The Pen

by Raphaël Fejtö

The pen began as a sharpened reed used by Ancient Egyptians, but the reed point dulled quickly. It was replaced by a feather quill, then a steel-nibbed quill, a fountain pen, and finally the disposable Bic pen that was manufactured in the billions. Meanwhile, the Japanese and Chinese were using soft brushes and ink because regular pens were not useful for character writing. Only when the felt pen was invented did they switch. From those came the colored markers children use today. Little Inventions by Raphaël Fejtö is a series of kid-sized books about objects that children encounter every day with little thought of how, where and when they were invented. In fact, the beginnings of these common objects are fascinating and their true stories are told here in amusing anecdotes and charming illustrations. Each book closes with a memory game, making them useful for early reader groups.

32 pages, Hardcover

Published September 1, 2016

Reviews

[Abraham Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great children’s invention book about the writing pen, it’s history & some of the variations found around the world!

[Stephanie Tournas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brief informative text and bright cartoon illustrations trace the invention of the pen, as it developed over the centuries. I like that there is humor amongst the information, through facial expressions and thought balloons. "Memory Game" at end.

Sadly, there is no one of color represented in the entire series.