Book Turner
Lexi loves reading outside but that can be hard to do on a windy day! So she invented the Book Turner, a clever steam-powered invention that turns the pages of a book. Lexi worked with illustrator Liz Million, creating a series of brilliantly bonkers but comfy chairs for different characters. Fun!
Keep scrolling to see the story of this amazing invention!
Invention Story
"You sit on a chair, you press a button and the water goes to the boiler and when it has boiled, the steam turns the page."
Lexi
At the first Pioneers session at Preston Park Museum, Lexi got to meet the other Pioneers, the Little Inventors team and even the Tees Valley Mayor.
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.jpg "Invention comics")
After that first session, Lexi continued to think about her invention at home and captured her ideas in her Inventor's Log. She wrote about her inspiration and also created a brilliant comic strip!
Lexi used materials found at home to develop her ideas further by making her own fantastic prototype of the Book Turner.
Lexi met Tees Valley based illustrator Liz Million on a video call. Liz especially liked that the Book Turner would allow her to read her book while eating cheesy crisps as her book wouldn't get messy with the hands-free page turning.
Book Turner Chair brainstorm session!
I was really excited about meeting Lexi and discussing her book turner invention. We had a super Zoom chat. We discussed her ideas, talked about her model and how it came about. We then discussed the 'look' of the chair, who would use it and with our imaginations combined we whirled into a magical brainstorm! PHEW! I drew along with Lexi and got her practising drawing people as I wanted a variety of characters to be standing alongside her designs. I left her with a 3 day challenge to invent some funky chairs with excited people to draw at home.
After her call with Liz, Lexi worked on developing her invention and coming up with a set of character ideas for the Book Turner chairs. Here's her Superhero Hulk Chair!
.jpg "Rollerskate Hulk Design")
.jpg "Lizard Unicron Design")
.jpg "Bear Rabbit Design")
Designs received...WOW!!
Lexi did not disappoint. Her colourful chair designs, after our brainstorming session, were just epic! I loved all of them and could just imagine them in the shops. I couldn't choose a favourite so I've decided to go ahead and create 6 designs for her. My brain was totally fired up too. Can't wait to work on the final designs!
My quick designs...I want to go on Dragons Den with Lexi!
Well... after my brainstorm with Lexi, I couldn't resist having a go at designing some whacky chairs too! I really wish I'd have had Little Inventors when I was a little girl in the 1980's, as I was always creating new things. Which one would you like in your home or school? I can imagine some of the looks these would get in our local libraries!
Love the people!
Here are a couple of people that are about to sit on one of Lexi's chairs! I simply traced over Lexi's sketches with a fine liner pen and added some gorgeous colours using my beloved marker pens. As an illustrator I thrive on new projects like this and I get a real buzz from bringing children's designs to life!
Lexi has used her Inventor's Log to pan her exhibition, we love that in her plan there will be a chair in a cosy corner that you can try, she's also created this lovely drawing to show her chair on display.
To let people know about her exhibition, Lexi has created this eye-catching, colourful poster and put together an invitation for her friends and family.
Lexi has already been busy thinking about other problems she wants to invent for, and with her wonderful imagination, we know they will be worth seeing!!!
