Whoosh!: Lonnie Johnson’s Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions

New York Times best-selling author Chris Barton and dynamic illustrator Don Tate reveal the remarkable story behind the invention of the Super Soaker.

A childhood favorite and summer staple, the Super Soaker was invented entirely by accident. Trying to create a new cooling system for rockets, inventor Lonnie Johnson instead created the mechanics for an iconic toy.

Lonnie Johnson’s life began alongside a whole mess of brothers and sisters and grew to include a love for rockets, robots, inventions, and creativity. With persistence and a passion for problem solving, he became an engineer and worked for NASA. But it is his invention of the Super Soaker water gun that has made his most memorable splash with kids and adults.