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Readers > Talk it Up! > Discussion guides > 2012 Oregon Reader's Choice Award Nominees > The Day-Glo Brothers

The Day-glo Brothers: the true story of Bob and Joe Switzer's bright ideas and beyond by Chris Barton, illustrated by Tony Persiani

Discussion guide by Susan Mortimer

Summary

This is the true story of brothers Bob and Joe Switzer, and how they worked together over a number of years to invent Day-Glo (black-light paints). The brothers brought together their individual talents and interests to create what we commonly use today in hunter's vests, highlighter markers, ocean buoys, and many other products.

Booktalk

What's your favorite color? I think it is kind of cool that millions of years ago the dinosaurs might have seen purple flowers growing on the ground. And it's kind of neat to know that 500 years ago when Columbus was seeing America for the first time he probably saw red apples growing on trees. And you know that 100 years ago people looked up at the sky and saw blue right above their heads.

But what about colors that weren't invented by nature, but by people? (open to front liner pages) Like a green so bright it glows in the sun? Or a glowing orange that can be seen for miles? Or maybe a yellow so bright that it kind of hurts your eyes to look at it for too long? These colors weren't around for the dinosaurs or Columbus or even your great-grandma to see, because they were created by two brothers in their basement just 70 years ago!

Now if the idea of inventing a color doesn't impress you, maybe this will – by inventing these colors that glowed both during the day and under ultraviolet light at night, the two brothers helped the United States fight in World War II and helped themselves become millionaires!

If you want to find out how they invented new colors and how those colors were used to save lives and made them rich, you can read The Day-Glo Brothers by Chris Barton.

39 pages, 3rd grade and up

Discussion questions

Warning! Some of the questions contain key elements of the plot. Do not read if you don't want to know what happens!

  1. Day-Glo is not only a cool invention, but it's useful too (for example, the panels of lifeboats are painted in day-glo, to help with rescue attempts). Name something in the room that you think is useful and why.
  2. Many inventors come across their ideas by building on and improving upon the ideas of others, and sometimes they just come upon something totally new. Have you ever thought, "If only there was a better way to [fill in the blank]?" or "Wouldn't it be cool if there was something that could [fill in the blank]?"
  3. Joe (the magician) and Bob (the medical student) had different interests and talents, but they worked well together on their invention. Would they have been as successful working on their own, or with someone outside of their family? Could you work together well with your brother or sister?
  4. The majority of Persiani's illustrations are in black and white, especially for the first half of the book. Why?
  5. Can you think of something invented in your lifetime, something your parents did not have when they were kids?
  6. What motivates most inventors? Why did the Switzer brothers keep trying to improve their product?
  7. Think of some of the interesting color names Crayola crayons have, like eggplant, inchworm, razzmatazz, and tickle me pink. What would you name the Day-Glo colors?

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Activities

Bring in a black light and a Day-Glo poster to demonstrate.