Library Intern Book Reviews
Review of The Day-Glo Brothers by Chris Barton
Publisher
Charlesbridge
City
Watertown, Massachusetts, United States of America
Date of Publication
2009
ISBN
9781570916731
Date of Review
2012
Disciplines
Library and Information Science | Modern Literature
Keywords
Children's literature, reviews
Recommended Citation
Schmidt, Stacie, "Review of The Day-Glo Brothers by Chris Barton" (2012). Library Intern Book Reviews. 58.
https://digitalcommons.cedarville.edu/intern_book_reviews/58
Review
The Day-Glo Brothers tells the true story of the two brothers who created the bright neon colors used so often in today’s world. Bob and Joe Switzer each had different goals in life – but after Bob had an accident, he and Joe began experimenting with ultraviolet paint, ultimately discovering a type of paint that glows at night and during the day. The most remarkable thing about this book is the color in the illustrations – the books starts completely black and white, but as the brothers discover ultraviolent paint, certain items in the pictures begin to glow with faint color. The instant that the brothers discover neon color – BAM! The page is awash with neon orange, green, and yellow. It really is a very effective technique. This would be a good book for most 4th through 6th graders, however, there are some rather curvaceous dancers wearing glowing skeleton costumes, and a depiction of spiritualists using paint to simulate ghosts. Some rather skittish children (or parents) might be alarmed away by these two images. This book could be the perfect lead-in to a science experiment for children. More than just covering the discovery of neon paint, Barton follows this special paint into its practical applications during WWII, providing an interesting point for discussion in the classroom about WWII. Recommended. Stacie Schmidt, Centennial Library Intern.