This is one of my favorite books. The first time I saw it was at a Christmas party, it was a gift to a relative who is an archaeologist. I flipped through a few pages and decided within one minute I would have to buy my own copy.

This book has short and easily readable histories of many things, from physical objects to fairy tales, from pre-history to not-so-long-ago, from useful items we take for granted to weird items.

First published in 1987, Charles Panati claims to document the origins of over 500 everyday things. Here's a sample of origins: board games, 3000 BC in Mesopotamia; hamburger, middle ages in Asia; dentures, 800 BC in Etruria; clothes iron, 4th century BC in Greece; children's manners, 1530 in Netherlands; New Year's Day, 2000 BC in Babylon; home air cooling system, 3000 BC in Egypt; chlorine bleach, 1744 in Sweden; and tons more. A very interesting book that can be read in any order, just pick it up, turn to any page, and you'll find something interesting.

It's also great for noticing patterns throughout history. For example a number of recent "everyday things" were used to promote something else, but the main item being promoted wasn't what caught on, ironically the other item used to promote the main item became successful.

This book is appropriate for kids in the 5th and 6th grade and older. There is another book by a different author, but a similar title and premise, Extraordinary Stories Behind the Invention of Ordinary Things. This latter book is geared towards younger readers.