Hedy Lamarr's Double Life: Hollywood Legend and Brilliant Inventor (Volume 4) (People Who Shaped Our World) Hardcover – Picture Book, February 5, 2019

Quite an amazing woman who led a fascinating life.

This non-fiction story is well crafted on every front. Laurie Wallmark's bio of Hedy Lamarr is compelling storytelling. Her scientific explanation of Lamarr's invention is crystal clear and perfectly woven into the fabric of the story, as are the threads of WWII and Lamarr's family history. The not-so-subtle subtext--that brains and beauty can be one and the same-- is the biggest reason I'll give this terrific book to my granddaughter. And tying it all together is the art. Katy Wu's illustration is the perfect 'other half' of this picture book. Her smart graphics and beautiful art make the science of frequency hopping immediately understandable and provide a strong visual rendering of the brains = beauty theme.

I'm an adult, and I was enthralled by this book. Who knew that Hedy Lamarr was anything besides a movie star? Apparently, the U.S. Government knew, kept her 1942 patented invention under wraps as CLASSIFIED until the patent expired, then released it for everyone to incorporate into their devices to make wireless communication secure, including cell phones, WIFI, computers, etc... And she wasn't recognized for her invention until 1997. So many women. So many contributions. So little credit. UNTIL NOW! I want to see a tsunami of books like these! OH, and it's a great book for elementary school kids to learn how this type of secure communication works. The illustrations were terrific, too.

In this STEM picture book biography, Laurie Hallmark shines the spotlight on a famous movie actress who was also a brilliant inventor (who knew?). As a child, Hedy was passionate about acting and also inventing, and as an adult she was able to do both. Hallmark makes a complicated invention easy to understand for young readers, and her back matter about Lamarr's invention and also her movies, as well as the historical context of the time period, provide extra enrichment. Also interesting is that Lamarr's invention is relevant to modern technology today. Vibrant illustrations by Katy Wu enhance the text. A must read!

Most people knew Hedy Lamar as an actress. However, she was more than just a pretty face. Behind closed doors she was an inventor and engineer. The loved creating new things so much, she invented technology that we use on a daily basis.This book was not only a fun biography, but it spoke to many groups of people.This was a lesson on female empowerment as well as a book with a strong female role. Hedy was an inspiration as well. When the whole world thought one thing, she perused a whole side of her few people knew about.Overall I felt this book to be informative and well written. A true lessons in you can be anything you want to be.I received this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine and were in no way influenced by outside sources. I am a professional blogger at Little Lady Plays

This is a well-written introduction to Hedy Lamarr, both as an actress and as an inventor. I like that it discusses how she became interested in inventing as a child, and how she never stopped - even when she became a star of the silver screen. I wish it had done a slightly better job of explaining frustration vs. describing the feeling as 'sad' or 'disappointed' when her frequency technology was labeled as "secret", but otherwise I thought this book was very well done and I would definitely recommend to others.

This is such a great book for kids to see that someone doesn't need to be "one thing." Hedy was a famous actress but also a brilliant scientist. Wallmark's research really shows and this really is a great addition to her other books on famous women in stem like Ada Byron Lovelace and Grace Hopper.

I expected this book to be more intellectual given her achievements. I am disappointed.

My 8 year-old granddaughter loved this book. It sets a wonderful example of how a person can have diverse talents and abilities. And determination.It was a shame that the book left out completely, Hedy's life before Hollywood - her career, marriage and escape should have been included - if only briefly.

Livro muito bom para educar sobre o potencial feminino! A minha filha adorou ouvir sobre a atriz que também foi inventora!