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FREE App – Cool to Be Clever

FREE App – Cool to Be Clever post image

This is a book App targeted at kids 6 and up, or kids who are ready to read chapter-books.  It tells the true story of Edson Hendricks: He was bullied at school, but found comfort in an imaginary world where he had machine parts, and no biological organs or emotions.  Later he went to MIT and IBM, and invented “connectionless” network design, which is used in today’s Internet.  While reading it, I felt it is almost like a featured documentary.  In addition to the story itself, the App also includes some good information on teaching a genius child, fighting bully, and Edson Hendricks’ insight for invention.  With so much good content and nice design, I cannot believe it is free.

App Features from App Store:
• A true inspiring story written by a former primary school teacher (now a private investigator), suitable for “chapter-book” reading level
• Complete story narration by Edson Hendricks (with option for the app to turn the pages)
• Bright child-appealing illustrations
• The latest information about preventing schoolyard bullying from the Red Cross, and The Council for Exceptional Children
• “Teaching children of genius” advice from Leanne Jones
• “How my mind works” and “people who are different” interviews with a genius
• Hendricks’ unorthodox insights into the origin of Earth’s water and tektites
• Original musical score – 6 songs composed and performed on piano by Leanne Jones
• Hendricks interviewed: “genuine inventions”, “predicting the future”, “necessary situation for invention”, “creating a network”, “debugging”, “naming VNET”, “the first email virus”, “advice to programmers”
• “Evolution of a Virtual Machine Subsystem”, the 1979 IBM Systems Journal article by Hendricks and Hartmann chronicling the technical development of VNET into a world-wide network years before the Internet was launched
• Dozens of anecdotes about creating VNET and meetings with Vint Cerf and other scientists
• Trip reports, internal memos and documents detailing IBM’s bungled opportunity
• 160k log of pre-Internet emails between scientists debating standards.

iGameMom Comments:

This is a good biography book teaching kids overcome difficulties, be resilient at difficult situations, and be persistent in personal pursuit.  It is inspirational for kids and adults, especially those interested in science and technology.  It is only available for iPAD.  It is FREE.

If you would like to check it out or purchase it, please use the App Store link provided below. The cost is the same to you, but iGameMom gets a small percentage. Thanks for your support! Note: The link works for all countries.
Cool to be Clever: Edson Hendricks

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{ 21 comments… add one }
  • Genesis

    This is my first go to website; this website carries amazing and genuinely fine information in support of visitors.

  • What an excellent site…great apps for the kids!

    • iGameMom

      Thanks, come visit more!

  • Love your blog and will definitely be downloading this book! Thanks for doing the treasure hunting for us!

    • iGameMom

      It is a good book to have. Hope you enjoy it, like I did. and come visit more!

  • great blog, and a great way to get the kiddies to enjoy reading. Thanks

    • iGameMom

      Thank you Kerina. Hope you like the app.

  • Hi iGameMom –
    Thanks for your review of COOL TO BE CLEVER. Thousands of people from 47 countries have downloaded this app, and the supportive reviews keep rolling in.
    I loved your comparison to a featured documentary — that is a great way to explain how this is so much more than a book. It really is a multi-media presentation of the whole story, which allows kids (and their parents) to explore in whatever way works best for them (reading the story, listening to narration, watching videos and audio interviews, viewing background documents, learning about anti-bullying strategies…).
    thanks, cheers, Bruce Batchelor (for Agio Studios)

    • iGameMom

      Hi Bruce,
      Thanks for your note, and thanks for the wonderful book app. Our whole family enjoyed reading it. How did you find me?

      • Hi iGameMom –
        Thanks for posting. I learned about your review through a Google Alert which tells me each day if the words “cool to be clever” appear on any websites or blogs across the web. By the way, through a boo-boo on my part, the price reverted to $2.99 yesterday — it was supposed to remain at free — and 21 people bought it. I’ve just switched the pricing back to free, and expect that new pricing will take effect at midnight tonight.
        thanks, cheers, Bruce
        bruce.batchelor@gmail.com

        • iGameMom

          Thanks for the warning! I updated my post, hope people saw it. In fact, it is such a nice app, I don’t mind paying for it. I can see it takes a lot work to put it together. Nice work!

  • Lots of helpful information here. Great blog!

    • iGameMom

      Thanks for commenting. Please visit more!

  • ditto: thank you for this blog! that said, I don’t think I could get my kid to read a biographer when she hasn’t finished all the harry potters yet….

    • iGameMom

      Ha, Harry Potter is not a bad neither. — as long as they are reading. Do keep this in mind, it is quite interesting actually.

  • Fantastic blog – really good read

    • iGameMom

      Thank you! Hope to see you again.

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