Make 25 Machines That Really Work!
October 15, 2024
A compilation of zany Rube Goldberg machines for the dedicated aspiring inventor. This book, co-authored by George, Rube Goldberg's granddaughter, and Rube Goldberg Machine Contest champion Umperovitch, offers suggestions for everyday inventions in the spirit of Goldberg's time-consuming machines that do simple tasks. The introduction describes simple machines and types of energy and offers tips and tricks for building. Each invention is broken down over several spreads that cover a description of the task it will perform, step-by-step illustrations and instructions, and a blank ruled page for readers' building and testing notes. The projects are divided into chapters organized by level of difficulty from "Beginner (3-step)" to "Advanced (7+step)," with names such as (in increasing level of difficulty) "Apply a Band-Aid," "Pour a Glass of Water," "Dunk a Cookie," and "Serve Fresh Popcorn." The extensive backmatter includes facts about Goldberg, safety tips, suggestions for alternate materials to use, a glossary, and further resources. Steckley's full-color artwork is fun and engaging and clearly depicts how the machines are supposed to work. While it's debatable whether most of these projects will function in the real world, even with repeated tries, creative inventors may enjoy trying them anyway or coming up with their own improvements. A decent selection of inventions for patient kids who enjoy tinkering.(Nonfiction. 8-12)
COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Starred review from November 1, 2024
Grades 3-7 *Starred Review* This enticing compendium offers step-by-step directions for creating 25 Rube Goldberg contraptions designed to ease the hardships of implementing everyday kid tasks, such as squeezing toothpaste onto toothbrushes or placing napkins in laps. Readers are warned upfront that these projects require lots of tenacity and tinkering, but those who show grit will be rewarded with actual working models (usually constructed with ordinary household objects) and a new appreciation for somewhat skewed physics. The book is a visual delight, with page-filling, bright, cartoon illustrations showing required materials, processes and procedures, fact boxes and horrible puns, simple machine and energy-transfer applications, and humorous scenarios where the machines work--or don't. Blank pages for recording notes and test results inspire experimentation, and the final chapters, filled with biographical data on Goldberg, his inventions, and legacy, plus detailed explorations of chain reaction models, flowcharts, and suggestions for substitutions and adaptations, will encourage inquiry. Rich back matter provides additional assistance for further research and extended manipulations. Most projects require adult input, and some require extended time commitments, but this will attract casual browsers and inspire wannabe makers. This is a fun, eye--catching addition for most STEM collections.
COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.