Born into a life of privilege in 1878, Lillian Moller Gilbreth put her pampered life aside for one of adventure and challenge. She and her husband, Frank, became efficiency experts by studying the actions of factory workers. They ran their home efficiently, too. When Frank suddenly died, Lillian was left to her own devices to raise their eleven children. Eventually, she was hired by the Brooklyn Borough Gas Company to improve kitchen design, which was only the beginning.
Lillian Gilbreth was the subject of two movies (Cheaper by the Dozen and Belles on Their Toes), the first woman elected to the National Academy of Engineering, and the first female psychologist to have a U.S. postage stamp issued in her honor. A leading efficiency expert, she was also an industrial engineer, a psycologist, an author, a professor, and an inventor.
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful.
Excellent addition to the series!
By B. Miller
Monica Kulling’s Great Idea Series is one of my favorite nonfiction series for young readers. The books showcase inventors, some more known than others, and how they were inspired to create their inventions that, in many ways, changed the course of history. For example, It’s a Snap: George Eastman’s First Photograph tells the story how Eastman invented the photograph, and thus ushered in the new age of documenting history as well as the advent of ‘selfies.’ Going Up: Elisha Otis’s Trip to the Top depicts the founding of the elevator, allowing skyscrapers to literally touch the sky. And one of my favorites, the award-winning In the Bag: Margaret Knight Wraps It Up , about the young inventor of the folded paper bag who eventually owned over twenty patents.Monica’s newest edition to the series is Spic-And-Span: Lillian Gilbreth’s Wonder Kitchen. This book follows the amazing story of Lillian Gilbreth, the inspiration for the matriarch in the movie and book, Cheaper By The Dozen. Her life is so much more amazing than a movie or a book, however. When her husband dies unexpectedly, Lillian forges ahead to raise her children alone. An efficiency expert, industrial engineer and psychologist, Lillian’s designs and inventions are still considered fundamental to contemporary kitchens eighty years later.Monica excels at taking a moment in history, oftentimes a forgotten moment, and fashioning a story that is both compelling and informative. Her poetic narrative makes the book the perfect read aloud.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful.
Review in exchange for free copy of hardcover book
By Amazon Customer
This is an informative juvenile picture book biography celebrating the accomplishments of Lillian Gilbreath, the mother in the true story Cheaper by the Dozen. As a homemaker with 11 children, she applied her learning and creativity as an electrical engineer and psychologist to make home and commercial enterprises function more efficiently. By necessity she became a working mother in the workforce. Some of her innovations we still use today, but I don't want to spoil the discovery.The writing is staighforward and clear. The illustrations make this a beautful book.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful.Lillian Gilbreth, an Amazing Woman
By RavenG
Spic-And-Span by Monica Kulling is a children's book about Lillian Gilbreth, an industrial engineer, a psychologist, and an efficiency expert. It tells the story of Lillian and her eleven children and how she cared for them when her husband died suddenly. The Brooklyn Borough Gas Company hired her to design kitchens that were well organized and efficient.The story is interesting and will hold the interest of children. The illustrations by David Parkins are very detailed and add much to the story. This book would make a great addition for a classroom or homeschool.
