Computers: Processing the Data (Innovators)

Book by David J. Bianco, Gina De Angelis, Gina DeAngelis

Grade 6-9–This interesting and clearly written title focuses on the history and development of computers. Most of the photographs are old, but nonetheless engaging. However, while this straightforward history is important and useful for reports, it is the newer innovations that will be most fascinating to young people. Only about 20 pages are devoted to post-Internet technology, and they are among the least interesting. This well-organized look at the past fails to discuss how peer-to-peer networks and devices like iPods are changing the way people think about processing data.–Scott La Counte, Anaheim Public Library, CA
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Gr. 7-10. After a historical overview of early calculating machines designed by the likes of Leonardo da Vinci and Blaise Pascal, this entry in the Innovators series traces the development of the computer chiefly through biographical accounts of later inventors and engineers. Seven chapters look at pivotal figures, all men--among them, Charles Babbage (the analytical engine), Jack Kilby and Robert Noyce (the integrated circuit), Steve Wozniak (the personal computer), and Tim Berners-Lee (the World Wide Web). The authors write clearly, explaining the technical aspects of each development and usually giving a sense of the subject as an individual. The book ends with an informative glossary and a bibliography. Illustrated mainly with photos, including many in color, this collective biography offers a good introduction to the men behind the machines and the history of computer technology. Carolyn Phelan
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