Clean Sweep! Frank Zamboni’s Ice Machine: Great Idea Series

Frank Zamboni, son of Italian immigrants, along with two relatives opened an ice skating rink in Southern California in 1940. Thanks to Frank’s inventiveness, they had the smoothest ice in their rink. No matter how smooth their ice was, they had to resurface it often as skaters chipped and grooved the ice. And the resurfacing took an hour and a half. Frank was determined to find a way to cut that time down. He started with a wooden sled – pulled by a tractor – to shave the top of the ice, but it couldn’t handle all the operations needed to do the job. Frank didn’t give up. He tried again and again. His work was even interrupted by World War II, but he still didn’t give up, and after nine years, he developed a successful machine: the precursor to today’s Zamboni.

Monica Kulling has written a lively story about a man and his invention that will fascinate young readers. The writing is crisp and the research shines through. Wonderfully detailed illustrations by Renne Benoit complete this truly American story that reminds readers of how immigrant families contribute to our nation.