Calling All Minds: How to Think and Create like an Inventor

Grandin, an animal scientist and spokeswoman for the autism community, offers a guide to two dozen projects grouped into five sections—paper, wood, levers and pulleys, objects that fly, and optical illusions—to make at home with commonly found materials. Detailed step-by-step instructions and drawings accompany each project, which include a puppet theater, a kite, a wooden sailboat, and a stereoscope. Included within each section is historical background on inventors from the past and inventions of note. A self-styled inventor, Grandin employs a clear, direct style—though her vocabulary may be somewhat advanced for the target audience. She provides humorous childhood recollections, reflections on the creative process, and thoughts on how experimentation is essential to discovery. Referencing how she was often teased as a child for being different, she advocates for intellectual diversity: “Though our brains may work in different ways, there is no limit to the kinds of contributions we can make.” Grandin offers a nuanced perspective on the qualities of a successful inventor—notably, a sense of wonder and curiosity, careful observation, and the willingness to learn from mistakes. Ages 8–12. (May)