A fresh, intriguing look at the stories behind great toy inventions."Originally, Play-Doh only came in white. There's a good reason for this. You see, Play-Doh didn't start out as a toy. It started out as a product for cleaning wallpaper."Have you ever wondered who invented Lego, Mr. Potato Head, or toy trains? Here are the fascinating stories behind these toy inventions and many others. Learn why the see-saw was popular with the Romans, how the Slinky was used during the Vietnam War, and the reason Raggedy Ann has a red heart on her chest that says "I love you." From dolls and checkers to pinball and the modern video game, there's a wide selection here for boys and girls alike.With humor and wit, this intriguing book serves up slices of cultural history that will inspire young readers to start thinking up their own toy inventions.

A fresh, intriguing look at the stories behind great toy inventions."Originally, Play-Doh only came in white. There's a good reason for this. You see, Play-Doh didn't start out as a toy. It started out as a product for cleaning wallpaper."Have you ever wondered who invented Lego, Mr. Potato Head, or toy trains? Here are the fascinating stories behind these toy inventions and many others. Learn why the see-saw was popular with the Romans, how the Slinky was used during the Vietnam War, and the reason Raggedy Ann has a red heart on her chest that says "I love you." From dolls and checkers to pinball and the modern video game, there's a wide selection here for boys and girls alike.With humor and wit, this intriguing book serves up slices of cultural history that will inspire young readers to start thinking up their own toy inventions.
Don Wulffson is the author of many books for young readers including The Kid Who Invented the Popsicle and Other Strange Inventions. A teacher of English and creative writing, Mr. Wulffson is the recipient of the Leather Medal Award for Poetry. He lives with his family in Northridge, California.Laurie Keller is the author and illustrator of The Scrambled States of America and Open Wide-Tooth School Inside. She also illustrated Marty Frye, Private Eye by Janet Tashjian. Ms. Keller lives in New York City.