Everybody loves a bandaid. There's something about it that evokes a feeling of comfort (at least for me). Maybe because the sight of one brings memories of running to mommy with a boo-boo and having her fuss and gently clean and dry it while cooing soothingly. I must admit, I love to smell bandaids. I also must admit that I have never wondered about the origin of the bandaid. This book is the answer to anyone who has.
Early in the twentieth century, a newlywed couple began their lives together in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Not all was wedded bliss, however because the wife, Josephine was a klutz. She was constantly cutting herself and using kitchen rags to clean her many wounds. Her husband, Earle, being the son of a physician, and a cotton buyer for the Johnson & Johnson company, worried about infection in his accident-prone bride. So he wondered, and wondered and wondered about a solution until he had a "Eureka!" moment and set about putting his idea to use.
Wittenstein tells his story in a jaunty humorous tone, constantly "fooling" the reader with false exclamations of, "the end!" This should cause endless giggling at story-time. When the end finally, "really" comes, an author's note, and two timelines follow - one of Earle Dickson's life and the other of other inventions from the 1920s and 1930s. The author also provides the urls for six websites that interested readers can might find interesting.
The design is pleasing, with bandaid tan the predominant color. The cartoonish art is expressive, especially the interactions between Earle and Josephine. Period details include jalopies, a milk man and the fashion of the time. This is the illustrator's debut and a fine one it is.
The Boo-Boos That Changes the World is a picture book for any age. Add it to a unit on inventors or just read it aloud for the fun of it. Fun, fun, fun!
ETA: Almost forgot to post this link to resources from the author's website.
thank you so much for enjoying our book
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