Now & Ben The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin

What would you do if you lived in a community without a library, hospital, post office, or fire department? If you were Benjamin Franklin, you'd set up these organizations yourself. Franklin also designed the lightning rod, suggested the idea of daylight saving time, invented bifocals and the odometerall inspired by his common sense and intelligence.

Gene Barretta holds a B.F.A. in Film Studies from New York University, and has worked for many years in film and television production. He lives in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania with his wife and son, Benjamin. His next book in this series is Neo Leo: The Ageless Ideas of Leonardo da Vinci, coming in Fall 2009 from Henry Holt. He is also the author and illustrator of Dear Deer, which was a Notable Children’s Book in the Language Arts and a Parenting Magazine Mom-Tested Books of the Year List. Be sure to check out Gene’s website: www.genebarretta.com.

“The extraordinary sense of Franklin as a severely temporally displaced person gives [this book] its power to delight . . . charming illustrations.”—The New York Times Book Review
“A clever, concise introduction to the contributions of this colorful colonial figure . . . sure to inspire readers to learn more about its fascinating subject.”—School Library Journal
“Barretta leads readers from what they do know to what they probably don’t . . . Read this one aloud.”—The Horn Book Magazine
“With its breezy format and succinct text, the book delivers facts in an assuredly kid-friendly style.”— Publishers Weekly
“A punchy read-aloud to lighten up American history units.”—Booklist