Alexander Graham Bell's First Call

An illustrated inventions story from Wonder Inventions — free to read, with narration.

Alexander Graham Bell's First Call — an illustrated inventions story. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Inventions.

Alexander Graham Bell's First Call — book cover — Wonder Inventions
Alexander Graham Bell's First Call — an illustrated inventions story. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Inventions.

Page 1

Winona bounced on the balls of her feet, watching the swirling colors of the gem-filled river rush past. "Grandpa, look at that amethyst!" she exclaimed…
Winona bounced on the balls of her feet, watching the swirling colors of the gem-filled river rush past. "Grandpa, look at that amethyst!" she exclaimed, pointing with a gloved hand. Dev chuckled, adjusting his headlamp. "Beautiful, isn't it? This whole cave is a wonder."

Winona bounced on the balls of her feet, watching the swirling colors of the gem-filled river rush past. "Grandpa, look at that amethyst!" she exclaimed, pointing with a gloved hand. Dev chuckled, adjusting his headlamp. "Beautiful, isn't it? This whole cave is a wonder."

Page 2

"Imagine trying to talk to someone far away before all this," Winona said, gesturing around. "How did people even communicate?" Dev smiled, patting her…
"Imagine trying to talk to someone far away before all this," Winona said, gesturing around. "How did people even communicate?" Dev smiled, patting her shoulder. "They wrote letters, sent telegrams... it took days, sometimes weeks! Let's head back. Your mother asked us to be home before dinner."

"Imagine trying to talk to someone far away before all this," Winona said, gesturing around. "How did people even communicate?" Dev smiled, patting her shoulder. "They wrote letters, sent telegrams... it took days, sometimes weeks! Let's head back. Your mother asked us to be home before dinner."

Page 3

Back in her room, filled with science posters and models, Winona reached for her glowing invention encyclopedia. "'The best way to predict the future is to…
Back in her room, filled with science posters and models, Winona reached for her glowing invention encyclopedia. "'The best way to predict the future is to invent it,'" she muttered, quoting Alan Kay, pulling the book from the shelf. The room began to shimmer and dissolve around her, swirling light filling her vision. Time to travel!

Back in her room, filled with science posters and models, Winona reached for her glowing invention encyclopedia. "'The best way to predict the future is to invent it,'" she muttered, quoting Alan Kay, pulling the book from the shelf. The room began to shimmer and dissolve around her, swirling light filling her vision. Time to travel!

Page 4

Winona landed in a cluttered workshop, coughing in the smoky air. A man with wild golden-brown hair was tinkering with wires and batteries.
Winona landed in a cluttered workshop, coughing in the smoky air. A man with wild golden-brown hair was tinkering with wires and batteries. "Excuse me," Winona asked, notebook in hand, "Are you Alexander Graham Bell?"

Winona landed in a cluttered workshop, coughing in the smoky air. A man with wild golden-brown hair was tinkering with wires and batteries. "Excuse me," Winona asked, notebook in hand, "Are you Alexander Graham Bell?"

Page 5

"That I am," Bell replied, wiping his brow. "And what brings you to my humble laboratory? I'm trying to transmit speech electrically, but it's proving quite…
"That I am," Bell replied, wiping his brow. "And what brings you to my humble laboratory? I'm trying to transmit speech electrically, but it's proving quite difficult." Winona's eyes widened. "You're inventing the telephone! But how does it work?"

"That I am," Bell replied, wiping his brow. "And what brings you to my humble laboratory? I'm trying to transmit speech electrically, but it's proving quite difficult." Winona's eyes widened. "You're inventing the telephone! But how does it work?"

Page 6

"Well," Bell explained, holding up two devices, "I'm hoping to send sound vibrations through a wire. See, these two devices have membranes, when sound hits one…
"Well," Bell explained, holding up two devices, "I'm hoping to send sound vibrations through a wire. See, these two devices have membranes, when sound hits one, the magnet creates electrical currents through the wire to the other membrane, which then reproduces the sound."

"Well," Bell explained, holding up two devices, "I'm hoping to send sound vibrations through a wire. See, these two devices have membranes, when sound hits one, the magnet creates electrical currents through the wire to the other membrane, which then reproduces the sound."

Page 7

"It's been a long process, Winona," Bell admitted. "Countless failures, tweaked designs... Even now, it is still a struggle.
"It's been a long process, Winona," Bell admitted. "Countless failures, tweaked designs... Even now, it is still a struggle. But on March 10, 1876, I spoke the first words over the telephone. 'Mr. Watson, come here, I want to see you'."

"It's been a long process, Winona," Bell admitted. "Countless failures, tweaked designs... Even now, it is still a struggle. But on March 10, 1876, I spoke the first words over the telephone. 'Mr. Watson, come here, I want to see you'."

Page 8

Winona jotted furiously in her notebook. "That's amazing! But what about now? I mean, everyone has a smartphone!" Bell chuckled.
Winona jotted furiously in her notebook. "That's amazing! But what about now? I mean, everyone has a smartphone!" Bell chuckled. "From those first words, to today's 500 billion-dollar smartphone industry? An incredible evolution! It proves anything is possible."

Winona jotted furiously in her notebook. "That's amazing! But what about now? I mean, everyone has a smartphone!" Bell chuckled. "From those first words, to today's 500 billion-dollar smartphone industry? An incredible evolution! It proves anything is possible."

Page 9

Back in her room, the glowing encyclopedia disappeared as Winona clutched her notebook. "Wow," she breathed, glancing at her own smartphone on the desk.
Back in her room, the glowing encyclopedia disappeared as Winona clutched her notebook. "Wow," she breathed, glancing at her own smartphone on the desk. She ran downstairs to find her grandfather. "Grandpa, guess what I learned about Alexander Graham Bell!"

Back in her room, the glowing encyclopedia disappeared as Winona clutched her notebook. "Wow," she breathed, glancing at her own smartphone on the desk. She ran downstairs to find her grandfather. "Grandpa, guess what I learned about Alexander Graham Bell!"

Page 10

"He showed me the first telephone! He said it all began with 'Mr. Watson, come here'!" Dev smiled, putting an arm around her. "That's right, dear.
"He showed me the first telephone! He said it all began with 'Mr. Watson, come here'!" Dev smiled, putting an arm around her. "That's right, dear. Connecting people – that's what matters. And as the great poet Walt Whitman said, 'Keep your face always toward the sunshine, and shadows will fall behind you.' So, what's for dinner?"

"He showed me the first telephone! He said it all began with 'Mr. Watson, come here'!" Dev smiled, putting an arm around her. "That's right, dear. Connecting people – that's what matters. And as the great poet Walt Whitman said, 'Keep your face always toward the sunshine, and shadows will fall behind you.' So, what's for dinner?"

About this story

  • Audience: kids (ages 6–12)

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