text. Flaps on many pages fold out to give more biographical information about forgotten inventors such as Dr. Valerie Thomas, George Crum, Daniel Hale Williams, and many others. The informational text is framed in a story about two children who are assisting a handyman in getting their new home in shape for some much needed repairs. As they work, the handyman tells the children stories of inventors who worked to develop all manner of inventions including potato chips, the super soaker, and ice cream scoops (to name a few that will delight young readers) as well as those who worked with Edison and Bell on inventions. <54>