Electrical Wizard
How Nikola Tesla Lit Up the World
Age 7+
Picture Books
Move over, Thomas Edison! Nikola Tesla takes the spotlight in a biography of the man who pioneered modern electrical engineering — and changed the course of history.
When a Serbian boy named Nikola Tesla was three, he stroked his cat and was enchanted by the electrical sparks. By the time he was a teenager, he had made a vow: Someday I will turn the power of Niagara Falls into electricity. Here is the story of the ambitious young man who brought life-changing ideas to America, despite the obstructive efforts of his hero-turned-rival, Thomas Edison. From using alternating current to light up the Chicago World’s Fair to harnessing Niagara to electrify New York City and beyond, Nikola Tesla was a revolutionary ahead of his time. Remote controls, fluorescent lights, X-rays, speedometers, cell phones, even the radio — all resulted from Nikola Tesla’s inventions. Established biographer Elizabeth Rusch sheds light on this extraordinary figure, while fine artist Oliver Dominguez brings his life and inventions to vivid color.
Back matter includes additional information about Tesla, scientific notes and explanations, source notes, a bibliography, and suggestions for further reading.
Creators
Elizabeth Rusch is an award-winning author of fiction and nonfiction for children, including the picture book biography For the Love of Music: The Remarkable Story of Maria Anna Mozart. She lives in Portland, Oregon.
Oliver Dominguez works as a freelance editorial illustrator and is the illustrator of Miracle Mud: Lena Blackburne and the Secret Mud that Changed Baseball by David A. Kelly. Electrical Wizard is his first picture book. He lives in Fort Myers, Florida.
Reviews
Highly recommended for ages 8 years and up.
Athina Clarke
…an exellent way to introduce [famous scientists] and their discoveries to younger readers, and to arouse their sense of curiosity about the natural world.
Magpies