Illustrated by Tony Persiani
Rating: Recommended
Charlesbridge, 2009, $18.95
ISBN: 978-1-57091673-1
Age/Grade Level: grades 2-5
This book is hard to ignore. Not only is it about the development of fluorescent pigments, but the eye-popping tones are liberally used in the book design and illustrations. Chris Barton's clever text chronicles how an interest in ultraviolet light led Bob and Joe Switzer to what they called "Day-Glo" paint in 1938. It took years, but as Joe would say, "If just one experiment out of a thousand succeeds, then you're ahead of the game." Tony Persiani's cartoonish illustrations have just the right retro feel for this light-hearted but inspiring story.
Reviewer: Mary Smith, OCPL/El Toro
