Module 11: The Day-Glo Brothers

Summary: The true story of Bob and Joe Switzer, two enterprising brothers who accidentally invent Day-Glo paint. While experimenting with fluorescent paint for Joe's magic act, Bob creates the dye that would eventually become Day-Glo paint.

Citation:

Barton, C., & Persiani, T. (2009). The Day-Glo brothers: The true story of Bob and Joe Switzer's bright ideas and brand-new colors. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge.

Impressions: This falls under the category of stuff you see every day but didn't know how it was invented. I don't remember a world without Day-Glo colors so I found this book fascinating. I also like the retro illustrations that are reminiscent of late 1950's/early 1960's and the way to book goes from black and white line drawings to drawings with splashes of color (first fluorescent and then Day-Glo).

Reviews:
First featured in the Fall Preview, Chris Barton breaks down the story behind the discovery of Day-Glo colors in this tale of two brothers--one practical, one creative--who worked together to develop the neon brights that forever changed the world. The book required extensive research, as Barton delved into one brother's notes and interviews with the family to re-create the story The effort was well worth it. "The final pages explode in Day-Glo radiance," said the Kirkus reviews: "Rendered in 1950s-cartoon style, with bold lines and stretched perspectives, these two putty-limbed brothers shine even more brightly than the paints and dyes they created." (Ages 4-8)

The Day-Glo Brothers: The True Story of Bob and Joe Switzer's Bright Ideas and Brand-New Colors. (2009). Kirkus Reviews, 77(22), 10.

Library Use: This would be a perfect book to use for either science or art class since it is perfect for STEAM projects. For art, it would be great to use for color mixing and the science of color. In a science classroom, you can also explore the science of color mixing from a chemistry perspective and also explore different types of fluorescence.