Starred Review ALA Booklist (Tue Oct 01 00:00:00 CDT 1991)

Starred Review for reading aloud. An ice-cream vendor who ran out of dishes at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair charmed the public with ice-cream cones; piggy banks came about because of somebody's poor spelling; and cockleburs that stuck to an engineer's jacket became the inspiration for Velcro. These are but three of the happy mistakes Jones gathers together in a splendid book that is as informative as it is entertaining. Jones has great fun with facts, dredging up plenty in a lively, anecdotal account that recollects the oddball origins of a variety of foods, clothing, toys, and devices (including lots of brand names everyone will recognize) that we use everyday. She even throws in a few strange stories about sites on the map--why the Leaning Tower leans; how Nome, Alaska, got its name. O'Brien, who, among other things, is a staff artist for the New Yorker contributes a wonderful assortment of quirky, colorful cartoons that add just the right touch of levity. A gem of a book about dumb luck and how we all profit from it. A bibliography is appended. (Reviewed Oct. 15, 1991)

Horn Book

This intriguing book reveals the often bizarre stories behind the accidental invention or naming of many of today's successful products, including ice-cream cones, aspirin, and doughnut holes. Comical ink-and-watercolor illustrations capitalize on the quirkiness of the theme. Bib., ind.

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Droll cartoons illustrate the stories behind the invention of such everyday items as Silly Putty, trouser cuffs, popsicles and penicillin. Ages 8-up. (June)

School Library Journal

Gr 3-5 All of the inventions mentioned in this book were the result of accidents. Frozen dinner rolls, cheese, Velcro, piggy banks, X-rays, and penicillin were all "oopsies" that turned into popular everyday items. Sections cover food, clothing, toys, medical inventions, and more. Significant changes have been made to the original version of this title, published in 1991. Recent statistics replace outdated numbers: how much cheese people eat, how much Coke has been consumed, how many potato chips are sold, etc. Previously, additional information or recipes were included on the page. Now, they are given their own space, making them easier to read. Gone are the full-page, color, pen-and-ink illustrations. Smaller, black-and-white versions are inserted among the text. These images comically portray the unexpected benefits that can come from making mistakes. VERDICT Nicely updated; consider to replace the older edition. Sandra Welzenbach, Villarreal Elementary School, San Antonio