Every time you flick a switch, listen to a song, or watch a movie, it's all thanks to one man, Thomas Alva Edison. How did young Edison grow up to be the most successful inventor of all time?

Michael Dooling explores the beginnings of Edison's genius: from his boyhood delight in mixing chemicals—sometimes with explosive results—to his disastrous time in school, even his early career as a twelve-year-old businessman. In his clear text and stunning illustrations, Dooling celebrates the imagination and stick-to-itiveness of the man who is America's greatest inventor and entrepreneur.

From the dust jacket