Bright Dreams - by Tracy Dockray (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Young Nikola Tesla got a shock when he rubbed his cat's fur. That small spark lit his imagination forever. Covering his early years to his eventual success in the world of electricity, Bright Dreams showcases Tesla's incredible journey of discovery and perseverance. Author-illustrator Tracy Dockray conveys Tesla's busy and imaginative world with collage-style artwork and informative sidebars"--

Book Synopsis

Young Nikola Tesla got a shock when he rubbed his cat's fur. That small spark lit his imagination forever. Covering his early years to his eventual success in the world of electricity, Bright Dreams showcases Tesla's incredible journey of discovery and perseverance. Author-illustrator Tracy Dockray conveys Tesla's busy and imaginative world with collage-style artwork and informative sidebars.

Review Quotes

An illuminating study of the visionary inventor's tumultuous life and equally stormy career. In a portrait powered by twin themes of electricity and obsession, Dockray retraces Tesla's life from birth (during a thunderstorm) and early youth (wandering about his family's yard with nose in a book about, presciently, Niagara Falls) to the lighting of the Chicago World's Fair in 1893 and the opening of the massive alternating-current hydroelectric project at, yes, Niagara Falls in 1895. She then closes with a quick list of his other inventions over a view of him speeding past in the modern electric car that bears his name. In an afterword (set in small type) she suggests that his behavior points to an "autism spectrum disorder" diagnosis and summarizes his troubled, obscure final years. Sidebars alongside the main narrative explain the difference between AC and DC, how a dynamo works, and other relevant topics; a timeline includes several incidents and inventions not mentioned in the main narrative. The line-drawn illustrations have an old-time-y look, emphasized by sparing application of color, that's occasionally jarred by the sudden appearance of a collaged-in photographic element. Though this doesn't equal the voltage of Elizabeth Rusch's Electrical Wizard, illustrated by Oliver Dominguez (2013), it generates watts enough to leave readers with a deeper understanding of Tesla's larger-than-life feats and flaws. Human figures are white throughout, the men sporting picturesque period facial hair. A well-turned tale with flashes of insight. (glossary, further reading) (Picture book/biography. 7-9)-- "Kirkus Reviews"

In this biography of electrical engineer and inventor Nikola Tesla, readers will find themselves exploring Tesla's childhood, considering the influences that sparked his imagination at a young age, and following him as he worked toward finding a solution to the scientific questions that most occupied his mind. Vibrant illustrations create a luminous setting for Tesla's hardships as he struggles to convince those around him of the benefits of alternating currents, forcing him to continuously set aside his ideas. Many of Dockray's spreads are joined with a sidebar that adds some bit of history or explains pertinent, higher-level concepts, such as atoms, engineering, "DC vs. AC electricity," and more. An afterword offers additional information on Tesla's life after the world's fair and his success with alternating currents, including some of the hardships that Tesla continued to face. A glossary, time line, bibliography, and suggested additional readings are also included. An interesting and inspiring addition to STEM collections.--Selenia Paz "Booklist"