The Day-Glo Brothers

The Day-Glo Brothers: The True Story of Bob and Joe Switzer’s Bright Ideas and Brand-New Colors

By Chris Barton
Illustrated by Tony Persiani
Call Number J 535.352 BAR

Have you ever wondered about who invented the color of the ink in your highlighter or where the orange color of a traffic cone came from? In The Day-Glo Brothers, Chris Barton tells the story of how two brothers named Bob and Joe Switzer, who through a combination of hard work, dedication, problem-solving, and serendipity invented what is known as Day-Glo, the bright fluorescent colors used in highlighters, safety equipment, signs, and many other objects.

Bob was a hard worker and a planner who aspired to be a doctor. Joe enjoyed performing in magic shows and excelled in problem-solving. While working a summer job in 1933 inspecting railroad cars at a factory, Bob fell and sustained a head injury that impaired his memory, gave him seizures, and ended his ambitions in the medical profession. While Bob recovered in the basement, Joe kept him company experimenting with ultraviolet light and fluorescence so he could improve his magic acts. Together Bob and Joe built an ultraviolet lamp. They later took it to their father’s pharmacy and shined light on objects in the dark storeroom. One bottle emitted a yellow glow. This phenomenon inspired the brothers to do further experimentation and research to create different fluorescent colors. At first, the brothers were limited using fluorescent colors in the dark, illuminated by an ultraviolet light. They eventually figured out how to make colors glow during the day and invented Day-Glo.

To find out more about Bob and Joe and how they developed Day-Glo and grew rich, head to the physics section of our library and check out this book, and perhaps some of the surrounding books on light. Author Chris Barton’s narrative of the story is engaging. Illustrator Tony Persiani creatively uses Day-Glo colors to highlight the brothers’ progress throughout the story. If you are interested in learning more about fluorescence and ultra-violet light, visit the book’s website for a brief demonstration.

Reviewed by Margaret Ballard