Kristina Gehrmann – illustratör

From New York Times bestselling author and news anchor Raymond Arroyo comes the first book in the Turnabout Tales series—a picture book biography of one of America’s most famous inventors, Thomas Alva Edison, and a story about never giving up.No one thought much of young Thomas Alva Edison. He couldn’t focus at school and caused trouble around the house. But where others saw a distracted and mischievous boy, his mother saw imagination and curiosity. At only seven years old, Al, as he was called as a young child, was educated by his mother at home, who understood his potential could be unlocked with non-conventional learning, allowing him freedom to explore, dream, and be inquisitive. Those early years of encouragement, motivation, and loving guidance shaped Al’s future and formed the courageous man who would apply those valuable lessons to inventing the phonograph, the motion picture camera, the light bulb, and more.In The Unexpected Light of Thomas Alva Edison readers will:meet the larger-than-life personality of Thomas Alva Edisonhear an inspiring tale of how taking chances, failures, and struggles can lead to success and achievementslearn about the power of curiosity and imaginationsee the importance of the words “Never give up!”take a carefully researched and actively told romp through historyThe Unexpected Light of Thomas Alva Edison:includes an annotated list of resources and suggested readingfeatures realistic illustrations by artist Kristina Gehrmanncontains an author’s note by Raymond Arroyo, the author of the bestselling The Spider Who Saved Christmasmakes a great back-to-school gift for young readers and teachersThe Turnabout Tales series highlights little-known yet fascinating stories of historical figures who went from underdog to hero, and the adults who inspired them to be true to themselves and do big things that changed the world.

Explore the history of the moon landing through this true story of eleven deaf men who helped NASA and America win the space race!What did it take to put a man in space? To land him safely on the moon? It took years of research-and the help of eleven deaf men! What did they have that hearing researchers at NASA didn't?Take a look inside one part of the journey to the moon, and meet the Gallaudet Eleven: the brave volunteers who helped make it possible. These hidden figures played an important role in NASA's research, and it was their shared disability that made them so vital to the plan: their vestibular systems, a part of the inner ear, did not work, meaning they did not get motion sick. The Gallaudet Eleven were the perfect volunteers for NASA's spinning, whirling tests to learn the effects of space travel on the human body.Whether it meant sitting in a tilting, spinning chair while researchers took notes, or boarding a special Air Force plane that allowed them to experience zero gravity, floating weightlessly in the air-the eleven "bioastronauts" always rose to the occasion, happy to help NASA's mission.Informed by direct correspondence with actual members of the Gallaudet Eleven, Kerry O'Malley Cerra launches this important story into the spotlight. With NASA's new Artemis campaign working toward America's next goal of putting people on the moon's surface once again, there is no better time to learn more about this exciting behind-the-scenes look at the work leading up to the first ever moon landing.