We think that John Boax's 1951 hair-cutting machine was a great idea—aside from the chance that it could seriously burn hair—and that Wilhelm Biber's bread preserver would have taken off, if plastic wrap hadn't come along. And we also believe that a pair of jumping shoes—designed to look like oversized crickets—is a wonderful idea. Two-time Newbery Honor Book and Sibert Award–winning author Jim Murphy here continues his exploration undertaken in Baffling & Bizarre Inventions and discusses real-life inventions throughout history that readers' to 12 (and not a few of the rest of us) will have to see to believe. Fortunately, he presents the inventions first with a vintage illustration and multiple-choice options of what the depicted invention could be; turn the page to learn the answers and more about the creation. Here are scads of unusual inventions for house and farm, as well as clothing and modes of transport—some of which led to better ideas, while others are inventions that we use today and others were doomed from the start; a used-gum receptacle, a hand-cranked washing machine, and a cow-shaped hunting decoy are just a few of our favorites.