THE RUNNING MACHINE

A quick-witted young man decided that wheels and human legs might replace horses.

When a volcano erupted in Indonesia in 1815, it created a “year without a summer.” Freezing temperatures and snow were reported across the globe. Crops couldn’t grow, and farmers found it too expensive to keep horses. Karl Drais, a forester from Baden, Germany, loved riding on horseback, but he couldn’t do so during that grim period. A keen inventor, Karl wondered if he could use wagon wheels to create a machine that would allow people to move swiftly using their own power. He experimented with various contraptions, using parts of an old carriage and assorted bits. After several unsuccessful attempts, Karl devised the idea of placing one spinnable wagon wheel in front of the other, with a seat in between. He added handlebars, and voilà, a human-powered “running machine” was born! (There were no pedals yet.) A crowd gathered to watch Karl take his very first ride as he pushed off with both feet. This fast-paced story will delight young readers, especially enthusiastic bike riders. Negley clearly explains how Karl methodically tweaked his invention; would-be inventors should take note. The illustrations, more cartoonish than realistic, were created digitally and with graphite pencil and paper collage; they appropriately zing with lots of movement.

An enticing glimpse into an inventor’s process.