The pen has a long history. It began as a sharpened reed used by Ancient Egyptians, but the reed point dulled quickly. It was replaced by a feather quill, then a steel-nibbed quill, a fountain pen, and finally the disposable Bic pen that was manufactured in the billions. Meanwhile, the Japanese and Chinese were using soft brushes and ink because regular pens were not useful for character writing. Only when the felt pen was invented did they switch. From those came the coloured markers children use today. Little Inventions by Raphael Fejto is a series of kid-sized books about objects that children encounter every day with little thought of how, where and when they were invented. In fact, the beginnings of these common objects are fascinating and their true stories are told here in amusing anecdotes and charming illustrations.

Each book closes with a memory game, making them useful for early reader groups. AGES: 8-10 AUTHOR: Raphael Fejto wrote his first book at school at 11 years old, and by 12 he had become a child actor. He went on to make films, including as co-star in Louis Malle's "Au revoir, les enfants" in 1987. He lives in Paris, where he has written and illustrated over 30 children's books.