Mr. Ferris and His Wheel

I've now read several children's books on the topic (who know it would seem to suddenly be a popular subject?). This is the first one that pointed out that mass-produced steel was a relatively new invention, and so this incredible wheel was possible as nothing remotely like it would have been before. That explains the architects' skepticism, and Ferris' declaration that he, as an engineer, knew what he was talking about.

Lots of details are, in fact, only in one book or another. This one, for example, said nothing about the sad destruction of this wheel after the fair. But it did reveal that Ferris was def. an engineer, not a wordsmith, as he tried to call it a Monster Wheel.

I recommend all the books to interested readers of all ages.

This was a lovely book about the beginning of the Ferris Wheel. It was both a story and a collection of info bits that made it that much more fun to read. Plus the illustrations take the reader back 120 years and make you ready to see the sun and walk the midway.

This is the inspiring picture book biography of George Ferris and how he came to build a structure that defied gravity and became a staple at fairs, carnivals, and amusement parks. How many of us have ridden a Ferris Wheel at some point in our lives? I have to say I was intrigued by her pick and curious to learn how the first one came to be. The World’s Fair was coming to Chicago in 1893, so the search was on for the design that would top the Eiffel Tower, the standout of the last fair. None of the ideas were new and exciting enough for the committee. When George Ferris, an engineer, brought his proposal to the board they weren’t sure because they thought it was too big and that it wouldn’t work. The fair was only a handful of months away when the committee decided to give the go ahead to Ferris. There was intense pressure for everyone working on the project and they also had to deal with frozen ground and Chicago weather.

The story really makes you feel the anticipation when Ferris and his wife take the first ride. I would have been so scared! I loved learning about how the invention came together was surprised to hear about the large glass cars. Once the fair was over it was even taken down and put up at other locations! Wow! I was amazed at how fun it was to learn about history from this delightful picture book. After we finished I had to look up what the cars looked like, since I couldn’t imagine how big they were. I was stunned!

Mr. Ferris and His Wheel is a great book for people who like to learn about history in an interesting way or for people who like a good ride. I bet you will learn something new too!

Mr. Ferris and His Wheel tells the story of George Ferris who in 1893 built the world’s first Ferris wheel for the world fair in Chicago. The biggest attraction at the last world fair was the Eiffel Tower built in France and was the world’s tallest building at the time. Ferris was an established engineer that had built many buildings and bridges but he wanted to do something amazing so he entered the contest to make something for the 1893 World Fair. The United States of America wanted to impress the rest of the world so they hired George Ferris with only 10 months to complete the Ferris wheel. He struggled to make it in time and feared it would not work and collapse. He also struggled with money as well and worked to fund raise. However it did not collapse and it was a huge hit impressing all who came to see it. There was much excitement filling the air after each passenger was filled with wonder. The summary was convincing and interesting. I would say that the greatest values of this book are the readability and the illustrations. Not only is the book filled with fun facts, it is also intriguing to read throughout the entire book. Many nonfiction books during my time were not as fun to read and look at as this book. The illustrator did an incredible job with the illustrations in Mr. Ferris and His Wheel, the themes of blues and purples contrasting with the greens and yellows were beautiful.

Wonderfully told and illustrated story of how George Ferris invented his eponymously named invention and its debut at the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago.

Most people love the Ferris wheel and this is a wonderful book about the history of how they came to be. It also gives a nice glimps into the World Fair of 1893. Using this as a tool to spark interest into great American inventions would be good. for a classroom.

Nicely done! Good, simple explanations of what the world was like in 1890's.