Whoosh! Lonnie Johnson's Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions

People are drawn to books when they can see themselves in the characters, even if the characters are very different from them. With this book, I immediately identified with the young Lonnie Johnson, who loved to tinker and could never find enough space for his creative materials! 

In Lonnie’s case, his materials were rocket kits, bolts, screws, and junkyard treasures, so it’s no wonder he grew up to be an engineer and inventor. Kids will be inspired by his abundance of ideas, grit, and determination to solve any challenge that gets in his way!

“Every day brought a challenge for young Lonnie Johnson—the challenge of finding space for his stuff.” This beginning (along with Don Tate’s kid-friendly illustrations) drew me in, but the young inventor has more serious challenges on the way, including racism and other roadblocks. My favorite moment in this true story is when Lonnie takes a test that tells him he lacks the aptitude to be an engineer, even though he’s already built his own working robot—in the 1960s! I hope kids who love to tinker will get the message not to let anyone else decide for them what they are… show more.

Whoosh! Just the title makes me want to read this book – and the cover art by the incredible Don Tate invites me in. I love that the story shows us the creative boy who grew up tinkering with gears and gaskets, screws, and sandpaper – squirreling away bits and pieces of whatever he thought could be turned into something wonderful born from his imagination. Plus, finding a book about a diverse inventor written by a diverse author and illustrated by a diverse artist is frosting on an already delicious cake. The story explains how the main character, Lonnie Johnson,… show more.

What kid hasn’t doesn’t love the rush of shooting a Super-Soaker? Water-play aside, this book will water young readers’ imagination and show kids that they are the inventors of their own future.