How to Make a Flying Carpet (Alex, the Inventor) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Donya Pedigo
How to Make a Flying Carpet by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I love the way Lois Wickstrom’s stories always have fun lessons placed within them in such a way that you really don’t realize you’re learning. I often find it’s more fun to read and then get hands-on by trying the experiments in her books versus being taught by lectures and textbooks like I was taught as a child. In most cases, if a child can get excited about doing an activity, they often retain the information they are learning more and for longer periods of time. The lessons that are incorporated at the end of her stories are an added bonus for the more inquisitive readers who want to understand how and why these things happen. This would be an excellent book to use in a classroom setting to help students learn.
This book is about Alex the Inventor who never wants anything to go to waste but would rather repurpose it (which is a great segway into learning about recycling and the environment also). Alex uses her imagination to try and find other uses for the magnets from the refrigerator. Through trial and error (experiments) she learns more about magnetic energy and how the magnets react to multiple things. I love the way the character keeps trying and doesn’t give up. If one idea fails, she tries either a different way or something new. This is a great read with beautifully rendered illustrations that enhance the story. Adults and children alike could all learn from and enjoy reading this book and the lesson at the end of it.
