Who was Nikola Tesla?

Book Cover

Justification

I chose Who was Nikola Tesla? for my Who was book category in this blog. Nikola Tesla has always been a figure that interested me. He was truly a pioneer well before his time. With the rise of Tesla motors, his name has become synonymous with innovation. While I had a broad understanding of who Nikola Tesla was, and a few of his accomplishments, this book highlighted his brilliant mind, inventions, and ideas that were well before his time.

Evaluation

The first thing to note about Who was Nikola Tesla is the accuracy of information presented. Both the text and the illustrations portray accurate scientific facts, places, people, and events. The information is presented in a clear concise writing style that lends itself to upper elementary school students. The book chronicles his upbringing in Croatia, his many illnesses as a child, his education, and his career as a ground-breaking inventor and engineer. The book highlights parts of Nikola Tesla’s remarkable life in an accurate and age-appropriate manner. Who was Nikola Tesla covers all the important facets of his life that you would find in an adult biography but condenses the information in just over a hundred pages. The information itself is accurate and provides a solid understand of the life and contributions Tesla made in today’s society. This would serve as an excellent starting point for someone interested in learning about Tesla’s life and accomplishments.

The next aspect of the book to note is the inclusion of drawings to accompany the text. The illustrations throughout the book provide a great visual of the text on the page. For early readers, this helps to clarify the text. There are drawings, maps, diagrams, and portraits to aide the reader in the concepts and people who are presented in the story. These illustrations provide interesting asides throughout the book. The inclusion of a portrait and introduction to ancillary people in the illustrations and text boxes allow the reader to learn a little more about Thomas Edison, Mark Twain, and Guglielmo Marconi. The illustrations and text boxes also inform the reader about important places and events that are mentioned in the book such as Niagara Falls, The Astor House Hotel, and the World’s Columbian Exposition. These asides and illustrations help provide background knowledge that the reader may not have on these locations and events.

Finally, the use of precise vocabulary adds to the validity of the book. Throughout the book precise vocabulary and definitions are provided. Unfamiliar names and places are described and include a pronunciation guide. The book discusses the differing names of schools that were present in Tesla’s time in what was then Serbia. It also names and defines the illnesses that Tesla struggled through as a child, providing background understanding of cholera and malaria. The scientific concepts and discovers are also defined and used. Of particular note is the explanation and diagram mapping of the concepts of direct and alternating current. The use of this precise vocabulary educates the reader on potentially unfamiliar topics in terms that they can understand.

Response

(B) Throughout the text I was confronted with characters that exemplify poor moral character. At many points in Tesla’s life his ideas and accomplishments were stolen, undermined, slandered, or undervalued. Thomas Edison in particular made every effort to use Tesla when it benefited his own interests and slander him when they were direct competitors. His actions in the story are wrong and morally corrupt. Unfortunately, Tesla’s ideas have only come to their full realization and recognition after his death.

(D) In spite of trial and hardship, Tesla never quit inventing and imagining better systems. His story is one of perseverance and a will to keep going even when things seem impossible. He traveled to the United States with only a note of recommendation and four cents in his pocket. Tesla’s willingness to fight through adversity to reach his goals is admirable. I personally value these qualities and hope to instill them in my own children and students. Intelligence is only one part of the puzzle. You must also have the tenacity to make your goals a reality.

(E) The text does an excellent job of presenting the concepts in language that is accessible to the intended readers. While some of the writing style was too juvenile for me as an adult reader, it would be perfect for an upper elementary school or beginning middle school reader. The concepts and vocabulary included in the writing made it a great introduction to Nikola Tesla, electrical currents, life in the late 19th century, and engineering.

Conclusion

Who was Nikola Tesla is another great installment in the Who was series of books. Concepts are clear, age appropriate, and informative for upper elementary and middle grade readers. Students who are interested in engineering, science, invention, and Tesla as a historical figure will love this book! While I would not encourage it as a read aloud, it would make a great resource for an inquiry-based research project or science presentation.

APA Citation

Gigliotti, J. (2018). Who was Nikola Tesla? New York: Penguin Workshop.