The Boy Who Invented TV

The Story of Philo Farnsworth

Illustrated by Greg Couch
An inspiring true story of a boy genius.

Plowing a potato field in 1920, a 14-year-old farm boy from Idaho saw in the parallel rows of overturned earth a way to “make pictures fly through the air.” This boy was not a magician; he was a scientific genius and just eight years later he made his brainstorm in the potato field a reality by transmitting the world’s first television image. This fascinating picture-book biography of Philo Farnsworth covers his early interest in machines and electricity, leading up to how he put it all together in one of the greatest inventions of the 20th century. The author’s afterword discusses the lawsuit Farnsworth waged and won against RCA when his high school science teacher testified that Philo’s invention of television was years before RCA’s.
© Kathleen Krull
Kathleen Krull is well known for her innovative approach to biographies for young readers. Her books include The Road to Oz: Twists, Turns, Bumps, and Triumphs in the Life of L. Frank Baum; The Boy on Fairfield Street: How Ted Geisel Grew Up to Become Dr. Seuss; the Lives of . . . series of collective biographies; the Giants of Science series; and more, as featured at kathleenkrull.com. Kathleen lives in San Diego, with her husband, children's book illustrator Paul Brewer. View titles by Kathleen Krull
Greg Couch lives in Nyack, New York. View titles by Greg Couch
  • WINNER | 2010
    NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children
  • WINNER | 2009
    Parents' Choice Silver Honor Book
  • WINNER | 2009
    School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
  • NOMINEE
    Kansas William White Award
  • NOMINEE
    Pennsylvania Keystone State Reading Association Book Award
  • NOMINEE | 2011
    Indiana Young Hoosier Master List
Starred Review, School Library Journal, September 2009:
"One to inspire young audiences with the vast possibilities that imagination and diligence can accomplish."

The New York Times Book Review, December 20, 2009:
"Beautiful and beautifully told, the book tracks like the sort of graphic novel that breaks your heart, with its implied passage of time and slipping awawy of early dreams."

About

An inspiring true story of a boy genius.

Plowing a potato field in 1920, a 14-year-old farm boy from Idaho saw in the parallel rows of overturned earth a way to “make pictures fly through the air.” This boy was not a magician; he was a scientific genius and just eight years later he made his brainstorm in the potato field a reality by transmitting the world’s first television image. This fascinating picture-book biography of Philo Farnsworth covers his early interest in machines and electricity, leading up to how he put it all together in one of the greatest inventions of the 20th century. The author’s afterword discusses the lawsuit Farnsworth waged and won against RCA when his high school science teacher testified that Philo’s invention of television was years before RCA’s.

Author

© Kathleen Krull
Kathleen Krull is well known for her innovative approach to biographies for young readers. Her books include The Road to Oz: Twists, Turns, Bumps, and Triumphs in the Life of L. Frank Baum; The Boy on Fairfield Street: How Ted Geisel Grew Up to Become Dr. Seuss; the Lives of . . . series of collective biographies; the Giants of Science series; and more, as featured at kathleenkrull.com. Kathleen lives in San Diego, with her husband, children's book illustrator Paul Brewer. View titles by Kathleen Krull
Greg Couch lives in Nyack, New York. View titles by Greg Couch

Awards

  • WINNER | 2010
    NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children
  • WINNER | 2009
    Parents' Choice Silver Honor Book
  • WINNER | 2009
    School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
  • NOMINEE
    Kansas William White Award
  • NOMINEE
    Pennsylvania Keystone State Reading Association Book Award
  • NOMINEE | 2011
    Indiana Young Hoosier Master List

Praise

Starred Review, School Library Journal, September 2009:
"One to inspire young audiences with the vast possibilities that imagination and diligence can accomplish."

The New York Times Book Review, December 20, 2009:
"Beautiful and beautifully told, the book tracks like the sort of graphic novel that breaks your heart, with its implied passage of time and slipping awawy of early dreams."

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