Bertha Takes a Drive: How the Benz Automobile Changed the World

Bertha Takes a Drive is about Bertha Benz taking her two sons for the first drive in the Benz Motorwagen, which her husband, Karl, had invented. The Motorwagen had been banned by the emperor of Germany and the church, so Bertha had to sneak it out the back alley. Bertha and her two boys drove more than 60 miles to visit her mother. It was not an easy trip–they had problems with the engine, problems going up a hill, problems with the brakes, and problems with the fuel. Bertha was able to figure it all out and keep on their journey. Bertha was able to show the world what the Benz Motorwagen could do.

I loved reading Bertha Takes a Drive and learning about Bertha Benz. I really like reading about real people from history, and I don’t know if I would have known about Bertha if I hadn’t read this book. I think it is amazing that in 1888, Bertha, a woman, took out her husband’s invention and drove across the country and was able to fix all the problems and knew how the engine worked. I would recommend Bertha Takes a Drive to kids who are learning about the history of automobiles or women heroes in history.