Discover how Rube Goldberg followed his dreams to become an award-winning cartoonist, inventor, and even an adjective in the dictionary in this inspiring and funny biographical picture book. Want to become an award-winning cartoonist and inventor? Follow your dreams, just like Rube Goldberg! From a young age, Rube Goldberg had a talent for art. But his father, a German immigrant, wanted Rube to have a secure job. So, Rube went to college and became an engineer. But Rube didn’t want to spend his life mapping sewer pipes. He wanted to follow his passion, so Rube got a low-level job at a newspaper, and from there, he worked his way up, creating cartoons that made people laugh and tickled the imagination. He became known for his fantastic Rube Goldberg machines—complicated contraptions with many parts that performed a simple task in an elaborate and farfetched way. Eventually, his cartoons earned him a Pulitzer Prize and his own adjective in the dictionary. This moving biography is sure to encourage young artists and inventors to pursue their passions.

What Kind of Book is Just Like Rube Goldberg: The Incredible True Story of the Man Behind the Machines

Reviews

B is for Bookworm

5.25

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Author

Sarah Aronson

Sarah Aronson began writing for kids and teens when someone in an exercise class dared her to try. Since then, she has earned an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and published three novels: Head Case, Beyond Lucky, and Believe. Her most recent books are part of a new young middle grade series about the worst fairy godmother ever, The Wish List. She is the cofounder and organizer of the Writing Novels for Young People Retreat at VCFA and has served as an SCBWI mentor in both Illinois and Michigan. She lives in Evanston, Illinois.

Illustrator

Robert Neubecker

Robert Neubecker is an award-winning illustrator whose work has appeared in The New York Times, Time Magazine, Newsweek, The Chicago Tribune, The Wall Street Journal, and just about every magazine in print. He helped create the look of Slate.com and was on staff there from 1996-2015. Robert won the prestigious 2004 Key Award for Best Comedy Poster for the movie Sideways. Robert’s first book for children, “Wow! City!” won the ALA Notable Book Award for 2005. Over thirty books have followed including: “Every Corner Needs a Monster” with Jean Reidy, 2013 Colorado Book Award winner “I got Two Dogs” with John Lithgow, “Air Show!” with Treat Williams, and “Sophie Peterman Tells the Truth” with Sarah Weeks.” In 2012, Robert’s “What Little Boys are made of” won a Kirkus Review Best Books of the Year award. Spring, 2017: “Keith Haring: The Boy Who Just Kept Drawing” by Kay Haring, Keith’s sister. Summer 2017: “King Louie’s Shoes” with DJ Steinberg was released from Beach Lane Books. Fall 2017: Robert’s “Fall is for School,” Winter 2017: “Space Boy and the Snow Monster” by Dian Curtis Regan from Boyd’s Mill Press. Spring 2019: “King Louis’ Shoes” by Sarah Aronson Spring 2019: “Just Like Rube Goldberg” by Sarah Aronson Fall 2019: “Little Smokey” Robert has taught at School of Visual Arts in New York, BYU, and the University of Utah. An ex-New Yorker, Robert now lives on the side of Iron Mountain in Park City, Utah. He is married with two teenage kids and lives in the woods at the edge of town with a whole bunch of dogs and cats. Moose come around and eat his garden.