Book Review: The Marvelous Thing That Came From a Spring by Gilbert Ford

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Book received at no charge for review purposes

When Richard James worked as an engineer for the United States Navy, he never thought he would stumble across an invention for a toy. His job was to create a device that would keep the ship equipment from vibrating. His mind raced after watching a torsion spring fall from a shelf and take a walk.

Richard's young son let go of the springs by the stairs and it walked all the way down. With the help of his wife, Betty, Richard named his new toy. The Slinky was born. The husband and wife team sold their first run of Slinky's in one day and built a machine to manufacture the Slinky to keep up with the greater demand.

What happens with the production of the Slinky will fascinate the young budding inventor or engineer. The dioramic illustrations add visual play worthy of one of the most beloved toys in American History. An informational book that feels more like fun that learning.

Rating ★★★★☆

Publishing Information

Atheneum Books for Young Readers (September 2016)

ISBN: 9781481450652

Pages: 32

Ages: 4-8 

What is a Book Genre?

Tweet A book genre means putting books into categories. There are two main book genres: non-fiction and fiction. Non-fiction are factual books and fiction are made-up stories. Under each of the main genres there are sub-genres or sub-categories. Some of the sub-categories have sub-categories as well. It can get confusing for a child when they are asked to categorize their book into a genre. Sometimes a book will fit under more than one category like a fantasy adventure.

Non-Fiction
 Informational Factual Books - These are books about a variety of factual topics such as animals, science, weather, history, etc. Some examples of these books good for boys are Secrets of a Civil War Submarine and  Candy Bomber: The Untold Story of the Berlin Airlift's "Chocolate Pilot"

 Biography - Books about a real person written by another person. Examples include Leonardo Da Vinci and
Who Was Martin Luther King Jr.?

Autobiography - A story of a real person written by that person. Includes: Through My Eyes and Have Heart: David Eckstein

Fiction
 Action/Adventure - A story in which there is an element of danger and risk. Examples include: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Wildfire Run
 Fantasy - A story with elements that are impossible. It often involves magic. Some familiar fantasy books are Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone and  Beyonders
 Historical Fiction - A made-up story that takes place in the past. The setting is real, but the characters are fictional. Examples: Al Capone Does My Shirts and A Single Shard.
 Horror - Fiction where the events cause dread for both the characters and reader. Examples: The  Haunting of Derek Stone and Goosebumps
 Mystery - A suspenseful story that involves an event that isn't solved until the end of the book. Examples include Hardy Boys Series and Ravens Gate (The Gatekeepers) by Anthony Horowitz.
Realistic Fiction - A made-up story that could happen in real life. Examples include: Hatchet and Maniac Magee  
 Science Fiction - A made-up story that involves the use of science and technology. Examples:  Ender's Game and Star Wars 
 Traditional Literature - Stories that are passed from one generation to another and include tall tales, folklore, fables and fairy tales. Examples include: Paul Bunyan and The Ugly Duckling.

Some other terms you might hear that are sub-genres of those listed above, namely science fiction.

Dystopian - Fiction in which the setting is a nightmare world. Examples include: Lord of the Flies and Hunger Games.
Steampunk - World where steam power is still in use. Usually the 19th century and/or Victorian Era. Examples: The Clockwork Three and The Anubis Gates.
Utopian - Fiction in which the setting is the perfect world. Examples include: The Giver