---
product_id: 35364934
title: "The Marvelous Thing That Came from a Spring: The Accidental Invention of the Toy That Swept the Nation"
brand: "gilbert ford"
price: "564 DH"
currency: MAD
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 8
url: https://www.desertcart.ma/products/35364934-the-marvelous-thing-that-came-from-a-spring-the-accidental
store_origin: MA
region: Morocco
---

# The Marvelous Thing That Came from a Spring: The Accidental Invention of the Toy That Swept the Nation

**Brand:** gilbert ford
**Price:** 564 DH
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** The Marvelous Thing That Came from a Spring: The Accidental Invention of the Toy That Swept the Nation by gilbert ford
- **How much does it cost?** 564 DH with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.ma](https://www.desertcart.ma/products/35364934-the-marvelous-thing-that-came-from-a-spring-the-accidental)

## Best For

- gilbert ford enthusiasts

## Why This Product

- Trusted gilbert ford brand quality
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## Description

The Marvelous Thing That Came from a Spring: The Accidental Invention of the Toy That Swept the Nation

## Images

![The Marvelous Thing That Came from a Spring: The Accidental Invention of the Toy That Swept the Nation - Image 1](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61nVRg0XzOL.jpg)
![The Marvelous Thing That Came from a Spring: The Accidental Invention of the Toy That Swept the Nation - Image 2](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51bbBE5AdnL.jpg)
![The Marvelous Thing That Came from a Spring: The Accidental Invention of the Toy That Swept the Nation - Image 3](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51749BAtYVL.jpg)
![The Marvelous Thing That Came from a Spring: The Accidental Invention of the Toy That Swept the Nation - Image 4](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51+UipiIyuL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    This is a marvelously fun tale about the Slinky that children of all ages will love ...
  

*by D***R on Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2016*

Richard James sat at his desk, wistfully looking off at a pile of books and a spring.  There were piles of paper in the waste bin, springs all over the floor, and a few on a shelf.  Richard “worked as an engineer for the United States Navy” and he had a job to do.  That one little job was to create an invention “that would keep fragile ship equipment from vibrating in choppy seas.” He tried this, he tried that, and that an this, but not a single one of his springs would do.  All of a sudden, one of his springs fell down from a shelf and onto those books.  The torsion spring hit his books and *boing* ... it walked across his desk at him!Hmmmm!  This was a most unusual spring, something Richard had never encountered before.  He turned it this way and that in his hands, thinking it “might not work for the navy’s ships,” but the spring could just be something very special!  Richard showed it to his wife, Betty, and then his son, Tom.  Tom “let it go from the top of the stairs.”  Down, down, down it went as they watched.  “I think it’s a toy!” Richard exclaimed to his family, but what would they call it?  Betty’s eyes grew tired as she passed her time poring through the dictionary.  Of course it was a “Slinky,” because the definition was just right and it even sounded like one.Betty decided that little torsion spring would be the “Slinky:  A One-Of-A-Kind Thing!”  The long journey of the Slinky had begun, but like the Slinky heading down the stairs, everyone turned them down, down, down.  It wasn’t looking good for Richard and Betty, but finally one store decided to give it a try.  Gimbels was going to let Richard “demonstrate how it worked to the holiday shoppers.”  Richard waited and waited for Betty to arrive to help, but she just wasn’t in the store.  He “took a deep breath and let the Slinky go.”  Down, down, down the ramp it went.  Was this one-of-a-kind toy going to be a flop?This is a marvelously fun tale about the Slinky that children will love.  Well, add me to that list because I thoroughly enjoy the tale of this “accidental invention.”  Of course Richard was a dreamer and without that imagination, none of us would have ever enjoyed the Slinky’s trek down our stairs.  The ever-popular toy has given generations of children a glimpse at just what a torsion spring can do.  The artwork has a great retro look that will bring the reader right back into the 1940s.  In the back of the book is a brief historical overview of alternate uses of the Slinky and a bit more about Richard and Betty James.  There’s a Biblio with additional book resources to explore.Ages:  4 to 8

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    Wonderful!
  

*by E***Y on Reviewed in the United States on October 6, 2019*

Love it!  My students loved the story.  Thank you!!

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    Great STEM resource
  

*by E***R on Reviewed in the United States on June 10, 2019*

This was so much fun with my second grade students. I read them the book, then provided original slinky’s to groups- they had fun building stairs, ramps and obstacles

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*Product available on Desertcart Morocco*
*Store origin: MA*
*Last updated: 2026-02-02*