Select one of the keywords
The Day-Glo Brothers    by Chris Barton Amazon.com order for
Day-Glo Brothers
by Chris Barton
Order:  USA  Can
Charlesbridge, 2009 (2009)
Hardcover
* * *   Reviewed by Lyn Seippel

The bright Day-Glo colors we see daily didn't exist before 1935. You may never have heard of the Switzer brothers, but their ingenuity and creativity brought us these gleaming florescent colors.

Bob Switzer, the older brother, is a hard worker with plans to be a doctor. While working a part time job, Bob has a tragic fall that causes memory loss. His plans to become a doctor are stalled.

Joe, the younger brother, is less ambitious than his older brother. He is a part-time magician. He spends most of his time working on his magic act. Joe has a knack for problem solving. While Bob is recuperating in their darkened basement, Joe is there for another reason. He is interested in the ultraviolent lights that cause objects to glow in the dark. He wants to use this phenomenon in his magic act. Bob is bored and decides to help.

From library books, they learn to make paints that glow-in-the-dark when lit with ultraviolet light. The brothers then decide to make colors that will glow when seen in the daylight. At home, without scientific labs and expensive chemicals, the brothers go on to invent Day-Glo paints.

Tony Persuani illustrated this book with black and white cartoons, adding Day-Glo colors as the book nears the end. This absorbing tale of the Switzer brothers should appeal to grades four through six – and their parents.

Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons.

Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews