Whoosh!: Lonnie Johnson's Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions

Celebrate Lonnie Johnson, inventor of the Super Soaker, in this inspiring STEM picture book biography about the maker of one of the world’s favorite toys.
 
You know the Super Soaker. It’s one of top twenty toys of all time. And it was invented entirely by accident. Trying to create a new cooling system for refrigerators and air conditioners, impressive inventor Lonnie Johnson instead created the mechanics for the iconic toy.
 
A love for rockets, robots, inventions, and a mind for creativity began early in Lonnie Johnson’s life. Growing up in a house full of brothers and sisters, persistence and a passion for problem solving became the cornerstone for a career as an engineer and his work with NASA. But it is his invention of the Super Soaker water gun that has made his most memorable splash with kids and adults.

Chris Barton is the award-winning, best-selling author of several books for children, including Shark vs. Train (Little, Brown) and The Day-Glo Brothers: The True Story of Bob and Joe Switzer’s Bright Ideas and Brand-New Colors. He lives in Austin, Texas.
 
Don Tate is an award-winning author and illustrator of many books for children. His illustrated books include The Cart That Carried Martin and Hope's Gift (Putnam). He is also both author and illustrator of It Jes' Happened: When Bill Traylor Started to Draw (Lee & Low) as well as Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton (Peach Tree). He lives in Austin, Texas.