Kid Konnection: The Boo-Boos That Changed the World

Every Saturday, I host a feature called Kid Konnection -- a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. This week I'm going to share with you a very fun and interesting picture book!

Summary: Did you know Band-Aids were invented by accident? Earle Dickson's wife would often cut her fingers while working around the house. As the son of a doctor, Earle set out to create an easier way for her to bandage her injuries. Luckily, he worked for Johnson & Johnson as a cotton buyer. Voila! Band-Aids were born. The end.

Not really! Earle's bosses at the pharmaceutical giant weren't convinced, and it wasn't until the Boy Scouts of America tested Earle's prototype that this ubiquitous household staple was made available to the public. Soon Band-Aids were selling like hotcakes, and the rest is boo-boo history. -- Charlesbridge

THE BOO-BOOS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD: A TRUE STORY ABOUT AN ACCIDENTAL INVENTION (REALLY!) by Barry Wittenstein and illustrated by Chris Hsu is a terrific book that's both fun to read and educational. I never knew the story behind the creation of Band-Aids, but it's one of those neat stories that shows just how creative people can be when they need to solve a problem!

THE BOO-BOOS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD tells the story of Earle Dickson and his wife... and how he invented Band-Aids. Earle's wife was accident-prone. When she was cooking, she often times cut her fingers and had to hold a bandage around the wound. The awkwardness of the bandage made her even more clumsy... causing more accidents. So one day Earle, who worked for a company that manufactured hospital supplies, decided to take adhesive tape and put little small squares of sterile gauze every few inches to create "Band-Aids." Problem solved!

The book then explains how Band-Aids were mass produced and then distributed. It might surprise you that they weren't an overnight sensation. The company even had to give away thousands of Band-Aids (including to our military) before they became a household name. I guess you could say, "the rest is history!"

THE BOO-BOOS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD is a really interesting book about a really interesting invention. I liked learning the background story of this accidental invention, but I also thought the information was presented in a cute way. The author has the book "end" many times, only to have to story continue. It's a funny way to present the information that will keep kids entertained.

In addition, I really enjoyed the historical information in the back of the book. There's an author's note that further explains the history of band-aids as well as the inventor's life. There is also a timeline of Earle Dickson's life and a list of other major medical inventions that occurred in the 1920s and 1930s as well as links to other sites for more on Band-Aids.

If you want even more about THE BOO-BOOS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD and the history of Band-Aids, check out this activity guide and podcast!

Thanks to Blue Slip Media for providing a review copy of this picture book.

If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!