Mistakes That Worked: 40 Familiar Inventions & How They Came to Be

by Charlotte Foltz Jones, John O'Brien (Illustrator)

Grade 4-6-- For those readers who feel as though they've yet to accomplish anything in life, these discoveries will come as a great relief. None of the inventions described in these pages were planned; in fact, some of the inventors had no idea they'd stumbled on something useful until years later, when their works became popular. Jones covers both patented inventions (Silly Putty, Popsicles, Coca Cola) and generic ones (bricks, donut holes, cheese). She also throws in some place names whose monikers were coined accidentally. The loony watercolor sketches and all the extras here--fun facts, recipes, and anecdotes--are perfect for browsing. This book covers material similar to that in Wulffson's The Invention of Ordinary Things (Lothrop, 1981) and Steven Caney's Invention Book (Workman, 1985), but both are without the specific slant of "mistaken discovery." The only detriment to this otherwise versatile book is the cartoon stereotypes of the Eskimo, Native American, and Chinese man. --Cathryn A. Camper, Minneapolis Public Library
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, History, Childrens, Middle Grade, Humor, Picture Books

Paperback

First published September 1, 1991

Reviews

[Manybooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engagingly, enlighteningly but always also humorously and entertainingly recounted (and graced by John O'Brien's fun but really never too in-one's face and interfering accompanying panel like illustrations) with both basic and much supplemental informational details on each of the presented, on each of the featured inventions, Charlotte Foltz Jones' Mistakes That Worked: 40 Familiar Inventions & How They Came to Be shows a versatile, varied combination of forty common household objects, medicines and other innovations that emerged, that came into being either by mistake or by accident (and with the latter in mind, I personally would not be using the title Mistakes That Worked, as while many of the examined creations like fudge, scotch guard, post-it notes etc. were indeed due to actual manufacturing mishaps, many of the inventions definitely came into being more because of plain and simple serendipity and others, like the eponymous sandwich due to inventive imagination and human ingenuity, because the Earl of Sandwich wanted to be able to continue eating whilst still engaging in his penchant for gambling, or potato chips owning their emergence because of a chef getting annoyed at a patron constantly wanting thinner potato slices and actually creating the chips to deliberately annoy said patron, who though loved them and kept asking for more). Combined with that which is so important and essential to and for me with regard to a decent and useable non fiction tome for children (for older children above the age of eight or nine), namely a select but extensive bibliography as well as an appreciated index, Mistakes That Worked: 40 Familiar Inventions & How They Came to Be is pretty well a near perfect combination of specific historic, scientific, cultural details and so-called fun and entertaining little factoids (never tedious, always engaging, and yes, most importantly, also presenting such important and essential nuggets of knowledge that for instance aspirin should not be taken by individuals younger than sixteen years of age due to its links to Reye's syndrome and that appreciatively, Charlotte Foltz Jones also points out essential health and safety measures for children using the kitchen, such as being careful and prudent with regard to utilising utensils, appliances and such, following recipes and yes, always having proper adult supervision when cooking).

[C. (Don't blank click my reviews, comment please! · Rating 3 out of 5]

When “Schitt’s Creek” won all the 2020 comedy Emmy awards, Jimmy Kimmel introduced the stars like this: “Not since the maple syrup wars of the 1800s has our nation been so thoroughly dominated by our neighbours to the north”. Syrup is one of the top souvenirs bought by our visitors. Associating it with us ranks with snow.

“Mistakes That Worked: 40 Familiar Inventions And How They Came To Be” is from friends, which I perceived as humour oriented. John O’Brien’s drawings are quirky comics that add visual and tonal colour. They are the highlights. This book is not as hilarious or interesting as I anticipated. It took 3 weeks to browse because nothing seized my attention. It is not the worldwide sampling implied by the Tower Of Pisa on the cover. Few items are international and Pisa is the only place outside the United States, in a chapter designated “Where In The World?”. Charlotte Foltz Jones naturally features her country but those goods lack variety. Starting with food was laborious, a chapter of 13 items. It felt like slogging through a cookbook, instead of a dynamic travel extravaganza. I love the origins of basic things but statistics of their use around the world would enliven the scope.

I tolerated the pandering but drew the line at misinformation, or shoddy research. We all consulted books in 1991, before the advent of the internet. When tapping trees for syrup was attributed to Americans, I hit the roof! Charlotte listed the top 5 syrup making states. Canada received this conciliatory acknowledgement: “also a major producer”. You think?

“Made In Canada: 101 Amazing Achievements” discusses something major pertaining to soda but I will grant Charlotte’s Coca-Cola history a pass. This book would work better entirely compiled for Americans, or properly balanced to be international.

[Mayda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mistakes and accidents happen in everyone’s life, but these mistakes and accidents have actually enriched people’s lives. Some were just fun, like Silly Putty, some were tasty, like potato chips and chocolate chip cookies, and some were helpful, like Velcro and Vulcanized rubber. It’s all here, in this entertaining book intended for kids, but adults might learn a thing or two, too.

[Kelsie Christensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute little book I borrowed from the elementary school I work at. I enjoyed reading about all the things people accidentally created. This was geared towards kids so it was a little cheesy, but I liked it.

[Farhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting fact book. Fun read.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun little book! I love learning new things and will pass this on to my grandson who enjoys learning, too.

[Courtney Stevens · Rating 3 out of 5]

So many things (food, medicine, clothing, city names, etc.) were invented on accident! Fun book, not the most exciting, but good to know that even when you mess up hardcore your mistake can have value and solve someone else's problem.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice collection of historical anecdotes concerning accidental inventions and discoveries. It was nice to see the bizarre origins of many now-commonplace items. The tone was light, and the chapters, though many, we quite short. There was a nice bit of humor thrown in, too; and pictures and charts helped convey information without being monotonous. A fun book for kids that adults can enjoy, too.

[Shilo Quetchenbach · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really surprised to find this with a Kiwi Co branding on the front. I generally think of their things as good quality and this one had some surprising choices. For one thing, some stories are filled with names and dates and others are just like "there is a story that" and both are presented as equally valid. I really think some distinction should have been made there. There were also some surprising choices in the content of the entries.

The first thing that struck me as 'off' was one of the very first entries: maple syrup. It tells a story of a 'chief' who throws his 'tomahawk' at a tree and his 'squaw' (really unfortunate choice there??) discovers that the sap is sweet.

The next thing I really noticed was that the thinnest glass in the world is made in "West Germany." (Like. If you're giving a statistic like that it should be current which obviously that is not.)

There is another odd choice involving Native Americans in the story about the state line that is off. It is presented as if it were perfectly natural to be afraid of them after Custer's defeat. While that is perhaps lacking some nuance, it was the image that really threw me. It shows a scrawny white surveyor drawing a line that curves around a large, imposing Native American chief with weapons rasied.

This image and story, when combined with the first (and only other) story involving Native Americans gives the whole a racist undertone that is disappointing.

Overall the kiddo enjoyed parts of it but it really could have used some updating and a sensitivity read.

[Andrea Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful, interesting collection of true and legendary stories about inventors and their accidental inventions.

Content: gambling, mythology mentioned, alcohol

[OpenBookSociety.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://openbooksociety.com/article/mi...


Mistakes that Worked
By Charlotte Foltz Jones, Illustrator: John O’Brien
ISBN13: 9780399552021
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Kayt

Synopsis:

Do you know how many things in your daily life were invented by accident?

SANDWICHES came about when an English earl was too busy gambling to eat his meal and needed to keep one hand free. POTATO CHIPS were first cooked by a chef who was furious when a customer complained that his fried potatoes weren’t thin enough. Coca-Cola, Silly Putty, and X rays have fascinating stories behind them too! Their unusual tales, and many more, along with hilarious cartoons and weird, amazing facts, make up this fun-filled book about everyday items that had surprisingly haphazard beginnings.

“A splendid book that is as informative as it is entertaining . . . a gem.” —Booklist, Starred

Review:

Sandwiches, chocolate chip cookies, Frisbees, Silly Putty, the potato chip, how did they come to be? They were Mistakes that Worked: The World’s Familiar Inventions and How They Came To Be. Delightful facts, entertaining cartoons and well delivered historical information contribute to make this book a fun read. Learn more about how some of the most populate day to day items went from mistakes to successes. I for one am sure glad they messed up and produced Coco Cola and chips, as well as chocolate chip cookies. I know I learned some very interesting things about items I use often if not every day. Things we take for granted like rubber and aspiring had to come from somewhere, be invented by someone. How funny to find out they came from mistakes.

Although this intriguing book is written towards a younger audience (middle grade level), I really enjoyed it. I think it is fascinating to learn where and how things I use and eat and drink came to be what they are. I am pretty sure readers of the intended readers will get a lot of it and have fun while learning. The writing is not dumbed down, yet is still very easy to understand and has the necessary warnings for those younger reads. The cartoons are cute and well done. I feel Mistakes that Worked is the perfect fun read for inquisitive readers of all ages.


*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

[OpenBookSociety.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://openbooksociety.com/article/mi...

Mistakes that Worked
By Charlotte Foltz Jones, Illustrator: John O’Brien
ISBN13: 9780399552021
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Kayt

Synopsis:

Do you know how many things in your daily life were invented by accident?

SANDWICHES came about when an English earl was too busy gambling to eat his meal and needed to keep one hand free. POTATO CHIPS were first cooked by a chef who was furious when a customer complained that his fried potatoes weren’t thin enough. Coca-Cola, Silly Putty, and X rays have fascinating stories behind them too! Their unusual tales, and many more, along with hilarious cartoons and weird, amazing facts, make up this fun-filled book about everyday items that had surprisingly haphazard beginnings.

“A splendid book that is as informative as it is entertaining . . . a gem.” —Booklist, Starred

Review:

Sandwiches, chocolate chip cookies, Frisbees, Silly Putty, the potato chip, how did they come to be? They were Mistakes that Worked: The World’s Familiar Inventions and How They Came To Be. Delightful facts, entertaining cartoons and well delivered historical information contribute to make this book a fun read. Learn more about how some of the most populate day to day items went from mistakes to successes. I for one am sure glad they messed up and produced Coco Cola and chips, as well as chocolate chip cookies. I know I learned some very interesting things about items I use often if not every day. Things we take for granted like rubber and aspiring had to come from somewhere, be invented by someone. How funny to find out they came from mistakes.

Although this intriguing book is written towards a younger audience (middle grade level), I really enjoyed it. I think it is fascinating to learn where and how things I use and eat and drink came to be what they are. I am pretty sure readers of the intended readers will get a lot of it and have fun while learning. The writing is not dumbed down, yet is still very easy to understand and has the necessary warnings for those younger reads. The cartoons are cute and well done. I feel Mistakes that Worked is the perfect fun read for inquisitive readers of all ages.


*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

[Gini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, this is a kids' read, but a fun one for an adult, too. This little book has all kinds of interesting information in it like who invented donuts, or how chocolate chip cookies came to be. Other items include how aspirin was discovered complete with the warnings for use in young children. And how about these? Scotchgard, post it notes, or how Cinderella ended up wearing glass slippers?

The articles are short, maybe a couple of hundred words max, with vocabulary probably appropriate for 10 year olds and up. Each chapter opens with a short line or two like this one from J.G. Holland. "Who never walks save where he sees Men's tracks, makes no discoveries."(56)
The major point is that a mistake which these invention stem from is the worst ever thing that could happen to you and may even open new totally unrelated ideas. That seems like good news to me, and I think a young person might be encouraged as well.

Illustrations by John O'Brien are in color, whimsical, and even include a TSA agent at his post near a baggage scanner. Additionally, an index and selected bibliography finish this book nicely. Credit where it is due isn't a bad thing to learn early.

Pick up a few books like this from time to time to restore some of the magic that time seems to steal from us serious grownups. Maybe even learn something in the process.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of the things that we use and take for granted today have crazy backstories that came from mistakes. Mistakes That Worked tells the history of different things we have today all because someone in history made a mistake and created something by accident. They describe everything from velcro to potato chips and have hilarious pictures to go along with it.

The best part of Mistakes That Worked are the illustrations. They are hilarious and help bring together the theme of the book, that sometimes great things come from silly situations. This book is entertaining and teaches that sometimes mistakes can be really great things.

Paired book: The Kid Who Invented The Popsicle

This book would provide a great lesson on the history of so many things we use today. An unknown and interesting history on an every day object can be very insightful to students. Mistakes are not the end of the world and as told in this book they can be the start of something great.

[Amanda Herman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a compilation if inventions and discoveries that took place by accident. Some examples include silly putty, popsicles, Coca-Cola, donut holes and cheese. There are also examples of places that were named mistakenly. It is also filled with fun facts, recipes, and anecdotes. This book is a great way to teach students that making mistakes can not only help you in the process of learning new things but also can lead to great contributions to society.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great little book for a kid interested in science or history. It's divided up really nicely, and has little vignettes about everything from penicillin to rolled trouser cuffs. A good one to keep in mind for the young factoid enthusiast. It'll make them stretch a little bit beyond in terms of reading, but will provide a lot of little tidbits to keep them interested.

[Cami · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun little read. I knew some of the stories and had never even thought to wonder about others. Now I know the beginnings of the piggy bank, the doughnut, Levi's jeans, and more. The fun facts were indeed fun and interesting! I like the idea of making something out of your failures.

[emyrose8 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pictures, interesting facts, the story of how things were accidentally invented... what more could you want?

[G P Devine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, quick read with some interesting facts.

[Leasar · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Many cooks admit their favorite recipes were the result of accidents.” This quote begins the book Mistakes That Worked by Charlotte Jones. This book consists the history and the mistakes that people made that invented most of the popular recipes/food we eat/use today. Did you know that some of the most common food was invented by mistake? For example, frozen dinner rolls and cheese were invented by mistake. The title of the book, Mistakes That Worked may seem a little confusing because when people think of mistakes, they would usually think that mistakes are negative things and that they should have never been made. Well, in this book, mistakes are not always bad and these mistakes may actually be proven to be positive because, without these mistakes, some great recipes/food may have never been invented. It can give life to a whole new invention that can change people’s lives. There are many recipes we use today that were invented by accident due to mistakes people made. The facts in this book may fascinate you and shock you.
In my own opinion, I really like this book and I honestly thought it was going to be boring judging from the title, but the book is actually very interesting. I learned a lot from this book and the way they interpreted facts is amazing because while it included pictures and the fonts were in a clear, fluent size, which made it fun to read. They included visual pictures that were related to the history of each type of recipe/food. To me, it was interesting because I didn’t know anything behind the recipes and food that are common today. I never thought that the most common things were invented by mistake and it made me think about a lot of things. I would recommend this book to everyone because I think everyone would be interested in it. I would mainly recommend this book to people who have great curiosity in the history behind things. This book has a total of 96 pages and it is juvenile non-fiction. I think the author is trying to achieve the goal of fascinating the minds of the readers and to have them hooked on it. I would give this book 10/10 stars.

[寿理 宮本 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun collection of things that weren't made intentionally, ALTHOUGH a few things are included that were specifically designed but not "mistakes" as per the title.

For instance,

Tea bags: Thomas Sullivan reportedly put tea leaves into small bags to make it cheaper to send samples to customers, not expecting them to brew the tea with the leaves still in the bags.

Levi's jeans: the "mistake" was he had not intended to make jeans, but prospectors suggested he sell pants, so he made pants.

Velcro (or, generically, "hook-and-loop fastener"): the "mistake" was George de Mestral discovered burs stuck to his clothing and thought maybe that could be the basis for a good fastener.

Rather dubious definition of mistake, taking a good idea and running with it. Accidents, I might buy, since the above things weren't made from somebody having an idea and trying to make that specific idea but from capitalising on something that worked. Mistakes makes it sound like "failures that succeeded," but those things didn't *fail.*

That's really my one beef, that the title shouldn't have "mistakes." I guess *possibly* also that the selected bibliography feels a bit thin, like these items weren't researched so much as cribbed (especially since a lot of the sources are single website pages).

Very good opening quote, though, and easy to read.

[Ariel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mistakes That Worked by Charlotte Foltz Jones, and it's all about mistakes that end up making really neat things. Like, you know how sometimes people make mistakes, but those mistakes turn out to be awesome? Yeah, that's what this book talks about!

Did you know that fudge used to be a bad word? Yeah, people would say it when they were upset. But then, one time, a candy maker was making chocolates, and they messed up. The candy got all gooey, and the candy maker said "fudge" because they were kind of mad. And guess what? That's how fudge got its name! How funny is that?

And that's just the beginning. This book tells you about so many other cool things. Like, do you know why gnomes are called gnomes? It's a mistake too! There's a story about that in the book. And tea, you won't believe it – tea started because some leaves fell into a kettle of hot water by accident. That's how tea got started!

I really, really liked this book because it's full of these kinds of stories. It's like a big adventure of mistakes turning into amazing things. When you read this book, you're going to be amazed and excited. You might even want to tell everyone about all the crazy, funny, and awesome facts you learn from it.

But, um, remember not to shout all the facts during lunchtime, or your friends might get surprised and not want to sit next to you. So, if you want to have a lot of cool stuff to talk about and surprise your friends with amazing facts, you should totally read "Mistakes That Worked." It's a super fun book, and you'll enjoy it a lot!

Check out my full review of this book on my YouTube channel. It's got everything you need to know about this amazing read.
https://youtu.be/eFCITdo2IpI

[Jayden Strickland · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Pembleton and his assistant, Venable, were working to create a new medicine in Pembleton's backyard one day. After a successful attempt at making the planned drink, Venable accidentally added the wrong ingredient, carbon dioxide, creating the new and famous, "Coca-Cola."

In the fifteenth century, a substitute for metal was an economical clay, called pygg. Coins were stored in clay jars, eventually referred to as "pyggy banks." Later, in the nineteenth century, when potters received a request for "pyggy banks," they made banks in the shape of a pig, forgetting pygg was a material. The new pig shaped banks were appealing to children and adults, and are still the most popular bank sold in gift shops today.

In the 1950's, a researcher was working with fluorochemicals for aircrafts. When the researcher spilled some on her shoe, she noticed her shoe remained clean in the spot the chemical spilled, while the rest of her shoe was getting dirty. After their discovery, Scotchgard was born. Still today, Scotchgard continues to keep carpeting, clothing, and many other things stain-free.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Humorously written and engaging, “Mistakes that Worked” by Charlotte Foltz Jones talks about accidents and mistakes people have made that actually turned out to be successful inventions that have enriched people’s lives. From yummy items, like potato chips and chocolate chip cookies, to more useful items, like Velcro and Penicillin, Jones go into the history and science behind how these items came to be. This book is fun and engaging for adults and children alike, and shows just how important mistakes and risk-taking can be in day-to-day life. There’s a quote in this book that perfectly sums up this idea: “Intelligence is not to make no mistakes. But quickly to see how to make them good.” This is a quick read that I highly recommend to learn a thing or two about the things we use and eat every day.

[Min · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book listed as a children's book, yet, this is so filled with fun facts about inventions we all know, it is perfect studying to win a trivia night.

The chapters are divided into food, medicine, toys, and other familiar items. Sprinkled through the chapters are lists of Fun Facts that can include words for an item in different languages, record-breakers, or special days for the calendar, to name a few. In the food section, there is a collection of recipes to try.
The selected bibliography offers informative sources to continue learning,. The index allows for fast finding of these interesting tales.

[Dorian.T · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book because in chapter 5 the chef George Crum is determined when the customer keeps on returning his fries because he is unsatisfied with how thick they are. George is determined because he keep of making new batches of fries until the customer is satisfied. Another reason I enjoyed this book is because in chapter 5 George Crum is bold when the picky customer kept complaining about the fries, George made them extra thick to teach the customer a lesson. One flaw about this book is that the tone in chapter 5 is provoking because both the customer and George are complaining and disagreeing about the fries.

[Hugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

The chapter I liked the most is the doughnut mistake. It began by the main character being the captain of the ship. He was eating fried cake in the ship and a storm came. The main character cut out the middle part of the cake since he needed to see where the ship was headed in the storm. He controlled the ship with the wheel while holding the doughnut and looked through it. The main character thought the middle part of the cake was unpleasantly soggy. I like this chapter because it is very fun and coincidental.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a nice short read about real mistake inventions/products that turned into really popular items that are used on a daily basis. I read excerpts of this book to a 6th grade class and they really liked it. Very interesting and it has a good message - don't give up because you never know what could happen. The book is good for boys and girls - 4th and up and there is nothing questionable in the book.

[C.G.Koens · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd give it 3.5 stars, but I can't do that on this rating system, so three stars it is. I loved the idea of this book...I just didn't realize how dated it was when I bought it, so East/West Germany is talked about in present tense! The kids enjoyed it, though, and it was a fun surprise when we discovered that there was a brick museum in a nearby town that we didn't know about. Maybe one of these days, when COVID goes away, we'll take a field trip to learn about these ancient "mistakes."

[Erika · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been reading mostly romance and nonfiction lately. Romance is easy to read and quick, and nonfiction is so easy to put down and pick up again later. I feel like I could read a nonfiction book over months and it wouldn't matter. So, this is a book where the cover intrigued me while I was at the library working and it was fun and interesting to learn about things that were created (donuts, sandwiches, Silly Putty, Post-it notes) by accident or by a fluke.