Each title in this series tells the story of a man or woman whose dedication to their chosen cause led to changes that affect all our lives today. Each includes a vivid description of the world in which the famous person lived. In this book, the reader learns that James Watt was a scientific instrument maker who was asked to repair a working model of an early type of steam engine used to pump water out of Cornish tin mines. It was when he set about improving the design, so it would exert more power but use less fuel, and teamed up with a mine owner from Birmingham, that his machines became popular. Despite illness and heartbreak, Watt went on to modify his engine so it could power machines in factories that produced goods, such as cotton. The narrative shows how this ushered in the era of mass-production, while accurate illustration show how Watt's engines work.

 

 

This book is part of a book series called Famous People, Famous Lives .

There are 48 pages in this book. This book was published in 2002 by Hachette Children's Group .

Margaret Nash is an up-and-coming author of fiction and won the Silver Smarties Award in 1998. She lives in Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire. Martin Remphry is a young illustrator with a growing reputation. Principally known for his black and white line work in series such as Sparks, he has enjoyed recent success with picture books such as When I was young. Martin lives in London. Nicola Baxter is the author of Castle Under Attack and Mission to the Arctic .