Tom Swift - young scientist, engineer, inventor

[difalcojr]

Tom Swift and Tom Swift Jr. books for young readers (ca. 8-9 to 14-15) are not in publication now, but have a history of over 100 years until recent times. I'd wager that many readers were motivated by the stories and adventures to to become scientists, engineers, and inventors themselves, for the books remained popular and even led to other popular, young reader books (Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys).
Written by ghost writers under the pseudonym Victor Appleton (and Victor Appleton II in that series), Howard Garis wrote from the beginning until 1932, and ca. 30 others the rest. Here's a summary:

Series...Years...........#books.......Series title......................Book type........ave.#pages.........Illustrations

1.........1910-1941.............40.............Tom Swift.................................hardbound.................210.......................1 at start.... 2.........1954-1971.............33.............Tom Swift Jr............................hardbound..............175-210.........1 per chapter..
3.........1981-1984.............11.............Tom Swift.................................hardbound..................190.........................0................
4.........1991-1993.............13.............Tom Swift.................................pocketbook.................150.........................0................
5.........2006-2007...............6.....Tom Swift, Young Inventor...........paperback.................160.........................0................
6.........2019-2022...............8.....Tom Swift Inventors' Academy....paperback................130..........................0...............


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Tom_Swift_books

 

[difalcojr]

Here's how the covers evolved:
1st series: 1913-1941

2nd: 1954-1971 (both shown are 1954, #1 and #4)

3rd: 1981-1984 and 4th: 1991-1993

5th: 2006-2007 and the last series, the 6th: 2019-2020

 

[phyzguy]

I loved those books when I was young!! I remember "Tom Swift and his Flying Lab" quite well.

 

[Best Pokemon]

The CW had a Tom Swift TV show.

 

[Vanadium 50]

I dropped my toothpaste, said Tom, crestfallen.

 

[jtbell]

Is that his great-great-great niece who’s sitting in a box in the Kansas City football stadium right now, watching her boyfriend help the Chiefs to beat the Ravens?

 

[Vanadium 50]

"Let's go camping!" said Tom, intently.