It's Cool to Be Clever

It's Cool To Be Clever: The story of Edson C. Hendricks, the genius who invented the design for the Internet

IT'S COOL TO BE CLEVER tells the true story of an inquisitive boy in the 1950s who doesn't fit in at school. Edson Hendricks is bullied because he is so smart (people accuse him of getting answers from his father who is the principal) and has red hair. He finds comfort in an imaginary world where he has machine parts, and no internal organs or emotions.

Years later, Edson's strange capacity to think like a machine helps him create a new way for computers to communicate. His "connectionless" network design paves the way for today's Internet.

Author LEANNE JONES is a private investigator living in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. At one time, when she was a school teacher, she noticed that children of genius need as much encouragement as anyone else. She became interested in Edson Hendricks's story because of his key role in the greatest invention in the world today. Leanne hopes this book will inspire others who have important ideas that should always be encouraged.

The illustrations of dream-like visions and dynamic gears -- illuminating the mind of a young inventor -- are drawn with magic realism by Anna Mah.