W is for Weisz aka Houdini: Books about Immigrant Magician and Escape Artist, Harry Houdini4/12/2017 Erich Weisz was born in Budapest, Hungary in 1874, and moved with his family to Wisconsin when he was a child. Erich changed his name to Harry Houdini when he became a magician at the age of 20 - Harry was similar to his childhood nickname "Ehrie" and "Houdini" was in honor of a famous French Magician named Houdin. More than his ability in magic, Houdini gained fame as an escape-artist, and performed shows all over the country, and even in Europe. His acts included escaping from handcuffs, straightjackets, water-filled tanks and packing crates. Houdini's most famous act was the Chinese Water Torture Cell, in which he escaped after being suspended upside down by his feet in a locked glass cabinet, after managing to hold his breath for more than three minutes to escape.  Children's Books: A Picture Book of Harry Houdini David Adler (Author), Michael Adler (Author), Collins Matt (Illustrator) Publisher: Holiday House (2010) Ages: 4-8 yrs; Grades: 1-3 Review: Amazon Reviews 4.5*  Harry Houdini (Kids Can Read) Elizabeth MacLeod (Author), John Mantha (Illustrator) Publisher: Kids Can Press (2009) Ages: 6-8 yrs; Grades: 1-3 Review: Amazon Reviews 4.5*  Who Was Harry Houdini?
Tui Sutherland (Author), John O'Brien and Nancy Harrison (Illustrators) Publisher: Grosset and Dunlap (2002) Ages: 8-12 yrs; Grades: 3-7 Review: Amazon Reviews 4.5*
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Nikola Tesla was born in current day Croatia in 1856, and came to the United States in 1884. Tesla got interested in inventing electrical devices, thanks to his role model, his mother Djuka Mandic, who invented small household appliances. After studying physics, mathematics in Germany, Austria and Hungary, Tesla came to the United States in 1884 at the age of 28, with little money, and a letter of introduction to inventor Thomas Edison from Charles Batchelor. "I know two great men," wrote Batchelor, "one is you and the other is this young man." Tesla stopped working with Edison shortly after personal differences came in the way. His inventions caught the attention of George Westinghouse, who bought his alternating current patents to help with supplying electricity over long distances. In 1895, Tesla designed one of the first AC hydroelectric power plants in the United States, at Niagara Falls, which provided power to the city of Buffalo, New York. His inventions continue to be used today - e.g. his AC system remains the worldwide standard for power transmission, and his 1891 invention, "Tesla coil," is still used in radio technology.  Children's Books: Electrical Wizard: Candlewick Biographies: How Nikola Tesla Lit Up the World Elizabeth Rusch (Author); Oliver Dominguez (Illustrator) Publisher: Candlewick (2015) Ages: 8-12 yrs; Grades: 3-7 Review: Amazon Reviews 4.5* Additional Online and Other Sources:
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Nalini Krishnankutty Series DescriptionStarting with A is for Albert, B is for Blackwell, and C is for Clive, the series highlights the contributions made by immigrants to science, art, medicine, and more - to the founding of our nation, our institutions and our ways of living. This series provides a starting point for parents, educators and librarians to shape personal perspectives, create common narratives, and increase awareness of the tremendous impact that immigrants have had on our country. Archives
April 2017
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