Paperback edition coming April 14, 2026. Pre-order today!Flip!How the Frisbee Took FlightBy: Margaret Muirhead / Illustrated by: Adam GustavsonThe origin story of this classic toy soars with unexpected twists and turns.Fred Morrison is credited as the inve
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By: Margaret Muirhead / Illustrated by: Adam Gustavson
Fred Morrison is credited as the inventor of the Frisbee, but for centuries folks have been flipping for flying discs. Ancient Greeks flicked discuses, and beginning in the 1920s, college kids at Yale University were tossing pie tins.
Fred lived in California and had no idea about ancient Greeks or East Coast college kids. His invention quest began in 1932 after tossing a tin popcorn lid around the backyard. For more than twenty years, Fred and his wife, Lu, tried and failed to perfect a flying-disc concept. Eventually they created what we know today as the Frisbee. Their story is full of good old-fashioned perseverance, success, and fun!
If you like this book, youll enjoy these:
Whoosh!
The Day-Glo Brothers
The Inventor’s Secret
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Margaret Muirhead, author
Margaret Muirhead is the author of Mabel, One and Only. Her essays and poetry have appeared in a number of publications, including Boston Globe Magazine, Family Fun Magazine, This Picture Book Life, and many others. Margaret lives in Massachusetts.
Read more about Margaret.
Adam Gustavson, illustrator
Adam Gustavson received his bachelor’s degree in illustration from Rowan University and his master’s from the School of Visual Arts in New York. He has illustrated several picture books, including the award-winning Good Luck, Mrs. K!; Long-Armed Ludy and the First Women’s Olympics; and Dirty Rats. Adam lives in New Jersey.
Read more about Adam.
Kirkus Reviews
Where do new ideas come from? No one knows exactly who created the flying disc. Was it cavekids who flung round rocks? Ancient Greeks who threw the first discus? 1920s New England college students who flew empty pie plates made by a baker named Frisbie? Or was it high school football player Fred Morrison, who started tossing the lids of popcorn tins in 1937? One thing is certain: Fred Morrison became entranced with the idea of a flying disc and was convinced that it could succeed. Zippy, well-paced text teeming with consonance and energetic, engaging retro-style illustrations trace Morrisons development of the toy. After pursuing several prototypes, bouncing back from failure, partnering with his wife, and blending the idea with the space craze of the late 40s and 50s, Morrison was eventually able to sell his designcalled the Pluto Platterto Wham-O, a toy company that learned of the pie plates in New England, tweaked the name, and began to distribute the Frisbee we know today. A great choice for illustrating social-emotional skills, particularly resilience, as well as steps of the STEM process, this lighthearted, entertaining selection is full of kid appeal and is sure to provide inspiration and encourage inventive thinking. Period illustrations feature an all-White cast, with people of color appearing in a contemporary park scene. An appealing true tale of innovation and perseverance.
School Library Journal
The frisbee is such a ubiquitous toy, it is hard to imagine a time when it didnt exist. This nonfiction picture book tells the story of the origin and marketing of the classic toy. After a brief mention of older disc games (like those in Ancient Greece), the book begins exploring the creation of the frisbee almost simultaneously in two places in early-20th century AmericaYale University and California beaches. Told in narrative text and colorful drawn illustrations, the frisbee evolves from a pastry dish to a plastic saucer and the toy we know now. The colorful cartoon-like drawings well match the subject matter. The elongated arms of the disc-throwing people especially suggests the sense of movement. Other than a brief authors note at the end and a short list of sources, there is no additional back matter or historical information. No photos are included to provide more context. While this will be good as a story for young students, it will not be sufficient for older students doing research. VERDICT A sweet nonfiction picture book explaining the history of the frisbee which might be of interest to young students but lacks any additional depth for further learning.
The Horn Book
Stories of inventions usually have a single starting point. But when it comes to the origin of the flying disc, more than one individual has a claim. Muirhead’s text provides a few possible answers but focuses on the one individual with enough entrepreneurial gumption to create the product seen flying through the air at beaches and parks today. In 1937, California high schooler Fred Morrison happened to be tossing a flat popcorn lid with his girlfriend. Something about the way the lid flew grabbed hold of Morrison, and soon the lid was replaced by a better-flying cake pan. Muirhead describes the many iterations of Morrison’s invention, from five-cent cake pans sold at the beach for a quarter to specially designed and molded plastics that led to the durable Frisbee we know today. Gustavson’s gouache illustrations (a bit static-looking for capturing the excitement of a disc’s gliding flight) allude to Norman Rockwell’s Americana style while efffectively situating readers in pre- and post-World War II settings. An author’s note and sources are appended. Fans of Barton and Tate’s Whoosh! and McCarthy’s Earmuffs for Everyone! will flip for this unique invention tale.
Download the Cover
Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-58089-880-5
Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-62354-709-7
E-book
ISBN: 978-1-63289-736-7 EPUB
Ages: 48
Page count: 32
10 x 10
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