The Inventors of Lego Toys

Hagar and Garrison explain the Lego backstory to readers who can’t envision a time before the interlocking bricks. The beloved toys were the brainchild of a Danish carpenter, Ole Kirk Christiansen, who developed the idea with the help of his son, Godtfred. Hagar describes Christiansen’s early attempts to create a toy that would sell big; he even rode the wave of the yo-yo’s popularity, which taught him, “Don’t worry about what’s popular. Instead, make good toys that give kids new ways to play.” As the manufacturing of plastic expanded, Christiansen bought an injection-molding machine for his burgeoning toy company in 1947 and began making prototypes of the now-iconic plastic bricks. Hagar’s conversational narration and an early reader–esque format, augmented by sidebars and Garrison’s efficient cartooning, should make the book particularly appealing to newly independent readers—and Lego devotees, of course. Ages 7–12. (Apr.)