The Light Bulb

Look at the little glass light bulb. It is so small and shiny. Before there were light bulbs, the world was very, very dark when the sun went to sleep. To see at night, people used candles with wobbly, dancing flames. They used smelly oil lamps that made the room feel smoky. It was hard to read stories or play games in the dark.

But a very clever man named Thomas Edison had a bright, bright idea. He thought, 'What if we could catch a little bit of sunshine in a jar?'. In his busy workshop in a place called Menlo Park, he tried and tried to make a safe, glowing light. He worked hard all day and all night. On a special day, October 22, 1879, he found a tiny string, just like a piece of thread. He carefully put it inside a little glass bubble, and whoosh. The light bulb lit up. It glowed and glowed like a tiny, happy star that decided to stay awake all night.

Soon, that one little light bulb was not alone. Lots and lots of new light bulbs, its brothers and sisters, started popping up in homes and on streets. They chased all the dark shadows away. Now, you can flip a switch and a friendly light bulb helps you see your favorite books. It helps you build tall towers with your toys and makes you feel safe and cozy in your room. The little light bulb loves helping to make your world a bright and wonderful place.