Now & Ben

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY JAN 23, 2006

Now and then, we think about Ben," begins Barretta's (On Top of Spaghetti) lighthearted and enlightening picture-book biography. "It was as if Ben could see into the future. Almost everything he created is still around today." The book's format echoes its title: the left-hand side of each spread highlights images and explanations of contemporary versions of Franklin's inventions ("Now"), while the facing page reveals the fellow at work on his innovations ("Ben"). Among the wide-ranging inventions, discoveries and designs included are bifocals, electricity, swimming fins, the benefits of Vitamin C, the Pennsylvania Fireplace (later renamed the Franklin stove) and the odometer ("Ben invented the odometer when he was postmaster general so he could measure his postal routes"). Barretta also mentions Franklin's pivotal role in establishing the country's first library, hospital, post office, and fire and sanitation departments, and in creating the Constitution and other key documents. The juxtaposition of present and past effectively reinforces the continued relevance of Franklin's inventions and underscores the extraordinary range and depth of his ingenuity and practicality. With its breezy format and succinct text, the book delivers facts in an assuredly kid-friendly style. The playful watercolor cartoons, often divided into panels, help to vary the pacing. A concluding futuristic spread envisions even further updated variations on Franklin's inventions. Ages 5-9.