All Aboard!: Elijah McCoy's Steam Engine

by Monica Kulling, Bill Slavin (Illustrator)

Overview

In the second of Tundra's Great Idea Series, biographies for children who are just starting to read, Monica Kulling presents the life of an extraordinary man. There were few opportunities for the son of slaves, but Elijah McCoy's dreams led him to study mechanical engineering in Scotland. He learned everything there was to know about engines - how to design them and how to build them. But when he returned to the United States to look for work at the Michigan Central Railroad, the only job Elijah could get was shoveling coal into a train's firebox. Undaunted, he went on to invent a means of oiling the engine while the train was running, changing the face of travel around the world. With playful text and lively illustrations, All Aboard! Elijah McCoy's Steam Engine may be the first biography a child discovers, and it will whet the appetite for many more.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781770495142
Publisher:	Tundra
Publication date:	08/06/2013
Series:	Great Idea Series , #2
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.10(w) x 11.50(h) x 0.30(d)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Monica Kulling is a poet who has published many books for children, including picture books, adaptations of classic novels, and biographies. Known for introducing biography to children who are just learning to read, she has written about Harriet Tubman, Houdini, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Amelia Earhart, among others. Her book It's a Snap! George Eastman's First Photograph, illustrated by Bill Slavin, was the first in Tundra's Great Idea Series, followed by All Aboard! Elijah McCoy's Steam Engine and In the Bag! Margaret Knight Wraps It Up. Monica Kulling is also the author of the hilarious Merci Mister Dash! Visit her website at www.monicakulling.ca. The author lives in Toronto, Canada.

Bill Slavin has illustrated over eighty books for children, including The Big Book of Canada by Christopher Moore, The Library Book by Maureen Sawa, It's a Snap! George Eastman's First Photograph and All Aboard! Elijah McCoy's Steam Engine by Monica Kulling. Among his many honors, he has won the Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award, the Blue Spruce Award, and the Zena Sutherland Award for Children's Literature. Bill lives near Millbrook. Ontario.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"When I read Monica Kulling's retelling of the life of Elijah McCoy I felt the same sense of wonder and curiosity that I first experienced when I was initially introduced to this enigmatic, inventive, and charismatic figure. Bill Slavin's images are absolutely beautiful. My daughters LOVE it."
— Andrew Moodie, author of The Real McCoy

“an engaging biography of the African-American inventor . . . The narrative includes fictionalized dialogue and clear explanations about how the machinery works and concludes with an inspiring message . . .” 
— School Library Journal

Editorial Reviews

Praise for All Aboard!

"An engaging biography of the African-American inventor.... The narrative includes fictionalized dialogue and clear explanations about how the machinery works and concludes with an inspiring message.... Expressive watercolors, some full page and some full spread, capture the time period, allowing readers to imagine what life was like in this era, and add energy and touches of humor." - School Library Journal and Black History Month 2011: SLJ's Picks

"... The facts are well supported by the colourful pictures. McCoy's life is an inspiration to young people as it tells of his dream and passion for becoming an engineer... an excellent read aloud. These bold illustrations are full of action showing trains and people in motion and likely to keep young readers' interest. Highly recommended." - Resource Links

From the Publisher

Gr 3—An engaging biography of the African-American inventor. The son of former slaves who escaped to Canada via the Underground Railroad, young McCoy was interested in how machines work. At age 16, he went to Scotland to study mechanical engineering. After his schooling was complete, he joined his family in Michigan, where he applied for work at the Michigan Central Railroad. He was offered a job oiling the train wheels and shoveling coal rather than building and designing engines. In need of employment, he accepted the "ashcat" position, and as he toiled away at the dangerous job, he realized that there had to be a safer way to keep the trains running. For two years, McCoy made drawings and eventually a model of an oil cup to supply lubrication to the moving parts of the engine. Wisely, he patented his invention and convinced his employer to give it a trial run. The train to Kalamazoo arrived at its destination in record time without having to stop to oil the engine machinery. The narrative includes fictionalized dialogue and clear explanations about how the machinery works and concludes with an inspiring message. "When Elijah got older, he encouraged children to stay in school and to follow their dreams too." Expressive watercolors, some full page and some full spread, capture the time period, allowing readers to imagine what life was like in this era, and add energy and touches of humor.—Linda L. Walkins, Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Brighton, MA

School Library Journal