Machines That Think! - (Big Ideas That Changed the World) by Don Brown (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Machines That Think! explores machines from ancient history to today that perform a multitude of tasks, from making mind-numbing calculations to working on assembly lines to guiding spaceships to the moon. Included are fascinating looks at the world's earliest calculators, the birth of computer programming, and the arrival of smartphones. Contributors discussed include Muhammad ibn Måusåa al-Khwåarizmåi, Ada Lovelace, and Bill Gates. From the abacus to artificial intelligence, machines through the ages have pushed the boundaries of human capability and creativity"--

Book Synopsis

Award-winning author/illustrator Don Brown explores computers and technology in this installment of the Big Ideas That Changed the World graphic novel series.

Machines That Think! explores machines from ancient history to today that perform a multitude of tasks, from making mind-numbing calculations to working on assembly lines to guiding spaceships to the moon. It includes fascinating looks at the world's earliest calculators, the birth of computer programming, and the arrival of smartphones. Contributors discussed include Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi, Ada Lovelace, Alan Turing, and Bill Gates. From the abacus to artificial intelligence, machines through the ages have pushed the boundaries of human capability and creativity.

Big Ideas That Changed the World is a graphic novel series that celebrates the hard-won succession of ideas that ultimately changed the world. Humor, drama, and art unite to tell the story of events, discoveries, and ingenuity over time that led humans to come up with a big idea and then make it come true.

Big Ideas That Changed the World series:
Rocket to the Moon! (#1)
Machines That Think! (#2)
A Shot in the Arm! (#3)
We the People! (#4)
All Charged Up! (#5)

Review Quotes

**STARRED REVIEW**
"Accessible, occasionally funny, and always thoughtful, this speedy but thorough trip through time is a must for budding scientists." --School Library Journal

**STARRED REVIEW**
"Terrific case study on the power of a big idea to work profound changes in our lives."--Kirkus Reviews

"Brown's signature watercolor illustrations keep the tone light and lively, and end matter comprising a timeline, biographical note, sources, author's note, and al-Khwārizmī's ever-so-useful "A Bit about Binary" addendum makes this report-ready for kids who appreciate the good nonfiction in the graphic novel shelves." --Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

About the Author

Don Brown is the author and illustrator of many picture books and has been awarded both the Robert F. Sibert Medal and Orbis Pictus Award. He lives in Merrick, New York.